HWDC Covid-19 Operation Update
Our Dear Patients
We are delighted to welcome you back to the Centre.
We have worked hard to ensure a safe return for everyone and have implemented many new safety measures including:
- Single patient scheduling
- Remote booking and payment systems
- Aerosol reduction equipment
- Additional disinfection and air purification systems
- Enhanced level personal protective equipment (PPE)
You can only attend the practice if you have an appointment already booked.
The initial appointments will be for emergency and urgent treatment only. We will not be able to offer routine treatments immediately.
We recommend that patients in high-risk and extremely high-risk groups delay non-essential dental treatment for as long as possible until the trend of the pandemic becomes clearer. To find out whether you are in a high-risk group please refer to www.nhs.uk.
We will be contacting you directly to arrange your appointment.
Please be patient with us while we organise the treatment categories that we are able to initially address.
If you are in pain or have a concern then please do not hesitate to get in touch by telephone or email for advice.
We will continue to update you as guidelines change and we become able to offer further treatments.
We have put various new systems and processes in place to ensure your safety, the safety of other patients and that of our team. We thank you for your cooperation and for complying with these new procedures:
- We will contact you a few days before your appointment to update your medical history and assess your Covid-19 infection risk. We will also inform you about our new systems and procedures and what to expect on your first visit back to the Centre.
- We are trying to make your visit as seamless and as contactless as possible, therefore we will request that your medical history questionnaire and any other relevant paperwork is completed and returned to us before your appointment. We will instruct you on how to do this.
- We may have to cancel your appointment if all the relevant documentation is not completed and returned in time.
- We will also request payment online or by telephone either before or after your appointment where possible. Alternatively, you can use a contactless card payment method at reception.
- Follow up and future appointments can be made by telephone or email to limit your time in reception
- Please brush your teeth before your visit.
- Please use the toilet before leaving your house and refrain from using the practice facilities if you can.
- Please bring minimal personal belongings with you.
- Please attend alone and only bring a chaperone if absolutely necessary.
- Please arrive on time. We will be staggering patients’ appointments to limit the number of people in the building at any one time, so it is important that you do arrive on time.
- When you arrive, please remain in your car and let us know that you have arrived and we will invite you in. Alternatively please ring the door bell and we will let you in.
- Please follow the instructions at the entrance of the building very carefully before you make your way to reception.
- You will be asked to put all your belongings in a personalised bag, sanitise your hands, wear a mask and a pair of gloves.
- We will take your temperature before you enter the treatment room and if your temperature is above 37.8 degrees we will respectfully ask you to go home and defer your treatment for at least a month. We will ask you to make contact with your GP or follow the NHS guidelines on isolation.
- We will be wearing enhanced PPE for some forms of treatment. Please do not be alarmed, this is for your safety and it is still us under the masks and visors!
- Appointment times may be longer as we have to spend more time cleaning and disinfecting the surgeries thoroughly following special protocols. Therefore, we may not be able to offer as many appointments in the day as we used to.
- The practice will look bare and different to usual but we will endeavour to make you feel as welcomed and as relaxed as you have been on your previous visits.
We thank you for all your patience during the time the practice was closed, and we ask you to please be patient with us as we navigate these changes together.
As always your safety and comfort are at the heart of our operation.
Despite the financial impact of the virus on us like many other small businesses, HWDC will not be increasing its fees for the foreseeable future. There will however be a nominal fee for the PPE used depending on the procedure and treatment carried out during your visit.
The virus and its implications is still being researched and evaluated and policies and recommendations are likely to change in line with new scientific evidence over time. We will monitor the advice closely and update our policies and operating procedures accordingly.
We will keep you regularly updated about changes in our procedures and what treatments we can gradually introduce back as we navigate our way out of this situation.
We wish you good health and happiness at all times and look forward to seeing you all again.
If you have any queries or concerns about the new procedures please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Lama Brown
On behalf of the HWDC Team
HWDC Covid-19 Operation Update
Our Dear Patients
We hope you are all safe and well.
We are pleased to confirm that the Government and the Chief Dental Officer for England have announced that dental practices are allowed to reopen for face to face dental care from Monday 8th June 2020.
As a profession we have been informed of this at the same time as the general public.
Our new operating guidelines have been released on the 1st of June 2020.
We are aware that many of you are keen to have dental problems that arose over the lockdown period resolved, incomplete treatment completed and routine treatment resumed and we are committed to returning to a normal operation as soon as possible.
Please be patient with us whilst we put systems in place for a safe return. We are currently trying to source the correct PPE which is in short supply.
