NHS Community dentists

[Orangesandlemons77]

I thought this might help someone- I didn't realise there are some NHS dental clinics set up for people who find it difficult to visit the dentist eg with health problems or housebound.
Thi is in the Bristol area but might be others around, I think there is a link to other areas through this website.
www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/your-hospitals/university-of-bristol-dental-hospital/what-we-do/primary-care-dental-service-(pcds)/what-we-do/

@Orangesandlemons77 thank you for sharing - good to know this is worth looking for.

We don’t have a community service as far as I can tell (although I live in a neighbouring area but different council and NHS trust to our father) we did get referred to a specialist dental clinic that seems used to working around physical and mental differences.

My elderly relative refuses to pay for a private dentist so thought they might need this at some point

The specialist clinic is NHS @Orangesandlemons77 - they just work with referred patients and were so good with our father. But a visiting service sounds like the future!

Unfortunately you have to be referred to a community or specialist clinic. They are there to treat people who cannot be treated in a normal surgery ie physical or other challenges. Not willing to pay private charges is not a referral criteria and will be refused.

Visiting service (domicillary) is actually the past. All dentists provided it pre 2006 new contract. After this it became the responsibility of contracting services . In my area no domicillary service was set up . Many others have some home visits but massive waiting lists (2 to 5 years). The treatment provided is somewhat limited and for those community services that provide home visits it tends to be a one off to deal with a problem, not an on going check up etc service.

Unfortunately the hoops you now have to jump through to,provide the service means that few private dentists provided it the service and those that do have to charge accordingly , and the treatment that can be provided is somewhat limited by the equipment needed.

The person also has physical or other challenges so might well qualify but I get what you are a saying, I'm trying to get them in at our dentist and on a dental plan but with no luck so far.

The problem is also waiting lists . In our area 2 years plus and they will only do one course of treatment for a problem and then discharge you . There is no on going care .
I would urge anyone as they age to get dentally fit and get rid of problematic teeth early, because ongoing care for the elderly is very,very,very lacking and if they can no longer get to a practice in many parts of the country there is no dental care at all.