DD16 is not allowed to attend the dentist on her own.

[TuesdaysgreyandWednesdaytoo]

Yesterday dd16 and I each had a dental check up appointment. I am at the same practice but with a different dentist and said to her that as she is now 16 she may as well start going in on her own. This would be quite convenient for future appointments because the practice is not too far from dd's college and she could attend before or after her college day.

She happily went in herself but within seconds the dental nurse came to the waiting room and called me in. I wondered what the issue was and was told by the dentist that dd could not come in on her own and I (or dh) would need to accompany her until she is 18.

I didn't realise 16-18 year olds could not attend a dental appointment on their own.

It is rare on MN for everybody to be in agreement, but this seems to be the case here.

At 16 she could be married (not a good idea, l know, bet legally possible), she can also consent to medical procedures; the age of consent is not just about sex.

She can see a GP on her own and consent to medical procedures etc ...

Or the particular dentist.

I would think there is something about the dentist, a criminal conviction or restriction on their practice.

Or it could be their insurance. Maybe it is cheaper to get indemnity insurance if you do not treat children without a parent / guardian present.

Or they have had a bad experience, things like X-raying a 16 year old who's mother calls up afterwards to ask why you X-rayed a pregnant teen.

I've found the actual legislation - Section 8 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969 (so hardly recent).

"Consent by persons over 16 to surgical, medical and dental treatment.
(1)The consent of a minor who has attained the age of sixteen years to any surgical, medical or dental treatment which, in the absence of consent, would constitute a trespass to his person, shall be as effective as it would be if he were of full age; and where a minor has by virtue of this section given an effective consent to any treatment it shall not be necessary to obtain any consent for it from his parent or guardian.
(2)In this section “surgical, medical or dental treatment ” includes any procedure undertaken for the purposes of diagnosis, and this section applies to any procedure (including, in particular, the administration of an anaesthetic) which is ancillary to any treatment as it applies to that treatment."

You have to be 18 to be married in the UK now - the law changed last year I think. But you should still be able to go to the dentist at 16!

Slightly off topic but actually the age at which you can get married (in England and Wales anyway) was changed a couple of years ago and is now 18.

It’s funny isn’t it. I wasn’t allowed to attend the orthodontist appointment with my DC at age 10 due to Covid! Funny how the rules can change when needed!

I have wondered if this may be the case with this practice as it does appear a little strange. When I back from work later I'll call them.

No, it's NHS and they got me to sign which is why I then thought that she would have to have me with her until she is 18 but the replies on here say she should be signing them at 16 so no idea what this is all about.

Thank you.

I went on my own from being 13. I had to leave my daughter aged 14 at minor injuries (broken fingers) as I had to get to work. They (and she) was completely fine with it. I'm thinking this might be a practice rule rather than a blanket rule.

My kids have been going on their own for years, making appointments for themselves from 17. Sounds well odd.

Oh wow poor you ☹️❤️

It might not be law but it might be a policy this dentist has, if so you will have to choose whether to adhere to it or find another dentist that doesn't have it

That's a bit silly. She's 16, not 6. That said, DS went in by himself last time because I sat outside breastfeeding his little sister. He's nearly 8.
It was no issue at all.

Perhaps Dentist themselves are not allowed to be alone with under 18s due to something happening previously

I've never been alone with a dentist, there has always been a dental nurse present.

And that wouldn't explain giving the OP forms to sign instead of the daughter.

That's so weird, I used to make my own way to the dentist and orthodontist from when I got my braces at 14. My parents were usually at work so I'd leave school early and get the bus there or I'd go there and then on to school. At one point I was having to go every month, my parents would never have been able to take me that often!

11? They're just a little kid at that age.

I had an enormous amount of orthodontic work done between 11-17 and I'm fairly certain my parents stopped coming into the treatment room with me from about the age of 12 (although they'd be in the waiting room).

Gillick competence / Fraser guidelines apply to U16s and age out when an individual turns 16, so it's nothing to do with that.

I think this may just be some kind of odd rule the practice has decided to invoke for themselves - I would find another dentist, tbh.

So I've just contacted the dental surgery. They have said even though at 16 my dd can sign her own forms and make decisions about her own treatment they class anyone under the age of 18 as a child so a parent or guardian will need to always attend. They can not even sit in the waiting room.

The receptionist couldn't give any other reason other than that. It can not be because of the risk of being left alone with the patient because there is always a dental nurse present.

I wonder if anyone else's practice adhere to this rule?

Reading your latest update, OP, I'd just change dentists (although I appreciate that's easier said than done).

They may have their reasons, but it sounds nonsensical and it's creating hassle for you.

(Also, why have they changed their mind on the signatories after initially being so insistent? I suspect they're making stuff up as they go along and that alone would make me want to go somewhere with a slightly better grip on reality.)

This is nonsense but if thats their policy thats their policy

They will be discriminating against children in independent accommodation who dont have a parent or care giver. There may not be that many but they do exist

Sadly finding a local dentist with NHS spaces is as rare as rocking horse poo so we'll just have to put up with it.

When my daughter started treatment at the age of 16 the dentist and othodontist both explicitly asked her to sign a form giving them permission to contact me about her treatment as they said now she was 16 she had the right to privacy. (They needed me for the payments though!).

She was living away from home at dance college at this point so used to travel to her appointments independently.