Becoming an NHS patient depends largely on the NHS capacity at your dental practice and whether they have space to take you on. Many open their books to new NHS registrations a couple of times a year, and once those spaces are filled, patients have to join and pay privately until NHS registrations open again.
At Sharrow Dental, our mission is to make dentistry and dental support as accessible as possible, with our books always open to new patients. But what does it mean to become an NHS patient, and does this service cover all types of treatment?
What Dental Treatments Does the NHS Cover?
The first thing to understand about NHS dental cover is that it part-funds treatments. Dental treatments are grouped into bands under the NHS, with patients covering a nominal fee across each band, and NHS funding covering the rest.
These range from Band 1 check-up and examination services to fillings and root canal care in Band 2, and more complex dentistry, including dentures and crowns in Band 3. Urgent dental care is also covered as required, with a nominal fee towards emergency care.
And of course, there are plenty of treatments that aren’t covered under NHS funding, which is where cosmetic dentistry sits. Treatments like teeth whitening, composite bonding, and even some orthodontic work, like Invisalign, are all paid treatments that must be funded outside of the NHS.
What Treatments Fall Under Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry across Chelmsford and beyond refers to any treatment or service that deals largely with the look of the teeth rather than their core function. These treatments include veneers, crowns and bridges, composite bonding, and complete smile makeovers, generally anything that is selected by patients because it will improve the look of their smile and boost their confidence. This includes teeth whitening and some aesthetic-based aligning treatments like Invisalign, which break from the traditional methods, in favour of more appearance-enhancing features. While orthodontic treatment, which is deemed necessary by a dentist, is covered in part under the NHS, options like Invisalign often have to be funded privately.
All of these treatments are cosmetic and so need to be paid for in full, regardless of whether you are a listed NHS patient or not.
How To Become an NHS Patient?
Even if you are planning on booking a cosmetic treatment (that you now know you’ll need to pay for without NHS funding), it’s still well worth looking into becoming an NHS patient for other examinations and treatments.
At Sharrow Dental, all you need to do is get in touch with us directly to discuss registering as an NHS patient. You will be invited to an initial assessment and check-up, and will then need to meet several criteria, including scheduling regular check-ups with your dentist to remain eligible for NHS treatment.
Get in touch via our website today.
