No images? Click here
Your NHS dentistry and oral health update
Tuesday 27 October 2020
An update from Sara Hurley, Chief Dental Officer England
The last few months have been difficult for everybody. But despite these immense pressures, the dental family has continued to show our talent and resilience. We set up over 600 urgent dental centres to help our most vulnerable and in-need patients. We volunteered to be redeployed – over 18,000 of us. And now we have reopened the vast majority of dental practices so that with each week, more and more patients are getting the excellent care that we provide.
And I am pleased to inform you that last week the UK Covid 19 Infection Prevention Control Dental appendix was published which includes new guidance on the post Aerosol Generating Procedure downtime. This means we can amend the Standard Operating Procedure. This important change means that more patients can get access to care that they need and of course, it's another step towards restoring dental services. Important detail on this is below, which I urge you to read.
During the pandemic, I heard the calls for clearer communication. So, we have created this bulletin to keep you updated of developments on COVID-19 and dentistry more widely. I am very keen on feedback so please do reply with how you think we could improve this bulletin.
I am also hosting a webinar on the topic of infection prevention and control. We'll be talking you through the new guidance with experts from Public Health England, too. More detail is in this bulletin and I hope you can join us.
Most importantly of all, I want to thank everyone in dentistry. From those working in primary care and community dental services to our teams in secondary care and the hospitals, the dental laboratories and the behind the scenes offices. You've all worked incredibly hard and are continuing to do so.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 will continue to present challenges for us all and our colleagues across the wider health system, but I know from the hard work and dedication I have seen, we will pull through.
Sara
New infection prevention control guidance and our NHS dentistry webinar
New infection prevention control guidance
On Tuesday, new UK infection prevention control guidance - dental appendix was issued jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England the devolved nations' public health authorities.You should read the guidance in full online here.
The guidance addresses one of the key challenges facing dental practices; the duration of the post Aerosol Generating Procedure (AGP) downtime.The guidance details the variable duration of the post AGP downtime, with detail of the required mitigating measures and ventilation parameters. In summary where a surgery’s ventilation system can achieve 6 to 9 Air Changes/Hour (ACH), a baseline post AGP downtime of 20 minutes is recommended. Where there are 10 or more ACH, a baseline post AGP downtime of 15 minutes is recommended.
As detailed in the UK IPC Guidance for dental settings FFP3 masks are recommended for AGP procedures. As recommended in the main IPC guidance on page 41, “FFP3 and loose fitting powered hoods provide the highest level of protection and are recommended when caring for patients in areas where high risk aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) are being performed. Where the risk assessment shows an FFP2 respirator is suitable, they are recommended as a safe alternative”.
This means that as there are existing stocks of FFP2 masks, it is understood that it may be necessary for practices to continue to use these until staff are successfully fit tested and supplied with the appropriate FFP3.
NHS dentistry webinar with the Chief Dental Officer and Public Health England - Thursday 5 November at 16:30 on Microsoft Teams
Sara Hurley is holding a webinar on how infection prevention control and the new fallow time requirements are due to work in dental settings. She will be joined by representatives from Public Health England and our Deputy Chief Dental Officers Eric Rooney and Jason Wong. The webinar will last approximately an hour.
Click this link to register. Once you have registered for the webinar you will be sent a link to join.
For more information on joining the briefing via Microsoft Teams please refer to this guide: Guidance for external parties joining a meeting
COVID-19 latest advice and guidance
NHS updates to the profession
During the course of the pandemic, we have regularly written to the NHS dental profession with important updates and information. This, and previous updates from the Chief Dental Officer and the NHS dentistry and oral health team are all online here.
Transition to Recovery: Dentistry's standard operating procedure
This document is the essential guidance for all dental teams in England. In it, we detail all the key things dental teams need to know about how to run their services safely, for patients and themselves. The latest version was published on Tuesday 27 October. Changes to the previous SOP are in yellow. You can read the SOP online here.
Urgent Dental Centres: Standard Operating Procedure
If you work in an urgent dental centre or are responsible for one as a provider, or as a commissioner, then the Urgent Dental Centre SOP should be your guide. Changes to the previous SOP are in yellow. It was updated on Tuesday 27 October and is online here.
PPE for NHS dental teams
As detailed in the government's PPE Plan (published 28th September), the PPE Portal can be used by dentists in England. The portal is run by the Department of Health and Social Care and is intended to meet all COVID-19 needs and is supplied for free to these NHS contractors.This supplements the PPE supply for business-as-usual needs that dental practices should continue accessing via their normal supply routes.
Information on order limits as well as how to access the portal is available on the government's website here.
Signing up to this bulletin
Have you been sent this email by someone else?
This bulletin is a round up of all the latest news and important resources for anyone working in NHS dental services.
We'll send it out as and when important news needs to come your way. If you've already signed up but didn't receive the update, then check your junk folder for the confirmation email and make sure you've followed the instructions to complete sign up.
NHS primary care bulletin
The NHS primary care bulletin provides resources on health policy and practice and we encourage you to sign up for this, too. It is aimed at teams across general practice, dentistry, community pharmacy and optometry.
Looking after yourselves and each other
Right now, it's so important that we all look after each other. Work can be stressful, those who are isolating can find it very tough to be at home all day, and patients too can be under pressure.
Please remember to keep yourself safe and seek help if you think you need it. Staff can access free wellbeing support, free coaching and access volunteer support to deliver groceries, medication and essential items by calling 0808 196 3646.
If you are an employer, NHS Employers have issued guidance on supporting staff returning to the workplace. Please do read it thoroughly to help your teams return to work safely.
NHS Practitioner Health is accessible to dentists and has developed front-line well being support during COVID-19.
If you are a member of the British Dental Association, then you can find further information about access to counselling and emotional support here.
Useful information for our patients
Many of these resources are easily available online. But as a helpful reminder, click on the buttons below to access web pages on some commonly asked questions by patients.
If a patient, for whatever reason, cannot get access to their normal NHS dentist, or if they are not registered with a dentist, then NHS 111 can direct them to a NHS dentist if their condition is urgent, including to an urgent dental centre.
 |  |  |  |  |