NOT SAFE FOR DISABLED/HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS…read more
I have been a patient at Amberlea Dental since I was a young child. I am someone who is high risk for COVID-19, and needs to continue taking precautions. The last few times I have been to Amberlea Dental, the receptionists have been very bad about wearing masks, taking them off to speak, wearing them incorrectly, etc. When I entered what was supposed to be my most recent appointment this week, every single person at the reception desk had their masks under their chins. I firmly pointed it out and asked if they could put them on, and they all sighed, one giving an audible "oh God."
Because of this extremely rude response, I brought it up to my dental nurse, and explained how their refusal to wear masks makes it dangerous for me to access treatment. She was dismissive, and told me if I could speak to the manager if I wanted to. I said I would like that, which was when I then learned the manager was one of the unmasked receptionists. She fought with me publicly, stating that she didn't need to wear one as it's a "personal choice." I told her that as a healthcare worker, she has a responsibility to make her facility accessible to disabled and high risk patients. She said it wasn't any of her responsibility, and said to my face that she doesn't need to keep at risk patients safe. I said that infecting a disabled or high risk person could result in their death, and tried to confirm that she was saying this meant nothing to her. I said, "so you don't care if you give a disabled person COVID and kill them?" and she responded, "no. Why Would I? That's not my problem."
During the argument she also tried to tell me that COVID isn't an airborne virus, when I said her not wearing a mask makes it dangerous for me to be treated because air circulates throughout the building, she told me her "mouth particles" can't get through the closed door, displaying a clear lack of understanding of how the virus even works. She tried to back herself up by saying that she doesn't mask anywhere else either, and then got frusturated when I said that was an even larger issue because it puts the high risk in even more danger to be exposed to her. The entire reception team and my dental nurse ganged up against me, talking over me and cutting me off in the waiting room in full view of other patients. I was asked if I was going to "stop arguing and go to my appointment, or leave," so I walked out, and will be seeking a new dentist.
This kind of unprofessional and eugenicist behaviour from any healthcare worker, but especially one that works in an environment where at risk people have no choice but to be maskless, is abhorrent and disgraceful. They do not care in the slightest for the safety of vulnerable people in the community, and have no issue voicing it loudly and publicly. To all other high risk people, save your time and your stress and go somewhere else. I am beyond disgusted and shocked.
