Many people are now finding themselves questioning how to find an NHS dentist. It can seem like a daunting task, due to growing demand and limited NHS resources in most areas of the UK. Regardless of whether you’ve moved to a new area and are seeking a new dental practice, or if you’re just looking for a change of dentist, accessing appropriate dental care is essential for all.
That’s why we’ve created this blog – we understand how difficult it can be to find a suitable dental practice, so we’ve created this guide to help you as much as possible. At the Dental Law Partnership, we’re experts in both the legal and dental fields, offering legal advice to patients who have suffered from dental negligence.
If you’re seeking a new NHS dentist because you’ve encountered dental negligence at your current dental practice, we may be able to help you with your case – please contact us on 0800 152 2031 or start your claim here.
Understanding the Dental Dilemma
Finding an NHS dentist can be difficult, with statistics showing that 97% of people searching for a new NHS dentist are unsuccessful. In the past, some dental practices didn’t always have the capacity for new NHS patients, but there was still a good chance that they’d be able to find a suitable surgery somewhere in the local area.
However, the issue has become increasingly exacerbated recently, with most practices only accepting patients for private dental care. In part, this issue seems to have been caused by the chronic underfunding of the NHS, with dental services often being hit the hardest by budget limitations. Operational challenges and lower rates of pay for NHS dentists have also seen an increase in NHS dental professionals turning to private practices instead, leading to a shortage of NHS dental professionals.
Whilst the outcome may seem bleak for patients seeking a new NHS dental practice, a plan to recover and reform NHS dentistry was proposed last year. Hopefully, we should start to see more funding applied to the NHS sector, which should lead to more appointments and shorter waiting times.
How to Find an NHS Dentist: A Guide
The statistics surrounding sourcing an NHS dentist may seem bleak, but there are some things you can do to try and make the process easier. Luckily, dental surgeries do not have a catchment area like your GP (General Practitioner), so you can register at a practice in a different location – you can even register at several different dental practices if required. You may have to go on a waiting list – in some areas, waiting lists can extend for up to several years, so it may be worth applying for several different surgeries at once.
You may want to start by contacting the local dental surgeries in your area, although it may be easier to see which practices are currently taking on new patients by using the NHS’ Find a Dentist tool.
If you aren’t able to find an NHS dentist through their website, contacting Healthwatch is also advisable. Healthwatch can provide information about local dental services, although it’s important to note that their information is based purely on updates from local practices, so their information can be out of date. You should also consider contacting NHS England (if you’re based in England), as they have a duty to provide routine and urgent dental care countrywide.
If you’ve found yourself unable to find an NHS dentist in your area, you can report your findings to your local Integrated Care Board (ICB). ICBs commission dental surgeries in England and are required to meet the needs of their local population for both routine and emergency dental care.
What If I Require an Emergency Dentist?
If you believe you require emergency dental treatment or out-of-hours dental care, you may be able to source an NHS dentist or dental surgeon without going through the registration process or lengthy wait times. Some practices will offer emergency appointments, even if they can’t take you on as a patient at the moment, so you may want to try contacting surgeries in your local area for a booking.
Alternatively, you can contact NHS 111 or NHS 111 online if you have the following symptoms:
- Heavy bleeding
- Severe pain
- Swelling in your mouth, throat, neck or eye
However, it should be noted that an emergency dentist will only deal with the current dental problem and provide clinically necessary treatment – you’ll still need to register with a dental surgery if you would like more work done at a later date.
Should I Register with a Private Dental Practice?
If you’re unable to source a suitable NHS dentist, you may want to consider accessing private dental services instead. At the moment, it can be much easier for patients to find a dentist offering private treatment, which may be beneficial if you require urgent dental treatment or are on a lengthy waiting list for an NHS surgery.
However, whilst you may benefit from quicker procedures with a private practice, you will have to pay more than you would at an NHS dental surgery. NHS treatments are covered by bands, which means that the price for your appointment will always be the same, depending on the band it’s contained in. As an example of this, urgent dental treatment will always be charged at the Band 1 price, which is currently £26.80.
If you do manage to find an NHS dentist taking on new patients, you may be entitled to free NHS dental treatment, depending on your circumstances. You could be entitled to free NHS dental treatment if you are:
- Under the age of 18
- Under the age of 19 and still in full-time education
- Pregnant, or have given birth in the last 12 months
- Receiving benefits for low-income, such as Universal Credit
- If you’re under the age of 20 and are dependent on someone receiving benefits for low income
- You’re currently being treated in an NHS hospital and the hospital dentist is carrying out dental work for you (although some procedures like dentures or bridges may still be chargeable)
However, if you fall into any of these categories and you’re registered privately, you will not be able to get your treatment carried out for free, so you may still want to consider attempting to find an NHS dentist.
Take the First Step Towards Better Oral Health
Your oral health is incredibly important, making finding an appropriate NHS dentist crucial for new patients. Finding an NHS dentist may take a little effort, but we hope that the advice given in this article will help you find the care you need to thrive.
It’s important to remember that regular dental check-ups can prevent bigger issues from forming further down the road, so even if you don’t think you require dental work yet, finding a new NHS dentist can support your oral health needs.
At the Dental Law Partnership, we understand that you may want to change your dentist due to dental negligence – if this is the case, we can help you bring a dental claim against your dentist and get you one step closer to receiving the compensation you deserve.
To enquire further about a potential dental negligence claim, please contact us or request a callback here.