NHS Dental Care & Attendance Policy
At Woodbury Park Dental Practice, we are committed to providing high-quality care to all our patients. NHS dental services operate differently from other NHS services (such as GP practices), and we understand this can sometimes be confusing. This document explains how NHS dental care works and what we ask of our patients to help us provide fair and effective access to treatment.
How NHS Dental Care Works
Unlike GP services, patients are not formally registered with an NHS dental practice.
NHS dental care is provided on a course-of-treatment basis:
- Once a course of treatment is completed, there is no automatic entitlement to future NHS care at the same practice
- Patients must contact the practice when they require care, or attend their recommended recall appointments
NHS dental practices are funded to provide a set amount of NHS treatment, measured in Units of Dental Activity (UDAs). This means NHS appointments are capacity-limited, and we must allocate them carefully to patients who are actively attending and in need of care.
Importance of Regular Attendance
Your dentist will recommend a recall interval based on your individual oral health needs, in line with NICE guidelines. This interval is personalised — it is not automatically six months, and may be shorter or longer depending on your oral health.
It is the responsibility of the patient (or parent, carer, or guardian) to:
- Book recall appointments when due
- Attend scheduled appointments
- Rearrange appointments with sufficient notice if needed
Regular attendance is essential to:
- Maintain good oral health
- Allow early identification of problems
- Retain access to NHS care at the practice
Our Two-year Attendance Policy
We operate a two-year attendance policy for our patients.
If a patient has not attended for two years or more, this is considered a significant gap in care. At this point:
- NHS status will be removed
- We will always try to support patients back into NHS care where we can. If you have lost your NHS status;
- you may be added to our NHS waiting list,
- or offered an NHS appointment directly should capacity allow
- you can find information on how to locate an NHS dentist in your area by visiting NHS.uk/find-a-dentist
If neither of these options is available or suitable, we are still happy to see you as a new private patient, as either an emergency or routine appointment depending on your needs.
This policy is not a requirement of the NHS contract, but a gesture of goodwill to support continuity of care for our patients where possible.
Missed Appointments & Short-Notice Cancellations
To ensure fair access to NHS care, the following will result in withdrawal of NHS status:
- Failure to attend (FTA) appointments – particularly two or more in close succession
- Repeated short-notice cancellations – particularly two or more in close succession
This allows us to offer appointments to patients in clinical need, patients actively seeking care, and patients on our NHS waiting list.
Responsibility for Maintaining NHS Access
It is important to understand:
- There is no formal NHS dental registration system
- It is the patient’s responsibility to maintain their access to NHS care through attendance
The practice is not responsible for:
- Reminding patients indefinitely
- Holding NHS places open without attendance
- Notifying patients if NHS status is withdrawn due to non-attendance
Referrals to Other Services
Being referred to another dental service — such as orthodontics, oral surgery, or a specialist clinic — does not affect your obligation to continue attending this practice for your routine general dental care.
Unless you have been explicitly advised otherwise by both the referring clinician at this practice and the referral centre, you should continue to attend your regular recall appointments here as normal. Failure to do so may result in loss of NHS status at this practice, in accordance with the attendance policy above.
We strongly encourage patients, parents, carers, and guardians to keep track of recall recommendations and book appointments accordingly.
Nhs Dentistry vs GP Services – Key Differences
NHS dental services operate very differently from GP services:
|
GP Services |
NHS Dental Services |
| Registration |
Patients are registered with a specific practice |
Patients are not registered with a practice |
| Funding |
Based on local population (postcode allocation) |
Based on a fixed contract (UDAs) |
| Patient List |
Practices must maintain a patient list |
Practices are not required to maintain a permanent patient list |
| Access |
Guaranteed once registered |
Depends on availability and attendance |
This difference is why ongoing access to NHS dental care cannot be guaranteed in the same way as GP services.
Our Commitment
We aim to:
- Provide fair access to NHS care within the limits of our contract
- Support patients, including those with dental anxiety
- Use our capacity responsibly to help as many patients as possible
By attending regularly and keeping appointments, you help us maintain your oral health, offer NHS care to those who need it most, and fulfil our obligations under the NHS contract.
Need Help?
If you have concerns about attendance, anxiety, or booking appointments, please contact our team. We are always happy to help and discuss how we can support your dental care.
Tel: 018925222897
Email: info@woodburyparkdentalsurgery.com
