At St Paul's Dental Practice we provide NHS services for the Devon NHS commissioning board. Our contract with the commissioning board is for a defined amount of dental activity (treatment).
We take pride in our NHS service that is second to none, with the comprehensive treatment choices available to our NHS patients, the quality of care we provide and the exceptionally high standards we deliver.
Our ability to take on new NHS patients is limited due to this pre-determined contract size and our current caseload. However, should places become available we would in the first instance try to accommodate family members of current patients.
NHS dental treatment includes all treatment necessary to secure and maintain your oral health. Including access to the Hygienist as part of your NHS course of treatment, should it be required.
Information detailing the pricing structure for NHS treatment is clearly displayed in our waiting room.
We have access via the NHS commissioning board to an interpretation service for patients whose first language is not English.
In providing NHS dental services, we adhere to the NHS codes of conduct and take responsibility for:
We follow guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) when deciding how frequently an individual should attend to see their dentist/hygienist (their recall requirements).
If you require an appointment for routine care, we will arrange this at the earliest opportunity at a convenient time.
If you are an NHS patient and need urgent treatment, contact the practice as soon as possible. All urgent or emergency cases will be seen within 24 hrs or referred onwards.
If you are an NHS patient and need urgent treatment outside normal opening hours, contact Devon NHS message handling service on: 03330 063 300. Alternatively if you phone the practice, a recorded message will instruct you further.
If you do not have a regular Dentist, you can always get urgent care or be treated out of hours if clinically necessary. For advice call NHS 111 by dialling 111 for free from any landline or mobile or contact NHS England on 0300 311 2233.
You may be exempt from paying for NHS treatment if you fall under one of the following categories:
You also do not have to pay if, when your treatment starts, or when you are asked to pay you are included in an award of:
You will not be exempt from paying if you receive incapacity benefit, contribution-based employment and support allowance, contribution-based jobseeker's allowance, disability living allowance, council tax benefit, housing benefit or pension credit savings credit, when paid on their own. Medical conditions do not exempt patients from payment for dental treatment.
You will be asked to show your Dentist written proof that you do not have to pay for all or part of your NHS treatment. You will also be asked to sign a form to confirm that you do not have to pay. If your name is on a valid HC3 certificate, you may not have to pay for all your treatment.
Checks are made on free and reduced cost treatment claims. If you say you have the right to free treatment when you do not, you may incur a penalty charge.
If you are eligible to receive help with health costs, you will need to complete the necessary forms, which are available from jobcentre plus offices or most NHS hospitals.
To apply for a full-help HC2 certificate, you should complete form HC1 (You can get an HC1 form by calling 0845 610 1112). A limited-help HC3 certificate shows how much you have to pay towards your health costs.
If you pay for your NHS treatment, the charge you pay depends on the level of treatment you require, categorised into Band 1; Band 2 and Band 3.
The NHS determines the fee for each Band of treatment and may increase charges on 1st of April each year. Current charges are displayed in the waiting area.
Band 1 covers an examination, diagnosis (e.g. x-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a Scale and Polish if needed and application of fluoride varnish or Fissure Sealants or if you require urgent care.
Band 2 covers everything listed in Band 1, plus any further treatment such as Fillings, Root Canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth.
Band 3 covers everything listed in Band 1 and 2, plus Crowns, Dentures or Bridges.
You do not have to pay a dental charge:
For further information on NHS dental services and dental charges, see the dental services section of the NHS website (www.nhs.uk).
For advice on help with health costs, call 0300 330 1343, or go to the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/healthcosts
If you have concerns regarding your care at St. Paul’s Dental Practice and wish to raise a complaint, we would ask you to direct this to us as your healthcare provider.
If you wish to make a complaint about NHS Primary Care Services in Devon, you need to contact NHS Devon’s patient experience team on:
www.onedevon.org.uk/contact-us/patient-advice-and-complaints/
Please email us at info@stpaulsdentalpractice.co.uk or use the online form below.
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