We anticipate a phased return to our services and we will therefore initially prioritise patients in greatest need of care followed by those whose current course of treatment was interrupted by the pandemic.
We are aware of who is waiting to see us and we will contact everyone in due course.
We are delighted we are going to be able to see you soon and appreciate your patience whilst we prepare for a safe return as quickly as possible.
In the meantime if you have any problems, queries or concerns then please do not hesitate to call us on 0208 9774595 or email us on hwdc@pearltooth.com.
We will continue to keep you updated and we thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
HWDC Team
HWDC Covid-19 Operation Update
Our Dear Patients
We hope you and your family remain healthy and happy during this difficult lockdown period.
Unfortunately the practice remains shut for any type of treatment as per the guidelines. However, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0208 9774595 or email us on hwdc@pearltooth.com if you have a problem or need any advice.
For emergency/ urgent treatment we will direct you to the relevant services.
A site you may find useful for dental information and advice is
We hope to see you soon.
Stay safe.
HWDC Team
Our Dear Patients
Our thoughts are with you during this period of lockdown and we hope you and your families are safe and well.
Although we still cannot meet face to face, please do not hesitate to contact us for any advice on your pending or future treatments, or if you have a problem.
We also welcome new patients to enquire about our services.
We are happy to arrange video calls where necessary.
If we can assist in any way in our lovely community please reach out to us.
Call us on 02089774595 or email us on hwdc@pearltooth.com
We hope to see you soon.
Stay safe.
HWDC Team.
Our Dear Patients
As a result of the unprecedented situation in the UK regarding the COVID-19 virus I felt it was important to update you about our operation at the Hampton Wick Dental Centre.
For now it is business as usual and I want to reassure you that we are continuing to keep our practice clean and safe for both you and the team.
As a dental practice we take pride in our cross infection standards and the prevention of the spread of a whole range of infections is woven into everything we do. We are also following the latest government guidance on the transmission of the the COVID- 19 virus.
Before attending the practice for your appointment please review the most up to date government guidance
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Please do not attend if you have developed a recent continuous cough or a high temperature or been in contact with someone with the virus. I am sure you appreciate that we have a duty to protect all of our patients and staff.
You can call us on 0208 9774595 or email us on hwdc@pearltooth.com to let us know if you wish to reschedule your appointment. We would be happy to schedule an alternative date for you.
We may be especially concerned about our elderly patients, patients with underlying health issues and our very young patients. Please give us a call about your treatment before you attend so we can plan the best course of action.
When you arrive for your appointment please wait in your car if you are early. Please try not to attend with many family members/ friends.
Please use the hand sanitiser just inside the main doorway as you enter the building and again at reception on your way out after your appointment.
As a team at HWDC we are doing everything we possibly can to remain healthy and well so that we continue to deliver our usual high standard of professional care for you.
We appreciate your cooperation and hope you all remain healthy and in good spirits during this difficult time. If we can help in any way, please let us know.
Our best wishes
HWDC Team
Lama Brown from The Hampton Wick Dental Centre explains how her practice strives to give professional care with a personal touch
Can you tell us a bit about your background?LB: I qualified with BDS in 1995 from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ London and then completed my vocational training in Colchester. Soon after I joined an NHS practice. I worked towards and obtained the MFGDP from the Royal College of Surgeons. That is when my ‘thirst’ for postgraduate training started. I left the NHS to complete a full-time training programme in periodontology at The Royal London Hospital. I qualified with a distinction and obtained the MClinDent (Periodontology). I then divided my time between several private practices treating patients with periodontal problems and working at the hospital. In December 2006, I brought my practice and decided to consolidate all my skills and run my own business. I’ve completed a diploma in endodontic practice and more recently, a diploma in executive management. I am presently the practice principal and run The Hampton Wick Dental Centre together with my husband Ronald Brown.
What or who made you choose a career in dentistry and periodontology in particular?My inspiration was my aunt who is a dentist. I looked up to her in awe as a child, watching her manage her career and family life. Being a bookworm and a people’s person myself, the choice was obvious. Working in the NHS at the start of my career, I realised that I enjoyed treatment planning and careful methodical execution of the plans. Periodontal treatment was always the starting point to laying down healthy foundations and often under the NHS, I felt restricted due to lack of time and funding. I decided to embark on the masters in periodontology to improve my skills, offer a better service and satisfy my quest for more knowledge.
