Opening Hours Christmas and New Year 2010

Here are our opening times over the holiday period:

• Friday 24 Dec - 9am to 12 noon
• Saturday 25 Dec - Closed
• Sunday 26 Dec - Closed
• Monday 27 Dec (Bank Holiday) - Closed
• Tuesday 28 Dec (Bank Holiday) - Closed
• Wednesday 29 Dec - Emergency Clinic 9am to 12 noon
• Thursday 30 Dec - Emergency Clinic 9am to 12 noon
• Friday 31 Dec - Emergency Clinic 9am to 12 noon
• Saturday 1 Jan - Closed
• Sunday 2 Jan - Closed
• Monday 3 Jan (Bank Holiday) - Closed    
• Tuesday 4 Jan - Open for business as usual        

If you require an emergency treatment please ensure you phone before 11am to make an appointment.

For NHS Patients out of hours emergencies please call:

Surrey Dental Helpline: 0845 271 2040

West Sussex patients please call: 01293 518 541

For further details of emergency cover please call our answerphone on: 01306 882494

Our very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from all at Longborough.

Dedicated Hygiene Suite - Now Open

On Monday 18 October we unveiled our latest addition to Longborough - a dedicated hygiene suite. This fantastic treatment room is furnished in the same monochromatic contemporary style as our recently refurbished dental treatment rooms. It provides our hygiene team with a permanent home and our patients with the opportunity to benefit from a treatment room set up specifically to improve their oral health and hygiene.

What is Good Oral Hygiene?
Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks healthy and the confidence of fresh breath.
This means:

• Your teeth are clean and free of debris
• Gums are firmly held against teeth and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss
• Bad breath is not a constant problem

If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, tell your dental hygienist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.

Your hygienist can help you learn good oral hygiene techniques and can help point out areas of your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.

Alison
Practice Manager

Longborough Dental Practice

Warwickshire Sprint Triathlon – I'm still out of breath

I decided that I needed a challenge and “persuaded” my sister that a sprint triathlon would be a good idea and a suitable challenge. It involves a 400m swim, followed by 23km cycle and a 5km run. We chose to get sponsorship for Arthritis Research UK as our mother had suffered severely from this debilitating disease before she died. I am pleased to say that we have currently raised just over £1,000 (which is double our original target of £500). 

We started training 3 months ago and found that individually, each event was fairly manageable (even though we both struggled with the running, never having done it before).  It was only when we put all the elements together that we realised it was going to be tougher than we had imagined! The worst part was getting off the bicycle after 23km and then running. Our legs felt like jelly and our knees felt like they would fold backwards. 

After our rigorous training schedule (although perhaps not rigorous enough), the Warwickshire Sprint Triathlon was held on Sunday 3 October in the lovely town of Stratford-upon-Avon. The weather on Saturday (the day before) was fine until 7pm when it began to rain and continued to do so, right up to the race on the Sunday morning. Our start time was 11.30 and by this time there was just a gentle drizzle, but the road conditions were far from great and the run was just a muddy quagmire in parts, making it really hard work. But we completed it! 

We came in at 189 and 190 out of about 230 ladies (and higher than we had originally anticipated). Then we determined that we would never ever, ever do anything as silly again. Upon reflection however, we have decided to attempt one more Triathlon, at the same venue in May next year - just to see if we can improve a little! 

Thanks to everyone who helped us raise so much money for Arthritis Research UK. 

Janet Sutherland

Patient Advisor

Longborough Dental Practice

After the flood!

 If you have visited Longborough in recent weeks you may have noticed some changes! Not only have we recently completed phase two of our refurbishment but we have suffered the major inconvenience of a flood!

Fortunately for us the water damage was limited to the central core of the building, missing all of our new improved treatment rooms.

The flood was caused by a perished washer between our mains water supply the water tank in the loft. It's amazing that something so small could cause so much damage. The leak happened over a weekend and we are very lucky that the restoration work necessary is limited; it could have been so much worse.

In true Longborough style we've 'got on with it!' (Safety first of course). We've managed to keep the practice open with the help of our fantastic patients (that's you!). It is now even more of a challenge as we enter phase three of refurbishment with the added complication of the water damage repairs.

What is phase three?  With the very generous help of former partners Calvert and Hooker the front of the house is being re-rendered with a lovely white render and treated with a fantastic insulation system that should help keep the heating bills down in the winter. (Watch out for scaffolding over the next few weeks!) Then we start work on the refurbishment of the hygiene suite which will allow us to offer you a wider range of hygiene treatments and appointments.

