Dear Patient
Covid 19 is affecting all our lives in a way we could not have contemplated even 2 weeks ago. I have delayed writing to you in relation to any change in arrangements at the Practice simply because things are changing daily and at times hourly.
As of today, Sunday 22 March ALL practices in the Riverdale Healthcare Group, including Alpha and Vitality practices, Archway, Eston, Framwellgate, Pelaw and Hebburn are moving to see patients for Emergency treatment only.
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THE PRACTICE IF YOU HAD OR HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID 19. If you do, you will be asked to leave immediately
NHS Commissioners, our regulator and the Chief Dental Officer still only advise a reduction in the number of patients we see and to not provide certain treatments. However our Professional body, the British Dental Association (BDA) backs the position we are adopting.
I hope you can understand our decision as we support social distancing for our teams and our patients.
All appointments are now cancelled until further notice.
Please contact the practice if:-
1) You require emergency treatment
2) You need advice or reassurance
3) You need a treatment completing that is vital for function, such as a denture fit – your original appointment will be cancelled but we will try to accommodate completing your treatment by arrangement.
4) Separate arrangements are being made on a case by case basis for Orthodontic and Implant patients and you will be contacted directly by the practice.
Our senior dental team will be available to give telephone advice if your query cannot be managed by our reception team – you will be called back as soon as possible.
In the interests of safety, OUR DOOR WILL BE LOCKED – PLEASE RING THE PRACTICE FOR ADVICE OR AN APPOINTMENT
We are working to keep our team together and will do all we can continue your treatment when this situation is over.
In the meantime please follow Government advice on social distancing.
Do stay safe and my very best wishes to you and your family in these difficult times
Ian A Gordon BDS MFGDP
Managing Director Alpha Vitality Group
Riverdale Healthcare
Managing an Ulcer
/in Self CareHome Care
Ulcers can develop due to a number of reasons, however, the management of them is relatively similar.
Ulcers can be remarkably painful. Using local measures like placing Bonjela on the ulcer and rinsing with mouthwash like Difflam which you can purchase from a pharmacy can help with the pain. Even teething gels which contain topical anaesthetic can soothe the area. Please check with the chemist that there is no reason why you shouldn’t be using any of these.
In most cases the pain will subside but if it continues, then you can take standard pain relief such as paracetamol. Again, speak to your pharmacist, or check the information leaflet in the packet to check there is no reason why you shouldn’t be taking them.
Please avoid putting any tablets directly on the area as this may help in the short term but may chemically burn the area making it worse not better.
Causes of Ulcers
Sometimes a change in diet or toothpaste can be a cause of ulcers. Make sure you eat a healthy, well balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Occasionally, SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) in toothpaste can cause ulcers in some people. Please check your toothpaste, it may be worth switching to a toothpaste that doesn’t contain SLS.
Consuming spicy or acidic food and drinks can also be triggers for ulcers.
Prevention and Maintenance
It is important to look after your health and by taking multivitamins you can help prevent ulcers from forming.
You can keep your whole mouth clean by rinsing with a mouthwash like Chlorhexidine / Corsodyl (please check for allergies first), or even a simple teaspoon of salt in half a tumbler full of warm water can help healing.
If symptoms do persist, please don’t hesitate to call the practice, we are more than happy to offer advice.
Update 26th March 2020
/in UncategorisedThe safety of our patients and our teams is of paramount importance to us.
In the interests of all, we are following the advice from the Chief Dental Officer and stopping any face to face consultations or treatment. This means that any appointments already booked in the next three weeks are cancelled and we will contact you to re-arrange.
Although we have had to close our doors, Riverdale Healthcare will continue to give telephone advice when you need us. Please just telephone your practice in the normal way for details of this service.
Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.
Coronavirus Impact update
/in Uncategorised25/3/2020
We will now see EMERGENCY PATIENTS ONLY
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THE PRACTICE IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19. If you do you will be asked to leave immediately.
Further to the Prime Minister’s statement on Monday evening, the definition of a dental emergency will need to be much more restrictive. It would be unsafe to provide certain treatments unless we are given access to the appropriate equipment.
Postponing routine appointments
All routine appointments have been suspended in keeping with the current policy from our Professional Body (the BDA) and to respect social distancing in line with Government Policy. This is for the safety of both our patients and our colleagues.
If you have a routine appointment booked you can expect to hear from us again shortly to postpone your appointment to a later date.
Please don’t worry, you will not miss out on any dental care that you need in the longer term.
Once we are able to get back to our normal operation we will be extending our opening hours to catch-up on postponed appointments although your treatment needs may require reassessment with a new examination, depending on the delay in resuming limited or normal services.
Please do contact the practice by phone if:
1. You require emergency treatment
2. You need advice or reassurance
3. You need a treatment completing such as a crown or denture fit – your original appointment will be cancelled – there may be circumstances where this treatment is provided IF we consider it would prevent a problem or the denture is essential for function.
4. Separate arrangements are being made on a case by case basis for Orthodontic patients and you will be contacted directly by the practice.
