RIGHT TO SMILE KNOW YOUR CONSUMER RIGHTS AT THE DENTIST What NHS dental treatment are you entitled to? How much will it cost? How do you find a dentist near you? Are you entitled to free treatment? What happens when things don’t go to plan? Scottish Version BRUSHING UP ON YOUR RIGHTS While dental treatment in the UK is among the best in the world, going to the dentist can be daunting. And for more reasons than just having treatment. The good news is that you have specific rights and can expect certain levels of service from your dentist. If you are registered with an NHS dentist, you are entitled to all the treatment that you need to get your mouth, teeth and gums as healthy and pain free as possible. You should also receive advice on things like proper brushing and flossing, so you can play your part in keeping your mouth healthy. If your NHS dentist says you need a particular type of treatment, you should not be required to pay for it privately. Private options may be discussed, such as cosmetic alternatives or specialist treatments like dental implants, it’s your choice whether you 35 take them. An appointment with your dentist When your dentist says you need treatment, here’s what you can expect to happen: • First, you should ask for a written treatment plan which includes the cost of treatment. Dentists aren’t required to provide written treatment plans, but you can still ask for one • You will only pay one charge for How much will you pay? each complete course of NHS Dental treatment is one of the few treatment. NHS services that most people have • If your NHS treatment fails to pay for, but charges are fixed: within12 months, your dentist NHS patients pay 80 per cent of their should repair or redo most treatment, up to a maximum of £384. treatment free of charge You can find examples of costs on the (unless you were advised the NHS inform website, www.nhsinform.co.uk treatment was unlikely to be Each dental practice is responsible for long-term). providing clear, easily available information on their treatment costs. Who is entitled to free dental care? You can find out who may qualify for help with dental charges at: www.nhsinform.co.uk What are your rights if you go to a private dentist? If you have private dental treatment, ask what guarantees your dentist provides. In addition to any rights you may have under guarantee, you will also have rights under Scottish common law, and may be entitled to free treatment'. FIND OUT MORE You can find out more information about your rights and entitlements as an NHS dental patient at the following website, including how to make a complaint about a dentist or treatment. You can also search for a dentist near you that’s accepting NHS patients by typing in your postcode. www.nhsinform.co.uk Call 0800 389 3158 to request a different format of this publication. Published by the Ofﬁce of Fair Trading Product code OFT1467 © Crown copyright 2012 www.oft.gov.uk