Orthodontic Services

Unfortunately, due to increased pressures on NHS Forth Valley, we have had to suspend routine Orthodontic appointments in the department from the 1st of February for an indefinite period of time.

The department will still see emergencies, therefore please do not hesitate in contacting us if you have a problem with your Orthodontic appliance. Please contact us either via 01324 566 437 and leave your (patient’s) name, date of birth and contact telephone number or email FV.Orthodontic@nhs.scot.

We hope to arrange routine appointments as soon as restrictions have eased. We will contact patients with arrangements for appointments in due course.

Arrangements are in place to ensure people across Forth Valley have access to urgent dental advice and treatment. Dental Practices are reintroducing services on a phased basis – for the latest information please see the dental practice services section of the website.

The Orthodontic Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital has reopened and patients are being prioritised by clinical need. Urgent cases will be seen first and then patients who require routine treatment however it will take some time for the department to work through the backlog of appointments and additional physical distancing and disinfection protocols mean that capacity is likely to be reduced for some time. Your patience and understanding is appreciated as staff work to rearrange appointments as quickly as they can.

We will contact you by telephone prior to your appointment. Please make sure the Department has your up-to-date contact details – you can call 01324 566 437 and leave your (patient’s) name, date of birth and contact telephone number or email FV.Orthodontic@nhs.scot

Please do not attend the department without an appointment as it will not be possible for you to be seen without a prior appointment.

Advice for People with Braces

Please follow all previous advice regarding care of your brace at home until we can see you again within the Department. Advice and videos are available on the British Orthodontic Society website (www.bos.org.uk).

New Appointment Arrangements

To reduce the risk to you, your families and our staff your visit will be different to before.

Phone call before your visit

We will telephone you 24 hours prior to your appointment to check your current medical history and discuss any potential Covid-19 symptoms (recent onset of cough; high temperature; loss of smell or taste).

At your appointment

Please attend the Orthodontic Department no earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment time.  All patients and visitors should wear a face covering and use the hand sanitising gel provided at the main entrance to the hospital.  Where possible patients should attend appointments on their own however if someone is required to accompany the patient then this should be discussed during the pre-appointment telephone call, and only one person should accompany the patient.

The current entrance to the Orthodontic Department is via the Outpatient Department on the ground floor of the hospital which is accessed via the the atrium. When you enter the Outpatient Department you will be asked again about any possible Covid-19 symptoms and asked to use hand sanitising gel. There is a one-way system in place and you will be given instructions on how to access and exit the Orthodontic Department (currently located in Area 6) however this may change so please check with the reception desk first.

You must always maintain physical distancing within the waiting areas. There will be fewer seats and you may be asked to go back out to the main atrium to wait if there are no spaces available within the Outpatient Department. Appointment times will be staggered to limit the number of patients in the Outpatient Department at any one time as many different clinics will be taking place.

Surgery Changes

Our surgeries will look different to make cleaning easier. Because of risks of spreading the virus we cannot yet provide a full range of treatment. We may need to delay some procedures or do them slightly differently. We will discuss this with you.

Our staff will be wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when they see you. This will include a mask, eye protection, disposable gown or apron and gloves. Staff will not be able to talk as much, therefore, if you have questions to ask, it may be best to telephone or email the department on fv.orthodontic@nhs.scot or call on 01324 566 437 and queries can be answered remotely.

If you require an X-ray, you will be advised on the route to take in order to attend and return from the X-ray department, if required.

Follow up appointments

Further appointments will be sent out to you in the post. We are unable to make any appointments on the day to ensure we can maintain physical distancing in our reception areas. Unfortunately, due to the current backlog  you may have to wait longer between your appointments however we will do everything we can to limit this.