Our Services: Dental Services

Welcome to the NHS Western Isles Dental Services Website.

Dental reform from November 1:  

NHS Western Isles is raising awareness of dental reform, which has been introduced by the Scottish Government in a continued effort to support the oral health needs of every patient in Scotland.  

This is one of the most significant changes made to NHS dentistry in Scotland, developed and implemented by the Scottish Government, to provide a greater focus on preventative based dental care.  

Whilst we welcome the drive towards preventative dentistry, it’s important that the public is aware of the key changes: 

• Routine dental check-ups will change from every six months to every 12 months. However, dentists can tailor recalls based on patients’ individual oral health needs. 
• There will be an increase in costs for those who pay for their treatment. These fees are set nationally, not by individual Health Boards. 
• The maximum amount that will be charged to an individual per treatment plan will remain capped at £384 or 80% of costs. 
• Historic ‘scale and polish’ treatments will not be a default routine treatment, and hygiene plans will be tailored to each patient depending on their clinical need. 
• Some treatments which were previously free of charge may now carry an associated fee, for example, a denture repair is now £50.88 unless you are exempt. 

If your treatment plan started prior to November 1, your active plan will be unaffected by the changes. 

We appreciate that increased costs may be challenging for some patients, and should you require further information as to whether you are eligible for subsidised dental care, please visit the Scottish Government website, where you can check your eligibility or ask a staff member for assistant: https://www.gov.uk/help-nhs-costs 

For further information regarding the new fees please visit the NHS Inform website: https://nhsinform.scot/dentist#dental-treatment-costs 

We appreciate that increased costs may be challenging for some patients, and should you require further information as to whether you are eligible for subsidised dental care, please visit the Scottish Government website, where you can check your eligibility or ask a staff member for assistant: https://www.gov.uk/help-nhs-costs 

For further information regarding the new fees please visit the NHS Inform website: https://nhsinform.scot/dentist#dental-treatment-costs 

Dental Service during COVID-19

All across Scotland Dental Services are recovering from the worst effects of the Covid Pandemic. There have been changes to what we do and how we operate, and some of these changes will be long term.

Virtually all dental staff you meet will now be vaccinated, and will be using the best available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

We must, however, continue to take a number of precautions to ensure the safety of both patients and staff.

Making an appointment

When you call for an appointment, our reception staff will ask a few simple questions about Covid. For example, do you have a cough, or loss of sense of smell?

These questions are intended to reduce the risk of a patient inadvertently bringing the virus into our waiting rooms. Where a patient has Covid, or a strong suspicion of it, they may be asked to delay attending or have a Covid test.

A patient with Covid who has an urgent dental emergency will still be seen, but the Covid questions allow us to plan this in a way which is safe for both other patients and dental staff.

At the clinic

When attending, you’ll see our waiting rooms have fewer seats to allow essential physical distancing. There may be screens to separate patients. In our smaller clinics you might be asked to wait outside until your appointment time.

You will be expected to attend on time and to wear a face covering, unless you hold a Scottish Goverment Exemption Card.  Anyone medically exempt from wearing a mask must present a Scottish Government Exemption Card – other forms of exemption card will not be accepted.  Those eligible for an exemption card can obtain the card by visiting www. exempt.scot or via the free helpline at 0800 121 6240.  Patients who decline to wear a face covering for any other reason, such as personal preference, will be denied entry.

Most appointments are now ‘paperless’ and you won’t be asked to sign any forms. Payment by card is preferred but not obligatory, and receipts will be printed if requested.

What do we do?

The NHS has reinstated a full range of treatment, but we cannot yet do everything for everybody straight away.  Having been limited for many months to Emergency only care means we have a backlog of unfinished treatment to catch up on.

We also now have new standards for infection prevention and control and cleaning. These changes mean that a half hour appointment actually ties up a surgery for well over an hour, meaning our clinics run more slowly and we have fewer appointments to offer.

Are we prioritising different kinds of treatment?

Yes.  Dentistry is part of your overall health care, and we’ll always try to see patients with greatest need first.

We will prioritise requests for appointments along the following lines:

1. Urgent and Emergency Care:

We will aim to see emergencies on the same day. Dental emergencies are:

• trauma
• bleeding
• swelling
• severe pain

Urgent conditions may be seen same day, if space permits. Otherwise, staff may take your details and call back when an appointment is available. Urgent conditions include:

• lost fillings causing pain or trauma
• worsening toothache.
• lumps or ulcers
• lost crowns or dentures.

2. Planned or Scheduled Treatment:

Some patients will have outstanding treatment waiting to be finished, and your dentist will aim to deal with this as appointment time permits .Your dentist will also try to prioritise your care. For example, patients with dressings in place will be seen before others who might wish to replace an old but other-wise satisfactory denture.  Please contact your clinic for advice. Reception staff will keep track of patients seeking appointments and prioritise on need.

3. Examinations:

We know many patients like the reassurance of regular examinations. At the moment, offering examinations on request  to everyone who asks means less clinical time to deal with outstanding need.

For now, we’ll aim to offer examinations to patients who are at increased risk of disease. For example:

• patients facing cancer or other medical treatment
• those with disability
• children.

Patients who are fit and well, with no recent dental problems are at lower risk, and we hope to reintroduce routine exams for low risk patients later in the year.

Quick Summary

Service availability is expanding, but dentistry is working with new restrictions and rules aimed at protecting patients. Our appointments are often longer, and we can’t have so many people in clinics at once. For the moment dental staff will prioritise those with greatest need, and the highest risk, first. A full return to ‘open access for all’ is some months away.

In addition, some of our visiting consultant services are a little different. Our visiting surgeon now conducts some of his consultations by video conference, but also provides face-to-face appointments where appropriate. In Uist, Orthodontic consultations have moved to Lochmaddy as the redevelopment of the Uist and Barra Hospital proceeds.

Waiting Times

These can vary between clinics (depending on staff availability and demand) but the following is an approximate guide.

• Emergencies: we will always try to see on the same day.
• Urgent problem which is not 'emergency':  As soon as space permits, might be same day not guaranteed.
• Medical referral: Within 1-2 weeks.
• Exam for registered patient: As soon as possible if high risk, call back in 6 months if considered ‘low risk'.
• New registration: In Lewis and Harris new patients who have no Additional Needs should contact Castleview Dental Practice on (01851) 704400. The Hospital service only accepts patients on referral and has no waiting list for the General Public. In Uist and Barra there is no General Practice and Health Board dentists accept any request for registration. Waiting times here are in excess of 15 months.

Important Patient Guidance

Please do not attend a clinic without calling to arrange an appointment first, as staff are required to conduct a brief medical assessment before offering any appointment.

NHS Western Isles apologises for this temporary disruption, but these changes will help to serve the local population better during this time.

Managing Dental Problems at Home

A guide has been produced which offers some useful information on how to manage dental problems at home and maintaining good dental habits. To view the guide as a pdf please click here.

Dental Charges

Each of our salaried dental clinics are an NHS centre and current NHS charges apply. Current charges can be found here. Every patient will receive a free dental examination and charges may apply for further treatment. Please ask at your local dental centre reception for an estimate.

Payment should be made at each appointment. Acceptable payment methods are by credit/debit card, cash or cheque.

If you are exempt from NHS dental charges, please bring evidence of your exemption along to your appointment. Further information at www.gov.uk/helpnhs-costs

Further information

For further information, or if you wish to discuss local dental treatment within NHS Western Isles, please contact Margaret Macleod, Dental Services Manager, Western Isles Dental Centre, by emailing: margaret.macleod7@nhs.scot

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