In hours emergencies
Please rest assured that whilst we are operating on reduced staffing levels, we are still available to provide emergency dental care. If you experience a problem, please call the practice and we will aim to see you for treatment on the same day if appropriate.
The treatment we are able to provide is governed by regulatory guidance and may be more limited than usual.
Out of hours emergencies
If you have a dental emergency and are unable to wait until our practice is open, please call NHS 111. This service is overstretched so please do so on an extreme emergency basis only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please remember to check our website and social media pages for further updates.
Do stay safe and my very best wishes to you and your family in these difficult times.
Ian A Gordon BDS MFGDP
Managing Director Alpha Vitality Group
Riverdale Healthcare
Important Information
/in UncategorisedDear Patient
Covid 19 is affecting all our lives in a way we could not have contemplated even 2 weeks ago. I have delayed writing to you in relation to any change in arrangements at the Practice simply because things are changing daily and at times hourly.
As of today, Sunday 22 March ALL practices in the Riverdale Healthcare Group, including Alpha and Vitality practices, Archway, Eston, Framwellgate, Pelaw and Hebburn are moving to see patients for Emergency treatment only.
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THE PRACTICE IF YOU HAD OR HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID 19. If you do, you will be asked to leave immediately
NHS Commissioners, our regulator and the Chief Dental Officer still only advise a reduction in the number of patients we see and to not provide certain treatments. However our Professional body, the British Dental Association (BDA) backs the position we are adopting.
I hope you can understand our decision as we support social distancing for our teams and our patients.
All appointments are now cancelled until further notice.
Please contact the practice if:-
1) You require emergency treatment
2) You need advice or reassurance
3) You need a treatment completing that is vital for function, such as a denture fit – your original appointment will be cancelled but we will try to accommodate completing your treatment by arrangement.
4) Separate arrangements are being made on a case by case basis for Orthodontic and Implant patients and you will be contacted directly by the practice.
Our senior dental team will be available to give telephone advice if your query cannot be managed by our reception team – you will be called back as soon as possible.
In the interests of safety, OUR DOOR WILL BE LOCKED – PLEASE RING THE PRACTICE FOR ADVICE OR AN APPOINTMENT
We are working to keep our team together and will do all we can continue your treatment when this situation is over.
In the meantime please follow Government advice on social distancing.
Do stay safe and my very best wishes to you and your family in these difficult times
Ian A Gordon BDS MFGDP
Managing Director Alpha Vitality Group
Riverdale Healthcare
COVID-19 and your dental care.
/in UncategorisedTo Our Patients and Their Families,
Riverdale Healthcare including Alpha Vitality Dental Group have our patients well being and their Health and Safety as a number one priority.
Often in times of uncertainty, there can be a wealth of misinformation spread, especially in today’s digital age. As a leading healthcare authority in our community, we wanted to reach out to all of our patients regarding the COVID-19 virus, and to let you know the steps we are taking to alleviate any potential concerns.
According to the latest reports from the Department of Health and other national healthcare providers, the current health risks are minimal for most age groups. We recommend all of our patients to wash their hands frequently, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay home if you aren’t feeling well.
If you have a fever or NEW persistent cough you SHOULD NOT attend the Practice.
We follow strict cleaning policies for the protection of both our staff and our patients.
Each staff member maintains rigorous personal hygiene standards and cross infection measures for every patient interaction.
We use hospital-grade disinfectants across the entire practice, with extensive room cleaning after each patient to ensure a safe and clean environment.
After each use, all dental instruments receive the highest level of medical sterilisation available. These processes have always been of utmost importance in our practice and will continue to be the standards we uphold for our patients.
Please rest assured that we are following local and national updates daily, and will continue to maintain the highest level of safety and patient care that you have come to expect. If you have any questions regarding your future appointments, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be posting additional updates through Facebook @Alpha.Smiles) to keep our community and patients abreast of the latest updates regarding the current health situation.
Again, thank you for being a valued patient, we appreciate your continued trust and confidence. Together we can overcome these challenging circumstances and we look forward to taking care of you at your next scheduled appointment.
Sincerely,
Dr Ian A Gordon BDS, MFGDP
Managing Director
Alpha Vitality Dental Group
Riverdale Healthcare
Cyber Security is Top Priority for Dental Group
/in UncategorisedThe Cyber Essentials Scheme aims to help organisations implement basic levels of protection against cyber attack, demonstrating to their customers that they take cyber security seriously and which focuses on the five most important technical security controls. These controls were identified by the Government as those that, if they had been in place, would have stopped the majority of the successful cyber attacks over the last few years.
The five basic controls within Cyber Essentials were chosen because, when properly implemented, they will help to protect against unskilled internet-based attackers using commodity capabilities – which are freely available on the internet.
Ben Wild, Operations Director said, “IASME have been incredibly supportive in helping us to achieve our Cyber Essentials verification. We want to ensure we are doing everything possible to protect our teams and our patients against malicious attacks.”
Organisations that undertake Cyber Essentials are encouraged to recertify at least once a year and, where appropriate, progress their security.
