Appointment Preparation
**Conditions of Entry apply**:
if you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please call the surgery IN ADVANCE of your dental appointment.**
- Wear a Mask: It is HIGHLY RECCOMENDED that all patients and support persons wear masks whilst inside our premises. Full mask policy document available here.
- Be Free of any any flu like symptoms please cancel appointments if you are unwell.
- You must NOT have tested positive to COVID-19 in the preceding TEN (10) Days: Although you may be free to move about the community, in the medical setting, it is best to avoid this until after day 10.
- You must NOT BE a close contact of a person with COVID-19: Additionally, you must NOT have had contact with any known cases in the preceding 7 days nor directed to isolate. Again, NSW Health recommends avoiding the medical setting as a close contact of a person with COVID-19
- ONLY persons with a dental appointment should attend unless patient is under 18 and is accompanied by ONE parent or guardian or is ELDERLY or infirm and again has ONE care person.
- It is no longer a requirement to sign in using the service NSW QR code etc.
Additional COVID-19 Information
- Stanhope Dental Centre is a family-centred practice however in this current environment, only persons who have an appointment with the dentist should arrive at the practice (exceptions include ONE parent or guardian, or ONE carer/translator IF REQUIRED);
- Please arrive to your appointment ON TIME. Do not arrive early or late. This minimizes the numbers of people in the waiting room area - consider waiting in your car.
- If you have an appointment and the surgery appears closed or unattended, please just wait in your car. We will call you in when we are ready. If the door is open, you may wait in the waiting area provided that you practice all social distancing guidelines.
- Be prepared with your own electronic devices and reading material in case you need to wait - especially if you have children with you (WiFi details available at the desk);
- Please pay for your treatment using contactless payment wherever possible.
- Stay reliably informed by experts from the World Health Organisation (who.int), NSW Department of Health or the Australian Government's UPDATE. (DO NOT act on advice from your neighbours, your friends, hearsay, the media, FaceBook and other social media platforms!)
- Visit our HOME PAGE and stay up to date with Stanhope Dental Centre's current policies.
Staff as close contacts:
If a staff member is considered to be a "close contact" of a person with COVID-19, according to NSW health, they are permitted to work providing the following conditions are met:
- They must test DAILY (RAT) and must report a NEGATIVE test prior to commencement of their shift
- They must be SYMPTOM FREE and report any changes
- They must wear a mask AT ALL TIMES that they are indoors at the practice
- They must eat all meals in an outdoor area
These requirements are in place for the safety of all staff and patients. This remains in place for SEVEN days from their associated "close contact". This is NOT a double standard in respect to "patients as close contacts", as a patient is not able to remain MASKED AT ALL TIMES whilst in the practice. If you have any questions about this policy or wish to enquire about the status of all staff members for the day of your appointment, please do not hesitate to contact the surgery.
In addition to our already high standards of infection control, Stanhope Dental Centre has:
- Provided hand sanitizer at the front desk for patients to access and use;
- Disinfected door knobs and counter surfaces after patient contact;
- Removed magazines and display books from the waiting room area (very difficult to disinfect effectively).
- Removed children’s toys from the Toy corner of the waiting room.
We have always...
- Sterilised all instruments after every single patient;
- Thoroughly disinfected all surfaces and equipment within the surgery room, including the dental chair, after every single patient;
- Swept and mopped all floors and bathrooms are regularly;
- Thoroughly washed hands with soap and water or approved Alcohol Based Hand Rub (ABHR) before and after each patient as well as wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including masks, gloves and protective eye-wear at all times when treating patients;
- Disposable PPE are thrown away after each patient.
Other things you can do...
- Practise good personal hygiene principles including:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. Hand sanitizer alone is not always enough.
- Use disposable tissues or your elbow when coughing or sneezing
- Instruct the children and young people in your care on these principles
- Brush and floss your teeth twice per day to ensure that your mouth, teeth and gums stay healthy – the mouth is one of the main entry points for infection;