As the nation is on unlock mode with shops and other establishments opening up in a phased manner, dental clinics which were shut for the entire duration of the lockdown are now open and functioning as per new rules laid down by the Union Health Ministry.
The ministry has warned that there might be some patients who may be asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19. As a result, all those going in for dental treatments must be dealt with due precautions.
Puneinsight caught up with dentists Anusha Suresh and Nitin Gupta who threw light on how work has been, post the lockdown.
Speaking about how the lockdown has affected dentists, Dr Anusha said “Most of the clinics were shut and very few dentists were open only for emergency treatments. This led to a lot of telephonic consultations and most elective treatments were postponed.”
Throwing light on the challenges being faced with the new rules being implemented, Dr Nitin highlighted “Initially the rules stated that no treatments with aerosols should be done. Hence only a very few procedures were carried out. We have opened the clinic taking utmost precautions like wearing PPE kits, disinfecting the entire working area after each patient and social distancing in the waiting area. Due to this we can cater to only one or two patients in a session. Also working with the PPE kit is difficult.”
“All kinds of dental treatments should be allowed with precautions so that the dentist, dental assistant, receptionist and the patients are safe,” Nitin opined.
Chipping in further Dr Anusha said “We have upgraded our practices so as to safeguard the health of our patients. The next few months will be challenging, both for the patients and the dentists. As only limited procedures are possible in a day, the elective treatments may be delayed.”
“We expect the patient’s cooperation in these difficult times to ensure optimum care. Please call the dentist before visiting the clinic. Follow all rules in the waiting area. Please follow the dentist’s advice during and after the treatment. Stay safe,” Dr Anusha added.
Brief Intro:
Dr Nitin Gupta is a Gold medallist in MDS from RGUHS and has been practising since 2014.
Dr Anusha Suresh, the co-owner of Just Smile Dental Clinic is practising dentistry since 2010. She passed out from MUHS.
The Purnanagar branch was started in 2012 and the Moshi branch in 2015.
Both the clinics are well equipped and all kinds of dental treatments are done here including RCTs, Implants, Crown and Bridges, Orthodontic, Cosmetic and Pediatric Dentistry.
