NHS England commissions primary care services, for example GPs, dentists and opticians. Although, for GPs (primary medical services) this is devolved to most CCGs through primary care co-commissioning.
NHS England also directly commissions ‘specialised’ services (such as treatments for rare conditions and secure mental health care), military and veteran health services and health services for people in prisons (including youth offender institutions). Some public health services are also directly commissioned by NHS England.
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126 responses from the local community
looking for a dentist but not taking patients
1
Submitted by Anonymous12th April 2021
I found your website through NHS website. I am looking for a dentist but all the ones around that I have contacted are not taking patients at the moment.
I live in Lowestoft, happy to travel a bit if needed. Alternatively, are there any dentists which you don’t have to register with that will do routine appointments?
Several weeks ago I began suffering from toothache at work which was progressively getting worse as the day went on. It was 4pm so I took some painkillers and went to bed with a plan to call a local dentist in the morning if the tooth had not improved. Got up early and began calling dentists in Great Yarmouth only to be told that they no longer accept NHS patients even in an emergency!!
The next day and in considerable pain I began calling dentists a little further from home still no luck nobody was willing to see me.. 111 gave me two numbers to call neither of which could see me anytime soon. Eventually a family member came to visit and after seeing how much distress I was in (and how many painkillers I was taking!) took me to A+E and finally after 3 days of suffering I was given an extraction and was advised to register with a regular dentist to deal with other less immediate issues with my teeth. The whole experience left me feeling unheard, frightened and vulnerable. I will add that all surgeries I contacted offered to see me immediately if I had the cash to go private!?
Two days ago I began feeling a familiar twinge in another tooth and a look with a mirror confirmed that another of my teeth has a cavity. Again every dentist in my local area is refusing my request for an appointment stating that its not an emergency yet!! I understand that and didn’t expect a same day appointment but I find it horrifying that general advice is simply to leave the tooth in its current state until it becomes unbearable and then rush down to A+E for an emergency extraction! With a dental appointment this tooth could be saved and it causes me incredible anxiety to think my only option is to wait for the worst case scenario to occur before I’ll be seen! What do they expect me to do??, toothache is bad enough without the added fear that there isn’t any help available.
I’m so shocked that this issue hasn’t seen more attention as I’m guessing it isn’t just Norfolk having these issues. If I had a broken arm or nose or bladder infection etc I could make a simple stress free call and expect to be seen within a couple of days at most... Why is having my painful dental issues dealt with been treated as though its a luxury cosmetic treatment instead of a vital medical treatment that could result in further deterioration if left unchecked? Its an inhumane and cruel way of dealing with people. Fifth biggest economy in the world yet only the wealthy are able to access vital dental services.
All I want is to be able to access timely, urgent and routine dental care without the fear of being turned away because I’m an NHS patient and don’t have the funds to afford to go private. Is that really too much to ask?
Do you have any advice on this issue? The dentists listed on your page as having NHS places have all stated that they are not taking on NHS patients for routine or emergency treatment either now or in the future, not even a waiting list was offered!
I live in Loddon in Norfolk and am originally from Northern Ireland. I moved to Norfolk around three years ago and have struggled ever since to register NHS with a dentist. I’ve complained to the NHS and been given no decent response and the local MP has also been of no help.
How do I get a Appointment with The Dental Design Studio in King's Lynn ? *** I don’t have transport money to hp anywhere else on my Pension ! ! ! *** I need a Dentist Appointment right now in King’s Lynn West Norfolk Borough ! ! ! ! !
I am a current UEA student who is struggling to find dentists within Norwich which are willing to take new NHS patients. I have contacted almost all dentists which I can reasonably reach via walking or bus, yet they are either only taking private patients or no new patients what so ever. As a student struggling financially as it is, I cannot afford private care. I have a HC2 certificate which is valid till September but this only allows me to get free NHS care. Additionally, I worry whether I will be seen before this expires, as well as, before my dental issue becomes worse.
I'm trying to find, and have been for 3 years, an NHS dentist in Norfolk. I moved to Poringland from Lowestoft 3 years ago and while finding one dentist over a year ago, I did not like them and so did not return. I am a single mum with 2 kids and cant afford to go private, even check ups for kids are too expensive. I believe I need to see a dentist, although not urgent and my kids have not seen a dentist for over a year.
I read the report on your website about there being issues with NHS dentists in Norfolk for years and I'm sure in the current situation it is even worse to get an appointment.
I have contacted many denists in and around Norwich, even Beccles but they either aren't taking any NHS patients, have no wait list or the waiting list is so long we would be looking at next year.
Many also don't update their websites so you get excited when you see accepting new patients only to be disappointed when you ring and they tell you they are not.
Is there not a website that gives up to date information rather than letting people phone around all the dentists? Surely there should be and dentists should have to update this information!
I am enquiring if any dental practices near NR15 are accepting new NHS Patients? My daughter and her family (2 toddlers) have moved to the area but have yet to find a dental practice that will accept new patients within a reasonable distance. Please can you advise where they can get dental care on the NHS. Looking at your website this seems to be an increasing problem. What steps are being taken to remedy this?
it is becoming increasingly more concerning trying to get access to an NHS dentist there are a lot of people out there who cannot afford private care and people who are Older or vulnerable who are unable to use the internet to try and find one .Although we are ok with using the internet trying to locate a dentist was fruitless and we contacted dentists as far away as Ely .111 was helpful but also unable to secure any NHS appointment, it seems there is no problem accessing a private appointment only NHS
My wife had antibiotics from GP for an abscess and was told she needed treatment quickly. Managed to get an emergency appointment for next Wednesday (a week away), but surgery have already said it would just be that one appt and they wouldn't be able to offer anything ongoing. Also tried 111 and was told "we have no control over dentists". It's also frustrating that there were appointments available at dentists, just not for non-registered patients.
I have tried several dentist and none are taking on NHS patients. It's also not fair that they are offering private treatment but not giving any indication of cost