There are many reasons why you may feel unable to access your dentist or a dentist to attend to your dental needs but really there should be none. The following are the most common reasons we see and how we have found patients have dealt with them:
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Disabilities and the dentist
your options:
1. Don't go to the dentist (not an option) - why use this option when the others are so easy
2. Find a way to get to the dentist (they're your teeth) - A lot of dental practices are wheelchair accessible whether they be ground floor surgeries with wide doors or upstairs surgeries with operating lifts. If your practice does not have these facilities and does not offer home visits then if you are a wheelchair user it may be wise to find a new dentist as the obstructions to you accessing your dentist may be enough to stop you from being seen!
Your local health service/PCT may offer free transport to and from your practice; you will be able to obtain more information on this by contacting your practice. If you are a private patient your practice might have an arrangement with a taxi firm to get you to and from the practice although there will often be a charge for this service
3. Have the dentist come to you - in the UK, some NHS dentists get paid for domicillary home visits (although certain dentists have contracts for this, others do not) Private dentists sometimes also do home visits but there will be a fee; Generally treatments are limited to simple extractions, dentures, check ups and prescriptions
4. alternatively if you are hospital bound or in a care home there are often dentists that work in the hospitals or do regular visits to the homes in your area to ensure your quality of life as a result of your teeth and eating habits are maintained.
1. Don't go to the dentist (not an option) - why use this option when the others are so easy
2. Find a way to get to the dentist (they're your teeth) - A lot of dental practices are wheelchair accessible whether they be ground floor surgeries with wide doors or upstairs surgeries with operating lifts. If your practice does not have these facilities and does not offer home visits then if you are a wheelchair user it may be wise to find a new dentist as the obstructions to you accessing your dentist may be enough to stop you from being seen!
Your local health service/PCT may offer free transport to and from your practice; you will be able to obtain more information on this by contacting your practice. If you are a private patient your practice might have an arrangement with a taxi firm to get you to and from the practice although there will often be a charge for this service
3. Have the dentist come to you - in the UK, some NHS dentists get paid for domicillary home visits (although certain dentists have contracts for this, others do not) Private dentists sometimes also do home visits but there will be a fee; Generally treatments are limited to simple extractions, dentures, check ups and prescriptions
4. alternatively if you are hospital bound or in a care home there are often dentists that work in the hospitals or do regular visits to the homes in your area to ensure your quality of life as a result of your teeth and eating habits are maintained.
Struggle taking children out of school or to dentist in working hours
your options:
1. Many dentists open late, early or on saturdays and will give preference to private patients and patients that really cannot make appointments during normal working hours. If yours does not and you do not have another choice research and find a dentist that does
2. Schedule childrens dental appointments in the school holidays and book exam appointments 6 months or a year in advance to ensure you maintain your childrens dental care without having to take them out of school
1. Many dentists open late, early or on saturdays and will give preference to private patients and patients that really cannot make appointments during normal working hours. If yours does not and you do not have another choice research and find a dentist that does
2. Schedule childrens dental appointments in the school holidays and book exam appointments 6 months or a year in advance to ensure you maintain your childrens dental care without having to take them out of school
Can't get to dentist yourself as a result of looking after children or babies
1. If you cannot get someone to watch your kids then bring them along, you could maybe have a family appointment where your dentist sees you all together
2. If this family appointment is not an option then often schools may have dentists or dental professionals come and visit, this should really be happening more often and on a national scale so if it is not happening in your children's schools ask them why not!?
2. If this family appointment is not an option then often schools may have dentists or dental professionals come and visit, this should really be happening more often and on a national scale so if it is not happening in your children's schools ask them why not!?
- Can't get registered with a dentist and so cannot access dental treatment
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1. There are many private dental practices around and most probably in your area, just have a search online and they do not have to be as expensive as some people might think what with payment plans and membership plans 2. Call NHS direct with these contact details to find NHS dentists taking on NHS patients in your area |
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