Did you know that in order to keep your NHS dental registration at our practice you need to attend regularly?

Many of our patients forget to make regular visits to see their dentist. And then, before they realise, it’s been nearly two years!

Due to the high number of people wishing to receive NHS dental treatment and the very long waiting lists, we have no choice but to de-active patients who have not attended for two years or more.

In our practice, we try to remind our patients when they are due for their dental examinations via text message and email. However, we often find that many of our communications get returned as patients do not update their details with us. Therefore, we expect you to check and update the correct contact details for yourselves on our system.

What to do to keep your registration?

Always attend any appointment booked, or cancel the appointment more than 24 hours in advance.
Make sure you book your next dental examination before you leave the practice. Whether it’s three, six, nine or even twelve months in advance, our reception teams will help you make your next appointment, and send you reminders nearer the time as well. Please note, it is a complimentary service and it is ultimately the patients’ responsibility to ensure that they remember their appointments and also that we hold correct and current contact details for them.

Check and update your contact details

Be sure they are correct, especially your email address and mobile phone, if you have one. If we can keep in touch with you, then we can help you keep on track so you don’t miss your appointment.

If you have not booked an appointment, please contact us to make an appointment at your earliest convenience.

Use it! Don’t lose it!

Once you have been de-activated, you are no longer able to receive NHS treatment at our practice. If you want to receive NHS treatment again, you will need to contact the NHS and join the waiting list. As NHS waiting lists are long, it may be some time before you can join another practice, therefore we highly recommend you to look after your NHS appointments at our practice.

Remember

Our recommendation is that you protect your active NHS status by attending your appointments, and booking your next appointment before you leave the practice.

Check list for staying on the NHS active patients list:

• Attend all your appointments or cancel well in advance.
• Always book your next appointment before you leave the surgery.
• Make sure your contact details are up to date with us (mobile and email). We don’t sent recalls via letter anymore.
• Make sure you visit your dentist regularly (and don’t leave it for longer than two years!)

PLEASE NOTE – If you have been removed from our active patients for a reason that is seen to be exceptional (examples include: aggressive behaviour to the team, bad debts, not turning up to booked appointments) then you will not be placed back onto our Active Patient lists.