NHS Dentistry

1
NHS Dentistry

• Jenny Mazarelo Hiral Patel

2
Primary Care Trust (PCT) Responsibility

• Since 1st April 2006, your PCT has been
  responsible for local NHS dental services
• has funding that must be used for local dental
  services, 
• agrees contracts with NHS dentists for services
  that best meet local needs, 
• can influence where new practices are
  established, and 
• is responsible for urgent and out-of-hours care
  in your area.
• Over time, this ensures that NHS dental services
  better meet the needs of the PCTs population.

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What is an NHS dentist?

• An NHS dentist is one who has agreed with their
  local PCT to provide NHS dental services for the
  local community.
• Some dentists may provide a mixture of NHS and
  private care.
• All dentists are required to update their
  practice information leaflet to include details
  of the NHS services they have agreed to provide
  and to display information about NHS dentistry
  and dental charges in their premises.

4
How do I find an NHS dentist?

• Contact the PCT on 0800 78 333 96
• Call NHS Direct on 0845 4647
• Log onto the NHS Choices website page and choose
  the Dentists' option
• NHS dental care is always available if you are in
  discomfort, whether you have a regular dentist or
  not.

5
Why can't I get an appointment with my usual
dentist?

• You have a right to say which dental professional
  you receive services from at your practice.
  However, while the practice will do its best to
  accommodate your wishes, it may not always be
  possible.
• You may also notice that the frequency of your
  routine check-up appointments changes from every
  6 months to every 12 to 24 months. This is
  because of guidelines introduced by the National
  Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
  (NICE).
• These guidelines recommend that patients should
  attend at intervals that reflect their oral
  health needs and not at a fixed interval. So
  people with higher treatment needs may need to
  attend more frequently than before.

6
Why can't I register with a dentist any more?

• Dentists no longer need to register patients,
  but this does not prevent them from keeping lists
  of regular patients or providing ongoing
  treatment and care.
• Registration was introduced in 1990 as a way of
  measuring how much dentists should be paid for
  providing NHS dental services. Under this system,
  dentists received a payment for the number of
  patients registered with the practice. They were
  also responsible for providing out-of-hours care
  for patients registered with the practice.
• This system changed on 1st April 2006

7
Why is my dentist no longer accepting NHS
patients?

• Most dentists that worked for the NHS prior to
  1st April 2006 are continuing to provide NHS
  dental services. However since April 2006 some
  have decided to either change the amount of NHS
  dentistry they provide, or to stop providing NHS
  dentistry altogether.
• Where this is the case, the money to provide
  these services remains with your PCT to reinvest
  in local NHS dentistry services.

8
Am I entitled to free NHS dental treatment?

• You are eligible to receive free services from
  your NHS dentist if, when the treatment starts,
  you are
• aged under 18,
• aged 18 in full-time education,
• pregnant, or have had a baby in the 12 months
  before treatment starts,
• an NHS in-patient and the treatment is carried
  out by the hospital dentist, or
• an NHS hospital dental service out-patient
  (though there may be a charge for dentures and
  bridges).
• You are also eligible for free services if, when
  the treatment starts or when the charge is made,
  you are
• getting, or your partner gets Income Support,
  income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension
  Credit Guarantee Credit,
• entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit
  exemption certificate,
• named on a valid HC2 certificate.
• Your dentist or dentist's receptionist will ask
  for evidence that you are
• entitled to free NHS dental treatment

9
Simpler charging

• From  1st April 2009, if you are not exempt from
  charges,  you should pay one of the following
  rates for each course of treatment you receive
• Band 1 course of treatment16.50 - This covers
  an examination, diagnosis (eg x-rays), advice on
  how to prevent future problems, and a scale and
  polish if needed.
• Urgent treatment when you need to see a dentist
  immediately also costs 16.50.
• Band 2 course of treatment45.60 - This covers
  everything listed in Band 1, above, plus any
  further treatment such as fillings, root canal
  work or if your dentist needs to take out one or
  more of your teeth.
• Band 3 course of treatment198 - This covers
  everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus
  crowns, dentures or bridges.
• These are the only dental charges your dentist
  should ask you to pay when you are having NHS
  treatment.

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What are the patient charges?

• The amount you pay depends on the treatment you
  might need to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
• All charges apply to an overall course of
  treatment, and not the individual items within
  the course of treatment.
• You will only pay one charge for each course of
  treatment, even if you need to visit your dentist
  more than once to finish it.
• If you need more treatment within the same charge
  band (for example, an additional filling) within
  two months of completing a course of treatment,
  you do not have to pay anything extra.

11
Treatment Plans

• Note your dentist should give you a treatment
• plan to sign before carrying out any Band 2 or 3
• treatments.
• This confirms the NHS treatment your dentist is
  going to do, and the amount you will need to pay
  for it on the NHS.
• If you have talked to your dentist about having
  private treatment, details and costs for this
  will be listed separately on the same form.
• If you are not offered a treatment plan for Band
  2 or 3 treatments, please ask your dentist for
  one.

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What do you not pay for

• You do not have to pay to have your
• Dentures repaired
• Having stitches out
• If your dentist has to stop blood loss.
• If your dentist only needs to write you a
  prescription (but if you pay for your
  prescriptions, you will pay the usual charge when
  you collect your medicine from your pharmacist).

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How can I find out about urgent and out-of-hours
care?

• 9am 5pm Monday to Friday call the PCT on 0800
  78 333 96
• At all other times, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647
  to find out how to access services in your area.

14
How do I complain about my NHS dental treatment?

• If you wish to make a complaint about the care or
  service provided by your dental surgery, contact
  the person responsible for the practice
  complaints procedure.
• Your dentist will try to resolve your complaint
  at this stage.
• Further information about making a complaint is
  available from the Patients Advice and Liaison
  Services (PALS), your local Independent
  Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) and the
  Department of Health website.