Finally, as we work through this difficult time we would all like to thank you for your support and understanding; we are ever mindful that you, our patients, are at the centre of everything we do.

More news soon

Alison
Practice Manager

Longborough Dental Practice

Endodontic and implant clinics to start in Autumn

This autumn our endodontic and implant clinics will be starting work in the new Forest Treatment Room. Designed with you, our patient, in mind, the room features a beautiful ‘tranquility’ wall, with a floor to ceiling mural depicting a meandering path through a forest glade. You will find it a stress free environment in which you will relax as you recline in the pressure-mapped, comfort enhanced chair.

The Forest Treatment Room comes fully equipped with a custom built ‘scrub’ area, separated by a bespoke curved wall (a story in itself and one of the reasons the installation took longer than planned). And in September we will be taking delivery of a highly specialised ‘Global’ Root Canal Microscope, for endodontics. (This is such a specialised item that it had to be ordered from the USA as it cannot be sourced in the UK). We have also fitted a state-of the art vacuum autoclave, to ensure that we comply with the current ‘best-practice’ guidelines for Dental Implant treatment.

The multi-purpose nature of the room has required us to invest in a range of new equipment but we have only purchased either items that are necessary to perform specialist treatments or that allow us to provide you with a better service. We set a budget and we are pleased to say that our practice manager used her negotiation skills to good effect. So you can be sure that Longborough offers, not only first class treatment, but the very best value for money.

Ask to see the Forest Treatment Room when you next visit Longborough.

Forest Treatment Room is a treat!

If you’ve visited Longborough recently you will have noticed that we are undertaking a programme of refurbishment and we are now proud to announce the completion of the first of several new treatment rooms.

Here (from the patients viewpoint) is our stunning modern Forest Treatment Room. This cool, contemporary new room has been designed specifically with the patient in mind. As soon as you step inside and see the wall mural you will feel the relaxed ambiance and when you lie in the body-contoured, ultra-comfortable chair you will feel even more pampered.

We set out to create a room in which every comfort was considered and attention to detail was paramount. The Forest Treatment Room is a pleasure to be in (and a pleasure to work in). See for yourself; just call us and we will happily show you around the new Forest Treatment Room.

Alison
Practice Manager

Longborough Dental Practice

Here at Longborough we can offer a broad range of treatments delivered by highly trained dentists and specialists. Treatments for which, in the past, you might have been referred elsewhere. In addition to general dentistry we now offer dental implants, endodontics (root-treatments), orthodontics (tooth straightening), periodontal treatment (gum treatment), teeth whitening, cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics (wrinkle relaxing injections and dermal fillers). Our aim is try to ensure that all your treatment is carried out in comfortable, familiar surroundings.

New treatment room - progress report

Last week we emptied one of the Longborough treatment rooms and left our brilliant builders in charge. Here you can see pictures of the surgery before (above) and as the work progressed (below).

There was a lot to do with plumbing, plastering and electrical work but it is going very well and we look forward to completion over the next week or so. (Even if it may not look like it from these pictures!) Keep an eye on our Blog for an update on the progress.

 

Alison
Practice Manager

Longborough Dental Practice

Find out more about our new dentist; Bela

We are very pleased that Dr Bela Treon BDS has joined us at Longborough. She is an experienced and caring dentist and adds even more depth to the Longborough team. Bela qualified 22 years ago at Kings College, London University, in 1988. She then went on to gain an LDS RCS (Eng) from The Royal College of Surgeons in 1989. A member of the British Dental Association (BDA) and the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) she is continuing to develop her skills in the latest techniques and procedures.

Her work has a strong focus on Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, an area in which she takes a keen interest. As a result of her experience with facial aesthetics, rejuvenation and fillers Bela has appeared on the popular TV programme '10 Years Younger.' But if you see her for treatment she may not have time to give you her autograph (unless you need a prescription!)

She aims to offer the best possible care, with her understanding manner and concern for anxious patients, so she fits in very well at Longborough. Bela is also actively involved in charity fundraising for various causes. She raised a tidy sum for the breast cancer charity 'Moonwalk' two years ago and is set to participate again in the London 'Moonwalk,' this May.

Bella is married with a 14 year old daughter and a son of 10. When she has time, she enjoys skiing, reading, wine tasting and belly dancing to keep fit.

Alison
Practice Manager

Longborough Dental Practice

Sport Relief Success

Team Longborough go that extra S-mile!

