DENTAL PRACTICES in Glasgow re-opened yesterday for routine check-ups for the first time since lockdown began.

Although some practises were able to open last month for emergency NHS treatments, a cluster of Glasgow practises including City Dental, Clyde Dental Baillieston and Clyde Dental Shettleston have resumed routine examinations for the first time since March following the recent announcement from Scotland’s Chief Dental Officer.

Practises have a number of new health and safety measures installed for the 'new normal'.

Patients must fill in digital forms before attending appointments, use onsite sanitising stations, observe strict social distancing, follow a one-way system and pay by contactless methods where possible.

Dr Jacqui Frederick, Group Clinical Director at Clyde Munro told The Glasgow Times: “As a group, we’ve been able to share knowledge, advice and protocols to enable us to safely open all of our practices to some non -emergency treatment”

“Our respective teams across Scotland have been waiting for this moment for months and are delighted to have patients back through the door.

"Every practice has had extensive social distancing and hygiene procedures put in place throughout.

Glasgow Times:

“In the month since we were able to resume emergency treatments in NHS practices, we have refined all of those procedures.

"Now our entire workforce are extremely comfortable in how to make the process as simple and easy as possible for patients, while keeping them safe.”

However, Dr Frederick urged patients to avoid calling either practice to request a check-up or routine appointment.

She added: “We understand we have many patients throughout the country who are very keen to resume their care, but we’d ask them to please bear with us.

"Our first priority is to get in touch with all patients whose appointments were cancelled.

She added: We want to assure all of our patients that we will get to them for their routine check-ups as quickly as possible and that they will be able to get treatment if they have urgent dental problems”

“It’s also important for us to make patients aware that when they do arrive at the practice, it will be different from what they have experienced during their previous visits.”