At Alert Levels 3 and 4 it is not possible to see your dentist for a routine appointment. However, some clinics open to provide emergency dental care to people in need. But especially in Alert Level 4 we are all told to stay home and in our bubbles unless it is absolutely necessary to venture out. So it is safe to go to the dentist during lockdown?
If you have any problems or worries about your teeth or gums it is vital that you seek professional advice. Dental issues can deteriorate very quickly and make you very sick if you delay treatment. McIntosh Dental provides emergency dental care even during Alert Level 4 under strict processes and protocols to ensure that patient and staff health and safety isn’t compromised.
The first step in going to the dentist during lockdown is undertaking a screening and clinical assessment over the phone. This allows us to determine if you do need emergency treatment or not, and could include you sending us a photo. In some cases an emergency appointment may not be necessary, so this is an important first step.
Dental Clinic Safety Procedures
If your phone assessment determines that you do require in-clinic treatment, you can be confident that our dental clinic has the highest possible safety measures, equipment and procedures in place to protect you and our staff at all times. Our safety measures include:
- Sanitisation upon arrival and departure
- Spacing out of appointments to avoid any in-clinic cross over
- Distancing in reception
- Full body PPE (personal protection equipment)
- Air purifiers and Laminar airflow units to purify the air and remove aerosols in the surgeries
- Wiping down and sanitising all surgery surfaces after every appointment, as well as alternately using two surgeries to allow a stand-down period after sanitisation for added measure
- Staff members are organised into small team bubbles for the entire duration of the lockdown period to avoid any cross over
With our added safety measures in place, McIntosh Dental is one of the safest dental clinics in Auckland and are proud to be able to treat patients in need during these very challenging times. We are also very proud of our team members (who are all fully vaccinated), who continue to work hard in providing these essential services and keep Aucklanders’ mouths healthy and pain-free.
If you have any concerns and need a dentist during lockdown, don’t delay. Please get in touch with us on (09) 837-2598 or email info@mcintoshdental.co.nz.
