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We’ve spent £15,000 on Covid safety measures

Harley Street dentist Dr Patrick Tarrant opened his doors to customers a few weeks ago, having changed his working practices completely to ensure that everyone is kept safe.

Dentistry is a particularly difficult ‘close-contact business’, as procedures such as drilling create aerosolised particles, that could potentially contain the virus.

And Patrick (below) says he has spent £15,000 so far on PPE and other safety measures, including air purification, a specialist suction pump to remove aerosols at source and a UV sterilising light machine that is thought to be the first in the country.

‘The light sterilises surfaces, and the machine is the same as the ones used by Sheraton Hotels and on the production lines at Volkswagen,’ he says.

Patrick and his dental nurse also screen patients’ temperatures and their oxygen saturation levels before allowing them into the dental surgery. But safety measures this advanced do come at a cost. ‘Each patient has to pay a £45 surcharge for PPE,’ he says. ‘It is the only way we could do this.’

Patrick admits that waiting to reopen his dental practice had been “frustrating” as he could only do consultations via Zoom and prescribe antibiotics.

‘We’re dealing with people in pain now,’ he says. ‘It was very hard to do that remotely.’

The £2,500 light machine that can make a space ‘virus-proof’ in 6 minutes

A Harley Street dentist has spent thousands on state of the art equipment he says can revolutionise the industry post-covid.

LOCKDOWN LEADER: DR PATRICK TARRANT

IT’S THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO THAT’S INDUCED SWEATY PALMS ALL ROUND: SUDDENLY DEVELOPING CHRONIC TOOTHACHE DURING LOCKDOWN, WHEN THE DENTISTS ARE CLOSED. LAST MAY, FAY RAYWARD FROM SHROPSHIRE EVEN TOOK MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS, WHEN SHE TRIED TO PULL HER OWN TOOTH OUT WITH A PAIR OF PLIERS.