February Newsletter
/in NewsAn internal monthly newsletter is produced to share information from around the group. We are passionate about our people, practices and patients and we use this platform to celebrate our work.
Open the latest newsletter here
Riverdale Celebrates the New Year with New Acquisition
/in Dental, NewsFramwellgate Dental Surgery, which was formerly owned by dentists Mark Warner and Panos Plevrakis, has joined Riverdale Healthcare.
Riverdale Healthcare currently operates 18 dental practices around the North East of England delivering both NHS and private dental care. The acquisition of Framwellgate enables the group to support the region’s next generation of dentists as the practice is a Foundation Training centre.
Mr Warner said, “After meeting with Riverdale, I was convinced joining the group would provide the best support and fit for the practice going forward. We are an ambitious practice and want to continue to develop the practice and with support from Riverdale, we can continue to grow and develop for the benefit of both our team and patients.”
Chris Aylward, Chief Investment Officer of Riverdale Healthcare commented, “We are really excited to have the team at Framwellgate join our group. Mark and Panos have developed a great dental practice with a fantastic team of professionals who share the same passion and commitment as we do. We are really looking forward to supporting the team in developing their patient focused dental service.”
Riverdale Healthcare is a dental investment group formed in 2019, with an industry-leading management team led by CEO Mark Seekings and backed by a leading healthcare investment fund, Apposite Capital. The team are selectively investing in ambitious dental practices which share the same ethos and core values of Riverdale Healthcare of providing high quality, ethical dentistry.
Middlesbrough Dental Practice is Latest Acquisition for Riverdale Healthcare
/in Dental, NewsEston Dental Practice, which was formerly owned by father and son team, Asif and Shabir Hussain, for over 30 years, is now part of Riverdale Healthcare, a young dental group which has been running for just under a year.
Riverdale Healthcare operates 17 dental practices around the North East of England delivering both NHS and private dental care. The acquisition of Eston Dental Practice, with its 9 treatment rooms, further strengthens the group’s commitment to delivering high quality, ethical dental care.
Mr Asif Hussain said, “After several meetings with Riverdale, I was convinced joining the group would provide the best support and fit for the practice going forward. I feel the practice needed to be part of a bigger family and network that shared the same ethos and principles. I believe with the support of the Riverdale Team, we can continue to grow and develop for the benefit of both our team and patients.”
Chris Aylward, Chief Investment Officer of Riverdale Healthcare commented, “We are really excited to have Eston Dental Practice join our group. Asif and Shabir have developed a great dental practice with a fantastic team of professionals who share the same passion and commitment as we do. We are really looking forward to supporting the team in continuing to deliver a patient focused dental service.”
Ian Gordon, Managing Director of Alpha Vitality Group and Director of Riverdale Healthcare said “I am delighted to welcome Eston Dental Practice to the Group. It is testament to the team at Eston that the current practice managers Gill and Becky were both working for Shabir 30 years and 26 years ago respectively! I am confident Riverdale can give the same support to the Eston team as has been afforded to the Alpha Group since we joined Riverdale 12 months ago.”
Riverdale Healthcare is a dental investment group formed in 2019, with an industry-leading management team led by CEO Mark Seekings and backed by a leading healthcare investment fund, Apposite Capital. The team are selectively investing in ambitious dental practices which share the same ethos and core values of Riverdale Healthcare of providing high quality, ethical dentistry.
Riverdale Healthcare Appoints Head of Clinical Advisory Board
/in NewsA
mbitious dental group, Riverdale Healthcare, has announced the appointment of Raj Rattan MBE to head up its Clinical Advisory Board.
The appointment of Raj is a huge coup for the recently formed dental group which currently operates 14 practices in the North of England.
With over 30 years’ experience in clinical practice, Raj is Dental Director at Dental Protection, and previously Strategic Associate Dean at the London Deanery.
In 2008, Raj was appointed MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for services to dentistry and he is former policy adviser to the Department of Health.
Riverdale Healthcare’s Chairman and CEO, Mark Seekings said, “We are thrilled that Raj is joining the team on our exciting journey. He is a highly respected clinician with a wealth of knowledge to support our teams as we grow the company.”
Raj added, “I am delighted to join the team at Riverdale Healthcare. Their vision for delivering high quality, ethical dental care whilst providing patients with the very best experience resonated with my personal values. I am particularly looking forward to supporting our dental colleagues to ensure they are well appointed to deliver high standards of clinical care to patients in a safe and happy environment.”
Riverdale Healthcare’s ambition is to grow through the acquisition of dental practices which share their passion for people and high-quality, ethical dental care. Their focus is the personal touch, creating friendly, harmonious teams who support each other and who ultimately provide their patients with the best experience.
Riverdale Healthcare are actively seeking like-minded dental practices to join the group. Chief Investment Officer, Chris Aylward, has a passion for acquisitions specialising in healthcare, and understands the unique aspects of dealing with the sale of a dental practice. Please contact Chris in confidence, Chris@riverdalehealthcare.com or call 07768 352884.