COVID-19: Can I Still Go to the Dentist?

Dentists in New Zealand are still providing urgent care to patients during the coronavirus pandemic, but it's important to understand the changes that have been made so you know what to expect.

At St Heliers Dental Centre, we're following the recommendations of the New Zealand Dental Association, Dental Council and Ministry of Health to help protect our patients, our staff and our loved ones and prevent the spread of COVID-19, while also continuing to provide oral health care to our community.

If you need to talk to a dentist, call us now on (09) 575 5814 and we'll let you know how we can help.

What are urgent dental treatments?

As of April 2020, we are currently only receiving patients at our St Heliers dental clinic who have a dental emergency or need urgent care that can't wait until a later date.

Examples of urgent care include (but are not limited to):

• severe toothache or other pain that can't be managed with general pain relief
• swelling or possible infection of the mouth
• knocked out tooth
• fractured tooth that exposes the dental pulp
• damaged brace or other dental appliance that is affecting your health and safety
• bleeding of the mouth that won't stop

If you're not sure whether your situation is urgent or you need advice, contact our team today.

What are non urgent dental treatments?

Any problem affecting your oral health needs attention, but dentists in New Zealand are currently (as of April 2020) not able to see patients face to face for problems considered 'non-urgent.' This includes:

• routine check-ups, teeth cleaning and scaling
• chipped or cracked teeth that don't expose the inner pulp
• placing crowns and bridges
• sore or bleeding gums
• extractions (unless the tooth is causing severe pain)
• cosmetic treatments

If you want to talk to a dentist, we can arrange a virtual consultation to offer home care advice and decide if you need to visit our clinic.

Is it safe to visit the dentist?

As of April 2020, New Zealand is under Alert Level 3. This means that we can only provide urgent and emergency care at our dental clinic. If you need to see our dentists during COVID-19, we'll make sure you understand the steps we've implemented for your own safety and that of our team and others.

These steps include:

• screening of every patient for possible coronavirus infection
• full-body, disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by our practitioners
• full sterilisation of surgery room after each patient
• waiting rooms not to be used
• negative pressure surgery for high risk cases

We know this is a lot to take in, but we ask for your cooperation and understanding at this time to help us stop the disease from spreading in our community.

Talk to a dentist in St Heliers

If you want more information about how coronavirus is affecting your dental care or ongoing treatments, contact our team at St Heliers Dental Centre. We'll give you the latest updates and offer advice to help you look after your oral health and that of your family.

Call (09) 575 5814 to get in touch today and stay safe.

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