To appeal being thrown off the dentist nhs register

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Been with my dentist 30 years. This afternoon I had an appointment and this morning I tested positive for covid. Now I know you don’t have to test anymore but my best friends daughter has complex disabilities and covid could be fatal so my best friend has provided her family and friends with covid test and just asks if we can a quick test before we come round. I was due to go round after the dentist.

now the dentist is still really anal re covid and a few days before sent me a questionnaire asking if I had any symptoms and if I did my appointment would have to be cancelled.

So after testing positive i rang the dentist 6 times and could not get through so I left a message explaining.

I have just received a message saying due to missing my appointment I am now removed from the NHS register. Basically for following their own guidelines. I have tried to ring again (can’t get through) so I have sent an email.

trying to get through to the dentist is a nightmare. You are are kept on hold for 1
minute and then you are passed through to the message service. I rang 6 times before leaving a message so I really tried to get in touch

I think it's a common way to reduce the NHS patient list (and add you as a private patient).
Happened to me just after lockdown when my crown came loose and found out I had no dentist anymore!

Less than 1% of dentists will qualify for this golden hello and to date it has not been claimed by any dentist in the U.K.

That is awful, I lost mine through a missed appointment and had to wait 12 months to get another nhs dentist place.
It's like one strike and you're out !
You can email the general dental counsel maybe they will have a word with them.

I can’t even begin to say what is wrong with this comment.
But for avoidance of doubt medical and dental provision for immigrants is significantly worse than for the general population . They do not get special treatment or priority for dental services and in none of the ares I work is there any additional monies or provision for their treatment.

Dentist can’t actually remove you from the list for being unable to attend through illness. I was removed from my dentists list due to missing an appointment. I had cancer and was on chemo. I had advised them of this many times. I had no joy from practise manager so I went to the Dental ombudsman. I was re instated in a flash. Overall it’s a poor dental practise but no other options unless you can pay to be seen privately.
Fight on. 🌺

The general dental council is there to protect patients . A complaint to them will instigate a series of investigations which are incredibly stressful and have resulted in many dentists committing suicide . Investigations can take years to complete . They can affect a dentists ability to keep or find a job , earn a living or continue in their career.

All totally pointless because in England and Wales there is no such thing as registration. You are only entitled to NHS treatment whilst you are under a course of treatment. Once that has finished the dentist has no obligation to see you as a NHS patient ever again. Although most will try to see regular patients if they have no capacity ie no contract money left for that year they will not even be able to see regular patients .

Most dentists will refuse to see people who miss or cancel appointments as they lose money on the NHS that cannot be recouped. However most if you write in and explain extenuating circumstances will be reasonable in seeing you again.

Please think twice before reporting to the GDC , is it a complaint that is serious enough to destroy someone’s career and life? Or is going through the practices own complaints system a much more proportionate response and more likely to be sucessful?

Oh no 😟 I am hoping that for your sake this is just some automated message and that you’re kept on their NHS list .
We weren’t able to get an NHS dentist and are all private now .
We joined their basic plan and the monthly cost isn’t bad at all plus that’s you covered for 2 check ups and 2 hygienist appointments at no extra cost plus X-rays included.
worked out we actually saved £ being on their plan once we added up the costs

Hopefully this is their stock response and it will be fairly straightforward to rebook your appointment.

Did you also try to email them beforehand? Even if they didn’t respond at the time it’s helpful evidence.

You may not have anyone to do it on your behalf, but if possible often helpful in these scenarios if someone can go in person to cancel/rebook.

They don’t seem great if they never answer the phone and are quick to strike you off, even if as we know there is a high demand for NHS dentists.

Hope you feel better.

Fewer than one in four (24% )of people were happy with the health service in 2023, down 5 percentage points on the previous year alone. It is the lowest level since records began in 1983.
According to latest findings from the British social attitude survey, the study of 3,374 people in England, Wales and Scotland is seen as the gold standard test of how people feel about the NHS. It reveals that more than half (52%) are now dissatisfied with the NHS, the highest proportion since the survey began.

I was thrown off my (very good) dentist's Nhs list after being on it for 25 years. The only reason being change of policy. I'd dodged various bullets eg, having not kept up with 6 monthly checks (this one got my partner) but finally they did a blanket ban of everyone not on benefits or kids. I was gutted. Obviously we are still patients, just private ones. Same service.

I'm NHS and for their private patients they charge £33 a month, inc 2 check ups and 1 hygienist a year, though unless it's somehow better service I will look elsewhere when I go private as it's not a great place. It's too much for me at the moment unfortunately. I don't mind so much if they cancel my appointment as they've "met their NHS quota" but my kids had appointments cancelled twice and didn't see a dentist for over a year. Having to get kids seen privately isn't something I thought would have to be done, I'd rather give up my space so they could be seen.

Some people have no concept of real life issues.

My dentist took me off the list because I didn’t go for a 6 month check up. In all the time I’d been registered there I’d only ever gone once a year as I have no problem with my teeth, and they’d never said anything. NHS guidance is for appointments every two years I think if there are no issues. So I was quite surprised to suddenly be sanctioned for it! I tried to find out if it’s possible to appeal but basically they can do what they want. My dentist has a chain and is doing very well from it. He has no interest in nhs patients and I’m sure is taking any excuse he can to get rid of us. When I challenged them they told me they could offer me a private appointment. I said no thanks!

I’m surprised all those police didn’t put you in handcuffs when you blew up. Are you blaming the refugees, your Labour MP, or “the rest of them”? Put your anger aside and sort out your teeth.

Where’s this from?

The daily mail” Up to £12million could be spent to ensure detained immigrants continue getting free dental care and GP appointments at one detainee centre.Up to £12million could be spent to ensure detained immigrants continue getting free dental care and GP appointments at one detainee centre.
MailOnline can reveal that NHS bosses need new providers to take over the 24-hour services at Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre (

Because she was being rushed to hospital for suspected stroke and then because she had tested positive for Covid.
OP wasn’t living the good life and thought fuck it

The dentist I work with (well me 😁 because I make a lot of the decisions because we’ve worked together for 37 years) would definitely NOT remove a patient from the list in these circumstances!!