When you have been accepted as an NHS patient, your friendly receptionist will ask you for some information:

She will need your name, address and a medical history form

You will be asked to sign a form to register with the practice

Arrange for you to have a dental check-up

Give you a practice information leaflet:
– this will tell you about the practice and the services we have to offer

You can ask to register the whole family at the same time.

Children should be registered about six months old or as soon as their first tooth appears.

You will be given a suitable appointment for a dental check-up.

During the check-up, your friendly dentist will:

ask about any health problems and medication you are taking

examine your mouth, teeth and gums, x-rays may be taken

tell you how to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy, and

tell you if you need treatment.

If you need treatment, your friendly dentist will:

explain your options, including what treatments can be done on the NHS

let you know how much the treatment may cost and give you a printed estimate

give you a treatment plan setting out the treatment you need (see below for more information on treatment plans), and

arrange for you to come back for more treatment.

When you have registered with the practice, you can stay with the practice for as long as you wish. However, your friendly dentist may decide to end your registration, for example if you miss your appointments.

As a registered NHS patient, you can get all the care, advice and treatment you need to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy.

If you want any cosmetic work, you will need to pay for it privately. Some treatments are not available under the NHS, for example:

teeth whitening

white fillings in back teeth

white crowns on back teeth

dental implants and facial treatments

Most dentists who provide NHS treatment also offer private treatment. If you choose to get private treatment, your friendly dentist will:

tell you how much any private treatment will cost

explain your treatment options and give you an estimate of the cost

All adults over the age of 18 have to pay. In Scotland, NHS charges are set by the Scottish Government.

If you pay for treatment your friendly dentist will give you an estimate of the cost before treatment begins

Some adults may be entitled to free dental treatment.

NHS treatment is free if you receive any of the following:

have had a baby in the last 12 months, or are pregnant

get income support, Pension credit, income-based job seekers allowance, tax credits or have a current HC2/3 form.

You must tell your friendly dental team if don’t pay NHS charges or if you get help to pay them.

You will be asked to show proof of this. Please bring the relevant documents with you at your first appointment to prove your exemption.

Yes. Your friendly dentist can decide to stop providing NHS treatment.

You will normally be told about this at least three months in advance.

Your friendly dentist must first do their best to complete any care and treatment you need.

Yes you can change your dentist.

Yes. You may still be able to receive occasional treatment under the NHS if you are not registered with a dentist. But you will need to find a dentist who agrees to give you occasional treatment.

If you visit a dentist as an occasional patient, you will not be able to receive the full range of NHS dental treatments and may be charged private.

If you are registered with a dentist:

during opening hours, contact your practice as early in the day as possible and we will try our best to fit you in

outside opening hours, call the practice and an answer-phone message will let you know how to get advice.

Your friendly dentist will:after you have registered your dentist will provide any NHS dental treatment you need to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthyexplain your treatment options and let you know what treatment can be done under the NHSgive you a printed estimate of the treatment cost and get you to sign a copylet you know about any changes to your treatmentY

ask you to become a private patient as a condition of giving your child NHS treatment

ask you to pay for a private check-up before they will accept you as an NHS patient

try to persuade you to have private treatment rather than NHS treatment

tell you that the treatment you need is not available under the NHS, if it is

ask you to pay a deposit before a check-up, whether this will be refunded to you or not, or

charge for treatment without first examining you.

You should:

attend all your dental appointments

give the practice 24-48 hours notice if you can not attend your appointment – failure to do so may result in a charge

let your dental practice know when any of your personal information changes

pay for your treatment at each visit

treat dental staff with respect, if you are abusive, violent or threaten a member of staff or another patient at your dental practice, your dentist can refuse to treat you and can end your registration immediately

follow advice on how to look after your mouth, teeth and gums

follow advice on how to look after your child’s mouth, teeth and gums

let your dentist know about any changes to your general health or to any medication

ask if you don’t understand something

If you are unhappy with your dental care, speak to your dentist or a member of staff at the practice

If you are still unhappy, you can make a complaint. The complaints procedure should be displayed in the practice