How does nhs dentist work

By November , official figures claimed that 83 per cent of practising dentists had signed up. More people were being treated than ever before, which had been a main objective of the new service, but this success came at a huge financial cost. Dentists' fears about the sustainability of the service were justified. Within two years of launching the NHS, the government cut the rates of item of service payments three times, and did so without consulting dentists.

By , the NHS was already running out of money. To help alleviate this, charges for dentures, the first charges of any kind for NHS treatment , were introduced causing much debate in government and the public arena and leading to the resignation of Aneurin Bevan, the Minister who had been crucial to bringing the NHS into existence. Other charges for treatment soon followed, and unsurprisingly, demand for services dropped. NHS dentistry today looks very different from the way it did in Modern techniques and technology mean that dentistry today is relatively pain-free, compared to the dentistry of the past.

However, dental anxiety continues to persist, more than 10 million adults in the UK report some level of dental anxiety, with an estimated six million experiencing dental phobia. All dentists are trained to put patients at ease and some also do additional training in techniques to help reassure nervous patients.

Recent figures show a small fall in the number of NHS dental patients being seen in England , both for adults and treatment, and in the number of courses of dental treatment. Although oral health appears to be steadily improving for the general population, there are still wide variations, depending on where you live. So if treatment is clinically necessary, you should be able to get it on the NHS. Your dentist should discuss any treatment that you need with you, explaining the potential benefits and costs.

NHS dental treatments include:. The NHS will not cover cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening, which improve the appearance of teeth but are not clinically necessary.

Your dentist should make the costs and benefits clear before you start treatment. Lots of people decide to have a mixture of both NHS and private treatment from their dentist. Your treatment plan should include a breakdown of NHS and private costs if you are having both.

Your NHS dentist is not allowed to refuse you treatment that is available on the NHS and then offer it to you privately instead. Key Information. If treatment is clinically necessary, you should be able to have it on the NHS without an extra charge.

In your dental examination the dentist should:. Your dentist should also give you advice about when your next visit should be. Although many of us assume this should be every six months, depending on your dental health your next visit could be due anytime from between three months to two years. People in certain groups are entitled to free NHS dental treatment , including those under 18, those under 19 still receiving full-time education, pregnant women or those who have had a baby in the last 12 months, and those on qualifying low-income benefits.

Otherwise, there are three standard NHS price bands. You should only pay once for each course of dental treatment. The GDC does not get involved in complaints being managed locally. It does not resolve complaints or award compensation. If the problem is so serious that you think the care provided at the practice could be a risk to other patients, the Care Quality Commission CQC would like to know about it. The CQC cannot investigate individual complaints, but its inspectors use this information when they inspect services to make sure they're meeting quality and safety standards.

They can also be provided privately. For example, you may be offered a metal coloured crown on a back tooth to help restore the tooth from a functional perspective. You could discuss with your dentist what alternative cosmetic options can be offered privately, and the risks and benefits of these, to help you make an informed decision. A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form in the teeth or gums as a result of a bacterial infection.

If you feel unwell or have a large swelling in your face or mouth, your dentist may refer you to a specialist unit for treatment. Dentures are removable false teeth made of acrylic plastic or metal.

Orthodontics is a type of dental treatment that aims to improve the appearance, position and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth. There is a standard method for assessing whether orthodontic treatment is clinically necessary and available on the NHS. Your dentist or orthodontist will be able to explain to you what alternative options exist if you or your child do not qualify for NHS-funded orthodontic treatment. You cannot mix NHS and private treatment in orthodontics.

The British Orthodontic Society offers patient information about general orthodontics, as well as information aimed at adults and teenagers. You can also find information about orthodontics on this site, including specific information about braces. Root canal treatment is a dental procedure to treat infection at the centre of a tooth the root canal system.

Your dentist should be able to provide it for you or, where the treatment is complex, refer you to a practitioner with additional skills. The dentist should always discuss whether treatment will be provided on the NHS or privately with you in advance. Some dental practices may have a visiting specialist coming in to see patients on a private basis.

You may be offered an option to see this specialist privately as an alternative to being referred on the NHS. It will be your choice whether you opt for the private treatment with this specialist or be referred to an NHS specialist service.

A simple scaling is included in a Band 1 course of treatment, but more complex treatment for gum problems may be charged within a Band 2 course of treatment. Many dental hygienists now work under direct access, where you can request to see the hygienist directly for a scale or polish. Hygienists can only provide this open access on a private basis, and you should check the cost of the treatment before booking an appointment.

If your dentist says a scale and polish is not clinically necessary but you want one anyway, you will have to pay for it privately. Where clinically appropriate, white fillings are available on the NHS and are generally charged as Band 2. For example, if you need a filling in one of your front teeth incisors and canines , the filling material of choice may be a white filling.