Dentist - private v nhs advice

[UncharteredWaters]

Can anyone shed any light on whether the dental practice can do this?

I was an NHS patient with a mixed practice. At an appt in 2023 they said at some stage they would be moving all patients to private. Fair enough I thought.

subsequently I’ve been seen and not paid (other than nhs charge). My last appt was quite expensive and she was very keen to make my next routine one….should have rang alarm bells!!

Turns out I have been moved to their private list. No other warning or contact.

However they are still doing NHS work, and advertising that they will register NHS patients albeit to a waiting list.

I understand doing private completely but can i insist on going back to the NHS list if they are still doing this?

Do any dentists know if the general dental contract allows this? Surely moving someone but claiming to register new NHS patients is dodgy?

At the moment I’m in the year post pregnancy and on mat leave so not having a hefty dental bill would be appreciated!

If you are in your year after pregnancy NHS exemption applies for dental care and treatments

How do you know they are still doing NHS work? Did you ask for clarification on why you are being charged when you have an exemption?

I’d just ring or email and ask for some clarification in the first instance

You can’t insist on going back on the NHS list as they can set criteria for that list (not centrally fixed) and can be anything i.e. didn’t have a check up within 3 months / 6 months. Original plan was all dentists were switching to private but a subsequent new contract with one dentist means they will provide some NHS treatment - usually children get priority. Dentists are effectively private businesses even when providing NHS services as are GPs. While you are currently eligible for pregnancy NHS exemption it doesn’t mean they have to give you an appointment as it depends on the length of the list they have for NHS. It might be there is a 10 month waiting list and by the time you get to the top of the list your exemption has expired and you are back to the private list. Sadly dentistry is broken and there is no simple fix.

It’s on their website. I just assumed it was all private until my mum said hers was like £23 so I rang them. I assumed they were moving people as they were due a review until I saw on their website.

wanted to be able to ring back with specifics especially if it’s in breach of their dental contract.

Thanks - I think it’s that they are still offering to register anyone for nhs services that’s confusing it.

I know with gp services the gp contract to provide gp services means you cannot off list without good reason, eg not attending. I wondered if there was the same in the dental contract.

Many dental practices are now having no dentists on NHS contracts or perhaps only one and they can set their own criteria for continuing to be on the list. I would also be wary of the “offering to register for NHS services”. - often the practices are running a waiting list ( which is long) and prioritising children. My DPs dentist are doing this but the reality is it is a minimum 18 month waiting list so in reality they have to go private.