Information for NHS Patients

NHS dental charges from April 2024

The charge you pay depends on the treatment you need to keep your mouth,
gums and teeth healthy. You will only ever be asked to pay one charge for each
complete course of treatment, even if you need to visit your dentist more than
once to finish it – either Band 1, Band 2 or Band 3.

Band 1 course of treatment – £26.80
This covers an examination, diagnosis (eg X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems,
a scale and polish if needed, and application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant.

If you require urgent care, even if your urgent treatment needs more than one appointment to complete, you will only need to pay one Band 1 charge

Band 2 course of treatment – £73.50
This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth.

Band 3 course of treatment – £319.10
This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures and bridges.

NHS dental treatment includes all treatment necessary to secure and maintain your oral health.
Cosmetic dentistry such as teeth whitening and white fillings on back teeth fall under private treatment.

YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

You are entitled to:

• Thorough examination of your mouth, teeth and gums.
• A full explanation of your treatment options
• A written treatment plan(including costs)
• Information about NHS charges displayed at reception
• Advice on how to keep your teeth and gums healthy
• Information about this practice and the services available
• A care and treatment summary if you decide to transfer to another dentist
• Make a complaint if you are not happy with your treatment and care.

You are responsible for:

• Giving at least 24hrs notice if you have to cancel or change an appointment. We will not charge you for missed appointments- but if you miss more than one appointment we may not be able to offer you treatment.
• Following your dentist’s advice to prevent tooth decay and gum disease
• Paying your bill before leaving the practice
• Bringing proof of entitlement when claiming help with the cost of NHS treatment. If no proof is shown your eligibility is checked.
• Treating our staff with courtesy and respect, failure to do this will result in us refusing to treat you.

Appointments
You can choose which dentist you would like to see at the practice including your regular dentist, but please note this would depend on the appointments available and NHS capacity.

Reminders and recalls
At the end of your course of treatment, your dentist will discuss with you when you need to see a dentist again. NHS dentists now follow recall guidelines issued by National Institute of Clinical Excellence. (NICE).

This means you will attend as often as is needed to keep your teeth and gums healthy and may no longer need a check up every six months

Cancellations
If you are unable to keep your appointment please let us know as soon as possible so we can give your appointment to someone else. Missed appointments waste NHS time and practice resources. If you miss more than one appointment and give less than 24hours notice, we may not be able to offer you NHS care in future.

Urgent treatment and out of hours care
Urgent treatment means treatment that a dentist considers necessary to relieve severe pain or to prevent your oral condition deteriorating before you can make a normal appointment.
If you need urgent treatment outside of opening hours contact the practice telephone help line for advice.

Your dental records
Your dental records will remain confidential and secure. However from time to time we may need to release these to the Business Services Authority of the NHS as part of our on going clinical review process. We will try and contact you before releasing your dental records to another organization.

About our service
If you would like to comment about any aspect of our service please contact our Practice Manager, Karen Walker on 0208 692 6756 or e mail Karen at dental.v00459@nhs.net