Registering a dentist? - how to start?

Jane_gs

How can is register a dentist? as i havn't got one.

Do i go to a surgury near by me, and enquire?

+ how long does it take, to register + get seen? (which I know depends, per surgury) but is there a waiting list to register?

McKneff

Give the chosen dentist a ring first to see if they will register you as an NHS patient, if they have you can be seen as soon as you have registered. You would just have to go in and sign a form.

The reason I say telephone them is because you may have to contact a few before you find one that can take you on. Hence, time saving for you.

mealone

Jane_gs wrote: »

How can is register a dentist? as i havn't got one.

Do i go to a surgury near by me, and enquire?

+ how long does it take, to register + get seen? (which I know depends, per surgury) but is there a waiting list to register?

Are you a disabled person who needs adjustments to have dentist treatments or are you able to use any dentist?

There are dentists that specialise in the treatment of disabled people but you normally have to be refered by a medical professional.

HTH

Jane_gs

mealone wrote: »

Are you a disabled person who needs adjustments to have dentist treatments or are you able to use any dentist?

There are dentists that specialise in the treatment of disabled people but you normally have to be refered by a medical professional.

HTH

I am able to use any dentist, a non dis' person.

brook2jack

Actually there is no such thing as registration with a dentist in England and Wales any more. You are only accepted as a patient when you turn up for a course of treatment. At the end of the course you will only be seen again if they have capacity.

Look up on the Internet the website of your local pct if England , lhb if Wales or health board if Scotland or NI.
Alternatively google nhs direct. Both of these methods will enable you to get a list of dentists doing nhs work. Then start phoning. Unfortunately nhs websites are not always up to date so phone all the surgeries. If you have no luck then phone your local pct to enquire if there is a local waiting list.

MrsManda

brook2jack wrote: »

Actually there is no such thing as registration with a dentist in England and Wales any more. You are only accepted as a patient when you turn up for a course of treatment. At the end of the course you will only be seen again if they have capacity.

Really? Then why do dentists advertise whether they're accepting new patients or not?
I'm registered with my dentist and when I call I get an appointment almost immediately if I want one.

To the OP
If you go to the NHS website you can search for dentists accepting new NHS patients
http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx

As McKneff says it may not be completely up to date but it is an easy way to start. You normally have to call and make an initial check-up appointment in order to be registered.

brook2jack

Registration was abolished in England and Wales in 2006.It still exists in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A dentist can indicate if they are willing to accept you for a course of treatment, but if you are not in a course of treatment they are under no obligation to see you even if you have toothache. The PCT or health board has a legal obligation to sort out emergency treatment for people not in a course of treatment.

Some pcts will allow dentists to prioritise "regular" patients for care , but many pcts will not and if there is a shortage of NHS dentists then even if you have been seen at one dentists you have no rights to go back there as priority will be given to people who have not been seen for a long time.

So you are only "registered" in England and Wales once you have been seen for a check up for the duration of that cousr of treatment only. This is a terrible system and one the new pilots of the new ,"new" contract is trying to redress by reintroducing registration.

Here is a link from one mp who understands the problem with having abolished registration.http://www.islandpulse.co.uk/b2/nhs-dental-treatment-plummeted/

[Deleted User]

we moved and i recently needed dental treatment i tried a number of dentist non of who were seeing nhs patients,found one who will(and is)doing one course of treatment then after that it would be as a private patient,they recommended trying the yellow pages to find a permanent nhs dentist
just to add uptil moving we were "registered"with an nhs practice who only took new patients on once a month if they had capacity(if you didnt go within 12 months they took you off their list)