DS NHS dentist has just cancelled all treatment, halfway through actual treatment!

[JustlookingNotbuying]

DS is 16 (17 in October).
In 2019 he was referred by our regular dentist to an orthodontist for fitting of braces.
The braces were fitted at the end of 2019. DS had a couple of appointments then COVID hit.
The braces weren’t tight enough and his teeth started to gap and twist but the orthodontist wouldn’t see him for months due to the pandemic.
Eventually he was seen at the beginning of 2021 then the next lockdown came and his appointments kept getting pushed back.
His teeth were starting to look worse than before the start of treatment. I kept ringing, the same spiel was given that they were fully booked due to the back log etc and he would get an appointment ASAP.
Eventually he had an appointment just before Christmas. I sat with him in the room, the dentist was bloody awful and plain rude, he was always a grumpy arse to start but had excelled himself on this day, we were in the room for literally 5 minutes. All he did was to rip out the wires and some of the brackets leaving DS with a top row of unsecured brackets and just two brackets on the bottom. The dentist had a go at the poor assistant (for just asking him a simple question), leaving her so embarrassed and then turned his back on us and snapped ‘Done!’. We left the room and I went straight to the manager and complained.
She explained he was leaving and a new dentist would start soon.
We had been given an appointment for next week.
I’ve had an email stating that they are ending their NHS contract this Friday. DS appointment is for next Friday!
I rang the practice and the receptionist explained that they have been unable to keep their locums or locate a permanent NHS dentist so have put it back in the hands of the NHS and are now a private practice. They will honour the appointment next week but it is more than likely the dentist will remove all the remaining parts of the brace and DS will have to start again with a new practice when it’s allocated.
I’ve rung the NHS number and have been told that it could be a year or two wait- WTAF!
DS will be 18+ then and will have to end up paying privately (2 of his friends have paid and it was £2k +)
What the hell do we do now? We don’t have that kind of money for dental treatment.

Email your MP for help. Because of the delay in treatment and he was a child when it started, I would email your MP and ask for help. Might not get any help but it wont cost you anything to ask.

Start calling round every dentist within a decent driving distance to see if anyone is taking on NHS patients.

Contact NHS England for advice. My dentist died part way through my course of treatment and they were able to find another dentist to carry it on. It was a long process though

@BeforeGodAndAllTheFish

Email your MP for help. Because of the delay in treatment and he was a child when it started, I would email your MP and ask for help. Might not get any help but it wont cost you anything to ask.

Start calling round every dentist within a decent driving distance to see if anyone is taking on NHS patients.

^this

Email your MP as a PP said. This is unfortunately quite common, our local MP spoke about it in the commons a few months ago because so many dentists had turned fully private and a few were mid treatment like your DS.

That's horrendous. I'd be finding out who the ombudsmen type people are and creating merry hell. How could they mess around with a child's health like that?!

We’ve had this, our NHS dentist has suddenly refused treatment of entire family including disabled DCs. I’ve complained to NHS England and they just say they cannot force dentist to keep NHS patients. We now basically have to ring around trying to find a practice willing to accept NHS patients but been told it will likely only be for the DCs and we’ll have to go private. I’m absolutely disgusted with it. As the parent of disabled children, everything is already a fight, a financial strain and constant stress. This just adds to the pile and, according to NHS England, there is absolutely nothing that can be done. 🤬

I'm writing this as a Dentist so I am not completely up to date with the Orthodontic contracts.
Contact Pals and explain what's happened- the Local Area team will be fully aware the contract has been handed back but they may have difficulty getting him handed over to another Orthodontic practice. However they should be. Orthodontics is only available under the NHS for under 18s although they have allowed some extension due to Covid but if he has had some treatment there is a risk, if he is reassessed his IOTN has dropped so I would not let them remove the brackets until you have had advice on what happens next.
If there is a shortage of NHS Orthodontists in your area I would unfortunately expect a long wait.
I'm sorry he's another casualty of the state of NHS Dentistry.

Also write your MP they need people to complain to ensure they put pressure on the Government.

I can’t even find NHS care for my kids and I’ve called every month for two years. It’s mad.

I don’t think NHS ortho will be available at all for much longer. Both our local practices have lost their contracts from April. I am advising any parents who can afford it to go privately for ortho and will be doing the same for DS.

I don’t know what your financial circumstances are so I apologise if this is not an option. However, I needed orthodontic work due to my teeth moving significantly in my early thirties. I couldn’t afford to pay for the treatment up front but my orthodontist offered an interest free option so I paid monthly over two years. I agree that your DS deserves NHS treatment but if you can’t make that happen, paying monthly may be a solution.

I will definitely write to my local MP.
I have rung around and there are literally no NHS dental places available in my area.
Sadly I just can not afford private treatment outright or monthly.

I would definitely contact NHS England and potentially also your local CCG - they don't contract dentistry but are closer to local people so may have some ideas.

I don't think I would be keen to allow them to take the braces off as I would be worried that would "end" the course of treatment and that he would then need reassessing and aging again.

My brother had treatment which lasted til he was 21 but it was all free because the course of treatment was started before he was 18. I don't have any basis for that worry other than that treatment course though - you might be able to get a straight answer on that out of your local PALS or NHS England.

MillyMollyMardy Thank you, I will contact PALS tomorrow. I am a little concerned this is his last appointment. If the brackets are not removed and he ends up on a 1-2 year waiting list that’s a long time to have uncomfortable pieces of metal clamped to his teeth, they already cut into his mouth and we have to constantly use wax. It’s getting ridiculous.

No advice, just sympathy. NHS dentistry is an absolute shambles and I can't see it improving any time soon.

mydoghealsmyheart I am sorry you are going through this. Everything is a battle with the NHS these days isn’t it? I care for my mum who has Alzheimer’s and everything is a nightmare, I spend most of my life these days emailing or trying to get through to inadequate services. Just had a letter saying mums dementia NHS service helpline is closing from April! Ps my dog does too x

OP do you have family who could pay as an alternative birthday/ Christmas gift.
It's horrendous I know.
My dgc's practice went private and I told ds to let me know if they ever can't pay as I would.
Cannot believe dc born after the millennium will have worse teeth than 70's dc. It's jolly shocking.

They're not allowed to dump you mid-care, it goes against the terms of their NHS agreement. I'd reply and say that you're well aware that even if they end their NHS contract they are still obliged to continue to treat the patients who are mid-treatment. The contracts appear to locally based but if you google orthodontic NHS contract and then the area, you should get the contract and then you can flip through to find the bit about termination.

I wouldn't let the brace be removed until you have a treatment plan in place.

I'd contact a specialist dental legal team for their opinion. It is a bit complicated as it depends on whether the NHS contract was signed by the dentist (as an individual) or the practice.

JustlookingNotBuying I’m sorry you’re also finding everything a struggle, it’s exhausting isn’t it? But dogs are my lifeline, bring sunshine to every dark day. X

Hi. If you can, call the dentist that referred you to the orthodontist in the first place. They should be able to refer you elsewhere, albeit with a waiting list.

You can call the NHSBSA helpline as to where you stand and where the burden of provision lies. It's unacceptable that your son has been left mid treatment. If he was my patient that I'd referred, I would kick up a stink. A practice near us lost their contract by they came to an arrangement with the commissioners to finish off outstanding treatment.