How long til dentist removes me from their books?

Beckyy

When I moved to my current area I struggled to find a dentist and had to register with a private one.

They charged me £85 for an initial consultation and were horrible. They were very rough and abrupt, scraped my gums when taking x-rays and just left me feeling like I'd be roughed around and charged a fortune for it. They told me to come back in a years time for a routine check up, but I cancelled the appointment as I wasn't happy going back. It's now been about 1yr 4 months since I've been. They called a couple of months ago to try and get me to rebook my app. and sent a letter out a few weeks after, but I haven't had any further contact from them.

I would like to put my name on the NHS waiting list for my area, can I say that I am not currently registered with a dentist? Taking into mind, I will not be returning to that surgery again. Would I need to write them a letter asking them to remove me from their books?

My wisdom tooth is currently coming through, and I have a 'gummy flap' which I'm worried may cause some bother in the future if it doesn't come through fully. Regardless of price, I'm really not comfortable going back to them because they were so abrupt. I've never needed any kind of dental procedures, no fillings etc. but the thought of going back there is enough to put me off even a routine check up.

Toothsmith

In England and Wales, the only people 'registered' with an NHS dentist are those in the middle of treatment. (Registration does still exist in Scotland, and I'm not sure about N.I.)

Once treatment is finished (or rather 8 weeks after) then you are out of contract, as it were. 'Registration' as a concept, ended with dentists (in England and Wales) with the introduction of the 'New Contract' in 2006.

But - as he last dentist you saw was private, then you've not been registered with an NHS dentist for years.

All the PCT are concerned with is whether you are registered with an NHS dentist. They might ask if you're registered privately, but they have no right to ask this, and you are not obliged to tell them.

How did you find the private dentist BTW? Was it someone who was recommended to you, or was it just from a website or phone book.

For future reference, when finding a dentist either privately or NHS, try following the suggestions in my signature.

brook2jack

You are not registered with this dentist but you may wishto phone them to tell them you are going elsewhere so they don't send you any more reminders.

If you are in England and Wales there is no registration with nhs dentists any more. You are only accepted for acourse of treatment . After that they are not obliged to see you again. Most dentists will try to give priority to patients who are regular patients of the practice but in some areas pcts insist on new patients having priority.

In Scotland and NI there is registration for nhs dentists.

It is important you trust and get on well with your dentist. Asking friends etc for recommendations is a better way than sitting on a waiting list with no choice over who you see. That may mean private again but as someone who has little treatment a scheme such as denplan essentials/practice plan/isoplan
will provide two check ups , hygiene appointments,xrays and emergency treatment and insurance for around 11 pounds a month.

Beckyy

I totally forgot to say I am in Scotland, apologies for that.

I found that dentist just through walking past and seeing they were taking on new private patients. It maybe should have clicked that a good dentist probably doesn't need to 'advertise'.

Thank you both for your replies.

Toothsmith

Beckyy wrote: »

I totally forgot to say I am in Scotland, apologies for that.

It doesn't help when our 'National' Health Service' is different in different parts of the Nation!!

Come to think of it though, the dental bit of it isn't much to do with 'Health' either (Just disease management)

Neither is it much of a 'Service'!

One_Brain_Cell

I phoned up my Dentisit to ask for a polish and descale. It's been about 16 months since my last check up.

They said if I don't have a check-up at the same time as the polish then I will be removed from their books. When I asked them where was the rule that states that, they became rather sheepish and elusive, then insisted that I should have the checkup. Then they said the manager would call me back the following day. I never received a call, and that was about two months ago.

So my only question is: Do I need to have a check-up in order to remain on the books? I couldn't find anything on the NHS dental website that insisted as such.

brook2jack

There is no registration in England and Wales, only Scotland and NI. So in England and Wales you are no longer on a dentists books unless you are in the middle of a course of treatment.

You cannot have any treatment, other than emergency without a full check up if it has been 16 months since your last visit. You have to have an assessment of your general and oral health and then see what is appropriate treatment. It would be a terrible idea to do a scale and polish if e.g. an x Ray revealed some teeth that needed filling as they would give you pain .

This has nothing to do with nhs rules more that a dentist who did treatment, other than emergency, on a patient who hasn't had a check up in over a year would be negligent because they haven't diagnosed and assessed the patient properly before treatment.

Toothsmith

If you don't have a check-up, then how can a dentist know if it is clinically necessary for you to have a polish and descale?

The dentist MUST examine you, as by accepting you for treatment on the NHS he then agrees TO PROVIDE ALL TREATMENT NECESSARY TO SECURE AND MAINTAIN YOUR ORAL HEALTH and that you are willing to undergo.

Now - you may refuse to undergo any other treatment, but if the dentist just accepted you for a clean & polish, but didn't see, or didn't tell you about the big filling that was developing near the back, then you could sue his bottom off when it all blew up a year or two later. If you refuse other treatment though, he dentist is equally entitled to refuse to just do the bits you want.

So, if you refuse to have an examination, then yes - the dentist can refuse to see you. This may or may not be written down in NHS regulations, I don't know. It's just plain sense and would apply to NHS arrangements or private arrangements.

I'm pretty sure it's not written down in NHS regulations that you have to wear clothes to attend the dentist. But you would probably be refused entry if you turned up naked.

One_Brain_Cell

Ok thanks Toothsmith and brook2jack. I wasn't going to wear clothes but with the extreme weather we're experiencing I have no choice.

Toothsmith

One_Brain_Cell wrote: »

Ok thanks Toothsmith and brook2jack. I wasn't going to wear clothes but with the extreme weather we're experiencing I have no choice.

Well, if you sent a photo first, the nurses could then decide whether to apply that rule strictly, or make an exception!