Switching NHS dentist?

Aviendha

Is it possible to switch to a different NHS dentist at the same practice? I need to get a filling done, but it really needs to be on a Friday. I tried to make an appointment, but was told that my dentist doesn't work on Fridays. I asked about switching to another dentist, but they said that my dentist has the "treatment plan" and it wouldn't be possible for another dentist to do the filling.

I don't really understand this. Surely any dentist could do the filling?

brook2jack

The way the NHS dental contract runs , the dentist who does the treatment plan has to do the treatment, unless you are referred on for advanced treatment or to a dental therapist.

The alternative is to pay for the treatment so far from dentist 1 and then pay for a new course of treatment (including check up ) from dentist 2. This will obviously be a bit more expensive than sticking with dentist 1 but that may be worth it for convenience.

NHS dental rules mean a filling cannot be done as a course of treatment without a check up , and anyway as dentists often have different ideas about treatment plans one dentist will not do a filling without checking the patient first themselves.

welshdent

The NHS only pay the practice one set of UDAs or in effect one fee for the course of treatment. That means that if you start with one dentist and move to another dentist. One of them isn't being paid despite carrying out work on you. Consequently in these austere times dentists and practices usually insist on you seeing the same dentist for the course of treatment unless one of them is feeling generous.

Yet another reason why the contract is so poor.