For the last 6 weeks and for the foreseeable future the COVID-19 pandemic will dominate our lives.
If there is anyway that we can help or be of assistance please let us know. We are here to support you during these difficult times. We hope you are all keeping well and at the moment it is more important than ever to look after ourselves physically and mentally.
We closed our practice to protect staff members, patients and reduce the spread of the virus in the community. The practice is now going to re-open but please be patient as it will take come time to work through or existing patients. It will be a long time before we can resume normal care, indeed there will have to be a new normal because we will all have to work in a different manner to keep everyone safe.
Our deepest sympathies to all who have lost loved ones . It is depressing to think that we cannot even gather at funerals to sympathise with the bereaved and mark the passing of a family member, neighbour or friend.
These are extraordinary times indeed and thankfully it was 1918 and the Spanish Flu when human life was last threatened in this manner.
Most of us have not been able to work, go to school, play sports or socialise in a normal manner. Students doing the Leaving Cert have to work through the Summer with no exam date set and those who were busy preparing for the Junior Cert now have no exam to sit.
Of course front line staff and most health care workers have continued to go to work and they have kept us safe at great personal risk. Some even lost their lives to COVID-19. May they rest in peace and our thoughts and prayers go out their families.
Most dentists have been unable to work due to the lack of available PPE, in particular appropriate facemasks. Dental workers would be among the most exposed to the virus due to the nature of the work and procedures that create aerosols.
At Shannon Orthodontics we had to close in the middle of March but are hoping to go back to work in the next few weeks. Apart from a few emergencies no patients were seen since then.
We will contact all our patients who had appointments postponed and make new appointments in the coming weeks.
There will have to some changes to how we see our patients to reduce the risk to staff and patients. Unfortunately this may mean some delays in your treatment.
Do not attend if you are feeling unwell especially with a cough or fever, if you are self isolating, or have been in contact with anyone who is infected with COVID 19.
Patients should attend alone where possible, very young children should be accompanied with a parent/guardian.
We are happy to discuss any urgent matter over the phone
Keep social distancing from other patients
Use hand sanitiser entering and leaving
Ensure cough and sneeze etiquette
Do not pay with cash, use cards instead