A guide to how dentistry works
Myth: GP and dental practices work in the same way
No, GP and Dental practices work in different ways. Dental practices are not catchment based so you are able to visit any dentist across the UK.
You can search for a dental practice using the NHS website. If you are struggling to find a dental practice accepting NHS patients call NHS England’s customer service centre on 0300 311 2233.
Myth: Patients can register with a dental practice
Dental practices do not register patients like GP practices. Dental practices are set up differently to GP practices within the NHS so there is no formal patient registration.
"I saw my dentist a few years ago and now they say they can’t see me on the NHS. Aren’t I registered?"
Dental practices do not register patients like GP practices. A patient is only ‘registered’ with a practice while undergoing treatment. You are free to approach any NHS dentist for treatment at any time. Some patients may chose to stay at the same practice and become regular patients attending appointments every six months or on a yearly basis.
Myth: If I get accepted as a new patient, I will get an appointment quickly
Even the dentists who are accepting new patients can still have long wait lists for appointments.
Myth: All dentists are NHS
No, not all dental practices offer NHS dental work. There are some dental practices that solely do private dental treatment and some that offer both NHS and private treatment.
Your NHS dentist should always:
- Explain which treatments are available on the NHS
- Explain which treatments are only available privately
- Make sure you know how much your NHS treatment and any private treatment will cost
Myth: Dentists only want to work with private patients
"My dentist said they could not see me on the NHS but offered me a private consultation."
There is no formal patient registration within dentistry. Each NHS dental practice will have a contract with the NHS for a certain amount of treatment or units of dental activity which they spread out over the year. The amount can vary from practice to practice.
The number of units used per day will depend on the treatment needs of the patients who contact the practice, for example, simple treatments like fillings and extractions equate to three units. More complex treatment like crowns and bridges count for 12 units.
Whilst NHS provision must be available across the practice’s contracted opening hours, demand for NHS treatment may be so great that on any given day, depending on demand and the treatment needs of the patients who contact them, they could have used up all their NHS appointments when a patient rings. The NHS does not fund over-activity so they may, therefore, offer a private option to patients as an alternative, as they will have separate NHS and private appointment books, with separate clinical staff time allocated accordingly.
In line with national guidance all dental practices are required to prioritise patients based on need and urgency into their available NHS appointments.
It is therefore important when you contact the practice that you fully explain the nature of your dental problem so that an assessment can be undertaken to determine how quickly you need to be seen.
Myth: I have to go private
We are aware that some dental practices are informing people that they are no longer offering NHS treatment. Some of you may receive a letter or email and advise you to join the payment plan.
You do not have to join a payment plan. The local NHS will look for alternative dentists to take the NHS activity on. This may, however, take some time and would not come into effect until the current contract ends.
For appointments you have booked, these should be expected to be kept by the dental practice.
You should consider the terms and conditions of joining any membership schemes as they may be tied in for a defined period (for example, a year)..
Dental surgeries will not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients. You may have to join a waiting list. It is best contacting them directly by phone to see if they can offer you an appointment.
Problems finding an NHS dentist
If you've been unable to find a dentist and you want to raise your concerns about this, contact your local integrated care board.
Integrated care boards commission dental services in England and are required to meet the needs of their local population for both urgent and routine dental care.
If you're still not satisfied with the integrated care board's (ICB's) response, you can take your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Dental emergency and out-of-hours care
If you think you need urgent care, contact your usual dentist, if you have one, as some surgeries offer emergency dental appointments and will provide care if clinically necessary.
You can also contact NHS 111, who can put you in touch with an urgent dental service.
Do not contact a GP, as they cannot offer urgent or emergency dental care.