Sunday, March 21 saw Team Longborough run for Sport Relief in the Guildford Mile. We arrived at 10.15am feeling slightly nervous about the challenge ahead. We fixed our numbers firmly to our t-shirts and then we noticed a common theme – ours all started with a six. As we looked around at other people we could see plenty of ones, quite a few number threes but very few sixes. Of course the number represented the distance to which we had committed! This made us feel even more nervous. How many people were running six miles? How fit did they look? (Very!) Could we do this? Had we set ourselves a challenge too far? So with great trepidation we moved towards the start line. The Mayor of Guildford counted us down and we were off…

As we approached the first hill the sun peeped out from behind the clouds and we felt a growing certainty that we were going to finish and raise as much money as we could for Sport Relief. It wasn’t easy but we motivated each other and pushed ourselves beyond our previous training sessions. Janet and Alison managed to complete the six miles in 58 minutes! With Fiona coming in just moments behind at 62 minutes and Lisa and Katherine arriving at the finishing line in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Not at all bad considering we had planned for a slow and gentle hour and a half to complete the challenge.

So a BIG thank you to all our sponsors you did tremendously well in helping us to raise nearly £600 for Sport Relief (and the money is still coming in). Thank you from Team Longborough.

What’s Next? Team Longborough is always trying to find new challenges. We are considering a mini-triathlon in September and a 10k run for CHASE in November. If you would like to challenge us to raise money for charity why not send your suggestions to alison@longboroughdental.co.uk

We're rising to the challenge for Sport Relief

We’re challenging ourselves to run 6 miles on Sunday 21 March in The Guildford Mile!
 
We need your help and sponsorship.

Team Longborough (pictured above) comprises, Alison, Katherine, Fiona, Lisa and Janet. Six weeks ago we were asked if we would put forward a team to participate in the Sport Relief Mile. Our initial response was a tentative ‘maybe?’ However it didn’t take long for that to turn in to a positive ‘Yes!’  And one mile just didn’t seem enough! So we threw caution to the wind and decided if we were going to do it we might as well go for it and entered for the 6 mile run.

For the past few weeks Team Longborough has been in training. Fiona, Janet, Lisa, Katherine and Alison have been pounding pavements and treadmills and are preparing themselves for this great challenge. We would love to raise our target of £500 but wouldn’t it be fantastic if we managed more. Please help us exceed our goal and raise as much as we possibly can. The money you give will help people living incredibly tough lives both at home in the UK and across the world's poorest countries.

You can sponsor Team Longborough using the link below. Thank you for your support.

www.mysportrelief.com/LongboroughDental

Ten top tips for truly kissable lips

With Valentine's day in mind here are the Longborough ten top tips for truly kissable lips.

Luscious lips
Cold winter weather can lead to dry cracked lips (not very attractive) so use a good lip salve regularly. Lips can burn easily in the summer too (or even when skiing) so it's a good idea to use a lip salve with an SPF.

Check your breath
A quick tip for checking your breath is to simply lick the inside of your wrist. Wait for this to dry and then check the smell. A sour or sickly sweet odour means your mouth needs attention. If your oral hygiene is good this could indicate other problems so you should visit your dentist.

Tasty teeth
We recommend that you brush thoroughly with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes twice a day. Don’t forget to clean in between your teeth with floss or special ‘mini’ brushes. Bacteria can accumulate in these hard to reach areas and may result in gum disease which is a frequent cause of bad breath.

Clean that tongue
Bad breath can also be caused by bacteria that hide in the rough surface of your tongue, where they breed and release volatile sulphur compounds (unpleasant odours to you and me). So clean your tongue thoroughly with a brush or tongue scraper when you brush your teeth.

Mouth washes & gum
Good antibacterial fluoride mouthwashes can help to keep breath fresh and they also fight cavities and strengthen teeth. Chewing sugar-free gum helps with oral care and can give you fresh breath confidence when you need it most.

Drink plenty of water
It is recommended that you drink two litres of water a day. Drinking water regularly will ensure your mouth stays well hydrated and help keep your breath fresh.

Give up smoking
No mouth is truly kissable with 'ashtray breath,' but this problem will disappear when you give up cigarettes! Most importantly if you stop smoking you also reduce the chances of getting gum disease and mouth cancer.

Visit your Hygienist
You should visit a hygienist regularly to maintain your oral hygiene so for that special date book an appointment and give your confidence a fresh breath boost!

Take a look in the mirror
A last minute check will ensure nothing can spoil your smile. Remember you can't always feel if something is lodged between your teeth! A quick glance in the mirror could prevent that spinach becoming a Valentine's Day disaster…

If you are not happy with your smile or any aspect of your mouth and teeth contact Longborough Dental Practice and ask about our smile clinic. We can give you the smile you always wanted.