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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you if our dentist can strike off husband from their nhs patient list without telling us?

121 replies

Teefteefteef · 30/12/2021 17:10

So posting here for traffic:
Husband lost half of a filled tooth last night. The tooth is more filling than actual tooth. It looks very much like it needs to either be removed or crowned. Not in pain yet but only half the tooth is remaining. He called our nhs dentist to book an appointment. Was told that seeing as he hasn’t had an appointment over the last 3 years that they now consider him a new patient and he would have to pay full private fees because, (surprise surprise,) they aren’t taking on nhs patients at the moment. Does anybody know if there is a code of conduct I can reference? To see if they are actually allowed to just strike people off? We think this may be a bit unfair seeing as they weren’t actually seeing anything other than emergency patients the majority of the time for the first huge chunk of covid. Any insight would be very helpful.

OP posts:
harridan50 · 30/12/2021 17:11

Yes they can

Tittyfilarious81 · 30/12/2021 17:15

This is the rule at my dentist you have to have yearly checkup big you miss 2 years you are off the list

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 30/12/2021 17:16

Yes, they can - our dental practice is very clear on that: if we don’t make regular appointments for check-ups, we lose our place on their books. Not surprising - why should they keep you on as patients if you’re not using them?

Spreadingtheword · 30/12/2021 17:16

Yep, this is why people who are lucky enough to have a place on the NHS register at the moment should take full advantage of going for regular check ups.

Just think, they’re not waking on NHS patients at the moment, but you could well ask to be put on their waiting list.. but you might be waiting for someone who hasn’t been for a check up in 2 years while your husband might have a painful toothache from his missing filling but hasn’t to wait for that person to be absent for another year before they’ll offer him a place back on the register.

MrMistoffee · 30/12/2021 17:17

Yes they can and they do.

londonrach · 30/12/2021 17:18

Yes they can and it's in their terms And conditions of all dentists I've been registered with in my 40 years which I think is 5 practice s. Hence why I always go at least once a year to keep my NHS dentist.

SpellBounds · 30/12/2021 17:18

Why hasn't he been for a check up for 3 years? YABU massively- it's well known and normal that you have to regularly go for the prescribed check ups (6 monthly or yearly etc) or they remove you.

icedcoffees · 30/12/2021 17:19

Yes, absolutely. If you don't have regular check-ups, they'll free up the space for someone who actually wants it.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 30/12/2021 17:20

Yep. My dentist actually told me they didn't do this, and then removed me when I skipped a check up Hmm

BrusselPout · 30/12/2021 17:21

Yes, it happened to me because I forgot to book a 6 monthly check up for the first time in my life. Conveniently the letters apparently warning me this was due to happen if I didn't make an appointment got 'lost' in the post, and it was only the 'you've been expelled as a NHS patient, you'll need to re-register as private patient' that arrived. Seemed like a total con to get people off their NHS list and earn more money

guiltynetter · 30/12/2021 17:21

It's not like the doctors - surely everyone knows you have to go to the dentist regularly to stay on?!

Restzol · 30/12/2021 17:21

Yes they can BUT the last two years have not been normal times and many dentists have not been offering check ups. If you have not been offered a check up I would pursue that line of argument with the dentist ie your husband was waiting to be invited for an appointment and assumed it was not forthcoming due to covid restrictions. Failing that, if you are not registered anywhere it can actually be easier to access emergency treatment. Go to the NHS website and follow the advice there:

CJat10 · 30/12/2021 17:22

As above. He's effectively not made any visits earning any payment for them but wishes to reserve a free NHS place for any time he chooses. Dentists are limited 8n patient lists. His place has gone to someone who wants dental care

colourfulpuddles · 30/12/2021 17:26

Of course they can. Covid hasn’t been going on three years. He has missed regular check ups and is trying to use them when it suits him, which has taken a space away from other patients for the last three years.

Original poster
Teefteefteef · 30/12/2021 17:27

Thanks for all the replies. Yep its been largely down to a combination of working enormously increased hours since covid began, but also not being able to actually book check ups with them for most of the pandemic. He probably could have booked very recently but it hasn’t been a priority due to his massive work load. These things happen I suppose. I think though, if it turns out he does have to pay private fees we would probably both look to find an alternative dentist.

