Your NHS Dental Registration

As Dental practices implement procedures to protect patients and staff, there is less time available for dentists to treat patients each day. Your enrolment on an NHS patient list with a practice you trust, is a valuable thing. 

As we implement more procedures to protect patients and staff, this leaves less time available for dentists to treat patients each day. 

That’s why now more than ever it’s important that you remember two crucial points if you wish to continue as an NHS patient with our Dental practices:

• Don’t miss an appointment or be late for an appointment.
• Don’t allow more than two years to lapse between appointments.

While most patients respect the time they are allocated, patients arriving late, or not at all, prevent other patients from accessing care. Please take a few moments to read the information below.

Keep your appointment to keep your place on our NHS dental list

We are now working under strict regulations and face challenging time restrictions. Whether you are visiting the dentist or hygienist, all appointment times are tightly scheduled. Please respect it.

Even performing a simple filling is not as straightforward as it used to be. It takes more staff, increased PPE and, most important, more empty surgery time after the appointment to prevent the possible spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

If you have an appointment, please make sure you don’t forget it.

Please take every step necessary to make sure that you arrive in time for your appointment. Practices need to be really strict about both missed appointments and late arrivals. If you have to cancel, make sure you do so at least 24 hours in advance.

“We’re sorry, but…”

We value all of our patients, and we don’t want to have to tell anyone, “We’re sorry but we must ask you to find a different dental practice.” It is, however, the procedure we must follow.

Pease note:

• After one missed appointment, your non-attendance or late attendance will be recorded. When you wish to make another appointment, you will be informed of your previous missed appointment and if this occurs again no further appointments will be offered.

• If you fail to attend the second appointment, we will then take the action to remove you from our NHS list and ask you to find a different dentist.

• If you miss two appointments within one year you will also be removed from our NHS list.

• If you attend the second appointment, we will do our best to accommodate your preferred day or time for your next appointment. 

Attend regularly to keep up your NHS dental registration

Many of our patients forget to make regular visits to see their dentist. And then, before they realise, it’s been over two years! 

Please be warned!

Due to the high number of patients wishing to join our NHS dental practice and the very long waiting list, we have no choice but to remove patients who have not attended for two years or more from our NHS list.

While we appreciate that during the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020 resulted in us being unable to see our patients for three months, we have since reopening again made every effort and have worked hard to catch up with patient needs. Please remember it’s important to follow up on regular attendance at the practice for you and your family.

Our reception staff remind patients the day before their appointments when they are due for their dental examinations via telephone or email. However, we often find that on occasions we are unable to do this as some contact details are incorrect as patients do not update their details with us.

How to keep your name on our NHS patient list:

• Always attend any appointment booked, or cancel the appointment more than 24 hours in advance.

• Make sure you book your next dental examination before you leave the practice. Whether it’s three, six, nine or even twelve months in advance, our receptionists will help you make your next appointment, and send you reminders nearer the time as well.

• Check and update your contact details. Be sure they are correct, especially your email address and mobile phone. If we can keep in touch with you, then we can help you keep on track so you don’t miss your appointment.

• If you are caring for children or an older person, then help them to keep up their registration too by tracking their appointments with them.

Use it! or lose it!

If you are removed from the NHS patient list, you are no longer able to receive NHS treatment at our practice.  If you want to receive NHS treatment again, you will need to contact the NHS dental helpline or access NHS Choices website for dentists accepting new NHS patients within your area. 

Remember:

We recommend that you protect your NHS place by attending your appointments, and booking your future appointments before your leave.

Check list for staying on our NHS list:

• Attend all your appointments or cancel well in advance.
• Always book your next appointment before you leave the surgery.
• Keep your contact details up to date.
• Make sure you visit your dentist regularly (and don’t leave it for longer than two years).