Many people forget to re-book their routine dental appointments and before they know it, it’s been 2 years since you last attended and you are no longer considered a current patient at our dental practice. It is vital to your oral health and overall wellbeing that you visit the dentist regularly for a routine examination (3-12 months depending on patient’s needs) and we would urge you to make an appointment at your earliest convenience. Research has found that patients who visit the dentist regularly are more likely to enjoy:
• fewer fillings because problems are caught early
• less dental decay due to regular examinations
• a decreased chance of experiencing toothache
• more attractive teeth, stronger gums and fresher breath
At Thorpe Lea Dental we care about your dental wellbeing. We always look to pre-book routine appointments, send SMS, Email and Letter reminders and recalls to patients who have appointments or that need to schedule them.
You do not have to register with a dentist in the same way as with a GP to receive NHS treatment as you used to. If you are not undergoing a course of treatment you are not considered by the NHS to be a patient of any particular practice therefore you might find that you have been archived from our current records if you have not attended recently.
If you know you are not able to attend an appointment at Thorpe Lea then please give as much notice as possible to the practice so we can cancel your appointment and offer this to another patient.
While surgeries can't charge you for not turning up, NHS England has the right to ask you to find another dental practice if you continue to miss appointments. At Thorpe Lea if you miss one or more appointments you will be removed from our NHS patient list. You can contact 111 or other local dental practices to see if they are able to see you on an NHS basis.
To book your next routine appointment please contact us at Thorpe Lea Dental 01784 454 899 or reception@thorpeleadental.com
Dental mythbusters
I am a pensioner/student I don't have to pay for dental treatment. FALSE, only patients with valid proof of current exemptions do not have to pay for dental treatment. This is why at every new course of treatment, ie examination we ask you to complete a new form at reception. the responsibility lies with you, "the patient" to let us know your status before you see a dentist. You can find out more information about exemptions on the NHS website https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-dental-costs/free-nhs-dental-treatmentAlways brush your teeth before breakfast. TRUE,
Always before, particularly if you are drinking juice, which contains acids. Foods containing citric acid, like oranges and grapefruits, weaken tooth enamel. Brushing too soon after eating them can damage the enamel further in its weakened state.
In fact, you should brush your teeth as soon as you wake. If you do, you will brush away plaque bacteria that has developed during the night which could be fed by sugar or acid in food, causing further softening of the enamel.
Young children don’t need to see a dentist. FALSE - More than half of children under the age of four – almost 58% – didn’t see an NHS dentist last year, according to figures from the Royal College of Surgeons. Children should start seeing a dentist as soon as they have teeth.
Milk teeth don’t matter – they fall out anyway. FALSE - “This couldn’t be further from the truth,” says Dr Okoye. “Your milk teeth act as a guide for your adult teeth to grow through in the right place. If you lose your milk teeth early due to factors such as tooth decay, the adult teeth coming through can go ‘rogue’ and start emerging in the wrong places, for example in the palate.”
Once I register with you I am always registered and can come back any time. FALSE - There is no need to register with a dentist in the same way as with a GP because you are not bound to a catchment area. If you do not come back after our recommended period we will assume you no longer require our services and archive you. More information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/dentists/how-to-find-an-nhs-dentist/
My dental practice don’t need to know about my medical history- I gave it to them when I joined the practice 20+ years ago. FALSE - you will be asked to complete an up to date medical history every 6 months, to ensure any medical changes are captured and your dentist can treat you safely. Every patient’s individual circumstances change, we aren’t able to guess who has had a medical change and who hasn’t.
If I’m an NHS patient I can’t have private treatment. FALSE - You will be given every option at your dental appointment, including private and NHS.