OP posts:
mummyh2016 · 30/12/2021 17:31

Yep my dad went to make an appointment a couple of months ago and he had been removed. Finding a new nhs dentist is easier said than done, DH is also without one, we've been trying to find him one for the last 6 months. A couple told me to try again in January, I can only presume that is when the surgeries get their funding for the year? In the nicest way your current dentist won't care if you leave due to your DH not being offered treatment on the NHS, demand is far out stripping supply and you will be very easy to replace.

BungleandGeorge · 30/12/2021 17:32

I’ve never had an nhs dentist ‘call me up’ for a checkup, the onus has always been on me. Did he have an appointment booked in that time that they cancelled or did he contact them to make an appointment? My private dentist bumps you off the list if you don’t contact/ have a check up for 8 months as well. They have a limited list size, otherwise emergency and unplanned care would be unmanageable. If people don’t attend for routine appointments it also means that they have a lot of patients registered to them who could (and probably will!) turn up at some point needing emergency treatment. If you ring round you might be able to find an nhs dentist who will do a one off emergency appointment. Most extractions are not designated as aerosol generating so are more straightforward to plan in. If he needs a crown it’s potentially quite an involved process and likely to need to use a drill so may be more tricky getting started ASAP

Soontobe60 · 30/12/2021 17:33

@Teefteefteef

Thanks for all the replies. Yep its been largely down to a combination of working enormously increased hours since covid began, but also not being able to actually book check ups with them for most of the pandemic. He probably could have booked very recently but it hasn’t been a priority due to his massive work load. These things happen I suppose. I think though, if it turns out he does have to pay private fees we would probably both look to find an alternative dentist.
Good luck with that! NHS dentists taking on new patients are as rare as hens teeth at the moment. My dentist will only keep you on if you have your annual check ups. During covid, we had notifications about appointments, and I’ve been several times over the past 2 years. For information, I had a crown done in a tooth that sounds like your dh, and it cost close to £300 on the NHS.
SpellBounds · 30/12/2021 17:34

@BrusselPout

Yes, it happened to me because I forgot to book a 6 monthly check up for the first time in my life. Conveniently the letters apparently warning me this was due to happen if I didn't make an appointment got 'lost' in the post, and it was only the 'you've been expelled as a NHS patient, you'll need to re-register as private patient' that arrived. Seemed like a total con to get people off their NHS list and earn more money
Book your next appointment every time you visit. Put it in your diary then rearrange if you need to rather than relying on them to remind you.
icedcoffees · 30/12/2021 17:34

@Restzol

Yes they can BUT the last two years have not been normal times and many dentists have not been offering check ups. If you have not been offered a check up I would pursue that line of argument with the dentist ie your husband was waiting to be invited for an appointment and assumed it was not forthcoming due to covid restrictions. Failing that, if you are not registered anywhere it can actually be easier to access emergency treatment. Go to the NHS website and follow the advice there:
I've never once been offered a check-up in 30+ years of visiting the dentist. It's always been my responsibility to book - normally at the previous appointment. I've never been sent any kind of reminder or prompt.
HollowTalk · 30/12/2021 17:37

This happened with my 91 year old mum - she'd fallen and broken her wrist and cancelled an appointment. That took it to two years since she'd been to the dentist and they struck her off. One stern email later, she was reinstated with an appointment the next day Smile

driftcompatible · 30/12/2021 17:41

YABU he hasn't bothered in 3 years and you think it's ok that he just fills up a space someone else could use?!

Dentists usually send check up reminders, if he just ignored them they would assume he no longer needs their services.

Polmuggle · 30/12/2021 17:47

@driftcompatible

YABU he hasn't bothered in 3 years and you think it's ok that he just fills up a space someone else could use?!

Dentists usually send check up reminders, if he just ignored them they would assume he no longer needs their services.

Most people haven't been able to see their dentist for two years. Mine still isn't doing checkups and OP says theirs has been similar.

What were we supposed to do?!

VerbenaGirl · 30/12/2021 17:47

Yep. This is completely normal now.

pinkcattydude · 30/12/2021 17:48

Also he hasn’t been in 3 years covid obvs isn’t the issue with him getting check ups. Ours are currently informing you that if you change your check up appointment the next available is June and that’s for registered regular attendees. We’ve also had to reconfirm that if we cancel or miss appointments we will be removed from the nhs list. They won’t write to inform us, I don’t know if that’s changed