January 7, 2021
Following the announcement on Monday 04 January 2021 that we are entering our third lockdown in England, Sara Hurley, CDO has provided the following information on our dental services:
- Dental services are to remain open to see patients
- Frontline health staff include dental professionals and their teams, so they are in a priority group for vaccination
- Dental professionals are defined by the Government as critical workers
- COVID Testing is available for NHS dental practices
- Remote consultation, triage and risk assessment remain key prior to patient attendance for face-to-face dental care
- PPE levels as stated for low, medium and high risk assessed patients remain
- When recommencing deferred courses of treatment, recall and re-assessments, practices will need to prioritise groups with the greatest need, such as children
- Dentistry is an essential medical service. It is a priority for the NHS. Patients are entitled to travel for medical appointments, including dental appointments
- For useful, social media pictures to let your patients know you are still open, see the coronavirus resources government web page – the “Dental – social” section