Can you tell us about your practice and how it is structured?The practice offers a wide range of private treatments. I am the full-time dentist and most treatments are offered by myself including general dentistry, periodontology, implantology, Invisalign and cosmetic dentistry. My work is complemented by a skilled endodontist and oral surgeon. The practice has been recently refurbished with state-of-the-art equipment including a 3D CT scanner and the latest acquisition is an intraoral Cerec scanner allowing us to offer the latest dental treatments to our patients and all under one roof. My husband is the manager and a dental hygienist and dedicated nurses complete the team. Since purchasing the practice we have worked hard to evolve it into a centre of excellence and a referral practice for the local community and neighbouring towns. We strive to deliver clinical excellence and professional care but with a personal touch for our patients many of which have become friends of the practice.
Can you tell us about your typical working week?My working week is always busy, varied but exciting. I could be offering general dentistry to children, periodontology, Invisalign, cosmetic dentistry and working closely with the oral surgeon on sinus lifts or bone grafting cases under IV sedation all in the same week. The nurses are very efficient at transferring between treatments and the surgeries are well equipped and ergonomically designed to accommodate all the different treatments. My working day is often pleasantly interrupted by one of our friendly patients popping in for a chat or a cup of coffee or to recommend a friend or family member.
What have been your best decisions? In hindsight, would you have done anything differently?Throughout my career my best decisions have been investing in my education and postgraduate training which has enabled me to offer the varied disciplines in my practice successfully. I would have liked to have started my postgraduate training earlier in my career but soon after my VT year I got married and was juggling two young children with my studies and work.
Can you tell us about your lecturing?The science behind periodontology and especially regenerative surgery fascinates me. I have given several lectures on the subject at local BDA meetings and the British Society of Dental Research. When my practicing time allows me, I would like to return to The Royal London and teach periodontology to the undergraduate students.How important is patient communication to you?Patient communication is at the heart of the service we offer. Gaining the patient’s trust by communicating to them the treatment they need in a way that they can understand is so important. At the practice we endeavour to make our surroundings, ambience and approach so relaxed that patients feel at ease to talk to us about their needs comfortably. This style of patient management continues throughout their journey and they leave as friends. We have invested heavily in a first class website which is rich in content. Patients can refer to the site in their own time to learn more about their treatment options. The intraoral camera and intraoral Cerec scanner are invaluable for first hand demonstration and education.
How do you stay abreast of modern techniques?Staying abreast of modern techniques is vital not only to improve my knowledge and skills and offer patients what is best for them in an informed manner backed by scientific research, but also to keep up with the competitive market. I have been lucky to have undertaken so many postgraduate courses in so many disciplines which has kept my finger on the pulse of the evolving dental world. Now that I am so busy in practice, I rely on reading dental journals and attending day courses or conferences specific to the treatments I offer. The company representatives who visit the practice on a regular basis have been invaluable in introducing us to the latest in many fields but especially implant and digital dentistry.
Professionally, what are you most proud of?I am most proud of the practice as it stands. With the help of my husband, we have not only modernised the building, treatment rooms and facilities, but we have grown a strong business based purely on word-of-mouth and personal recommendation. It has been a very personal, literally hands on project and a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice went not only into the clinical side but also the transformation of the gardens into a picturesque scene and the design of the practice décor (where I discovered my flair for interior design!).
Where do you get your motivation and drive from?I have always been a very motivated and driven person from a young age, with a competitive attitude towards my academics. Early on in my dental career I constantly wanted to improve my knowledge and better myself as a professional. Lately I have become more involved in the business side of dentistry and the excitement of running and growing the business is my motivational force. I will always strive for excellence personally and professionally and I try to instil this work ethic in my four children by leading by example so that they can develop into proud individuals.
How do you relax in your spare time? How do you balance work and family life?Now that the weather is nice, spending time in the practice gardens is so fulfilling. I relax by getting in my car and driving to see my mother, family and friends. I am trying to train myself to leave ‘work at work’. This is naturally hard when you run your own business as my brain is always ‘buzzing’ with ideas on how to move the business forwards. Weekends are dedicated to my family, husband and children and our five-year-old twin boys certainly keep us busy with their various activities and mini social diary!
What lessons have you learned in the course of your career?During the course of my career I have learnt that hard work certainly pays off. Growing the business has taught me to become patient, which is difficult for my type A personality! Rome was not built in a day, but organic growth and methodical planning and execution of all the business decisions since purchasing the practice has taken me to where I am today, working in and running a centre of excellence I am proud of.
Do you have any regrets?Some of the decision making in the practice has resulted in slower outcomes but positive outcomes nonetheless. I have no regrets.
What are your plans for the future?Digital dentistry is the way forward. Integrating that into daily practice is a strategy we intend to implement to stay competitive and offer a better service, especially in implantology and guided surgery. I am also going to be focusing on my family and growing the business. I may slip in the Fellowship from The Royal College of Surgeons to add to my portfolio!
