12 Ways We Can Help You While We Are Closed
In line with government advice and to ensure the safety of our patients and team members, Brightside Dental is closed for appointments until further notice.
All appointments are cancelled currently up to 25th April. If you do still have an appointment before then, we will be in contact with you to cancel it, however if you are able to reply to this email, it will make it easier.
Although we are unable to see you face to face, which with the industry we are in poses huge challenges, we feel there are many ways we can still help our patients during these uncertain times. Here are 12 ways (with hopefully more than these) in how we can assist you:
- At Brightside, the practice may be closed, but we are available to offer dental advice. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, but it’s best to phone between 10am and 5pm, where one of our team would be available. Out of hours, calls are taken by a call answering service who would pass on a message to us to call you back.
- Our emails are being regularly monitored so if you need any kind of assistance, please send an email and we will respond as soon as possible.
- For all our patients who are part of our membership club, your monthly payments have been frozen to save on your costs. Apologies to those patients who are paying for treatments by direct debit and may have had an email in error – these payments continue as normal.
- We have introduced the option of arranging a video call, which can be useful to advise on a visible problem and is particularly useful for orthodontic patients. We had a video call with a boy and his mum this week and were able to assess the problem and advise on what to do at home.
- We are able to access your dental records and xrays remotely, which can help us advise you better.
- If you have a dental emergency, we can advise on what you can do about it at home and if antibiotics are indicated, a prescription can be sent directly to the pharmacy. I had a patient call me yesterday who used to come to Brightside, but moved to Cornwall a couple of years ago. She was in a lot of pain due a dental infection and had tried calling every local dental practice to her but they were all closed. I was able to access her previous dental records and xrays we hold and give her advice over the phone and emailed a prescription to her local chemist for antibiotics to help with the infection until she is able to see a dentist.
- We have had many calls from patients who are not registered with a dentist, or their dental practice is fully closed. If you have a friend or family member who needs dental advice, we are happy to help, however there will be limitations without having their records.
- It’s more important that ever for your oral hygiene to be as diligent as possible. If you are struggling to source products you normally buy from us, get in contact and we should be able to post what you need out to you.
- We have been and when possible again, will be carrying out some repairs and refurbishment work to minimise any disruption once we re-open.
- We have already been working with some of our suppliers on ways we can improve bookings and appointments, as well possible methods of contamination during your visit with us, so that once we can re-open you are as safe as possible, as it seems Covid-19 won’t be fully leaving us for a considerable time.
- If you are within a vulnerable risk group or self-isolating and don’t have support from family or neighbours, we can help with collecting groceries, supplies or prescriptions.
- We are providing advice on taking care of your mouth and general health, along with advice on the common dental problems we encounter and what you can do at home if these happen. These are all on our social media channels along with latest practice news:
Facebook at www.facebook.com/BrightsideDentalUK
Instagram at www.instagram.com/brightsiden11/
If you need any further assistance or have any questions you would like answered, please do contact us
Take care, stay safe and we look forward to seeing you at the practice in the near future
Ketan and the Brightside Team
