NHS Dental Care
Information about NHS eligibility, registration and our practice policies.
Since the introduction of the current dental contract in 2006, formal "NHS registration" no longer exists. While patients can register with a dental practice, this does not automatically guarantee an entitlement to NHS care, which is ultimately provided at the discretion of the dental practice.
At Park‑Vue Dental Practice, we understand that patients want certainty and assurance regarding their dental treatment, alongside clarity regarding costs. To support this, we offer NHS care to patients for up to three years from the date of their last dental examination. This timeframe allows us to follow the NHS NICE guidance on recall intervals, which states that no more than two years should elapse between routine examinations, while we provide an additional one-year grace period for patients to return to us.
This three-year policy ensures we maintain a sustainable practice model. It allows us to offer continuous, reliable NHS care to patients who attend regularly, without creating a situation where care must be suddenly withdrawn due to shortfalls in NHS funding.
Each year, the NHS funding allocated to dentistry is tied to strict activity targets that we must achieve to secure ongoing funding. Failure to meet these targets can result in financial clawbacks or a withdrawal of funding. Furthermore, we are required to distribute our dental care evenly throughout the year to maintain a steady flow of patients. Because NHS funding is strictly limited, we must prioritise our care for patients who attend regularly.
When you join us, it is important to note that registering your details with the practice is not a formal NHS enrollment; instead, we provide an initial assessment and plan your care from there. Registration at the practice without a completed NHS dental examination does not entitle you to NHS care, which is why we highly recommend booking your initial assessment as soon as possible after registering. On occasion, we may offer an NHS emergency appointment to non-regular patients, but this does not constitute acceptance for ongoing, routine NHS care.
We accept new NHS patients depending on our current capacity. Because funding and appointments are limited, we may operate a waiting list at certain times of the year. If we are at full capacity, new patient intake will be subject to each individual dentist's waiting list.
We aim to send regular reminders for dental examinations via emails and text messages. However, we cannot guarantee the receipt of these reminders if your contact information is missing or out of date. Ultimately, it remains the responsibility of each patient to ensure they book and attend an appointment within the three-year window to maintain their access to NHS dental care at our practice.
NHS Dental Fees
Charges in England are capped into three flat-rate bands:
- Band 1: £27.90 – Covers examinations, diagnoses, X-rays, scale and polish (local clinically necessary), and preventive advice.
- Band 2: £76.60 – Includes everything in Band 1, plus additional treatments like fillings, root canal work, and tooth extractions.
- Band 3: £332.10 – Includes everything in Bands 1 and 2, plus complex restorative procedures such as crowns, dentures, and bridges.
- Urgent/Unscheduled Care: £27.90 – Covers emergency appointments for severe pain or initial treatment to stop deterioration.