Community Dentist

[1994EJED]

Hello. My son has LD and is a wheelchair user. He has always been seen by a Community Dentist but the last time we went, we were told that he no longer fits the criteria . The criteria has tightened and doesn't specifically cover people with disabilities at all. Finding an NHS dentist is difficult enough, but finding an accessible one is even harder. Has anyone else been told this, and is there an appeal system?

[Jofisher]

My son has severe LD and goes to the hospital to see their dentist clinic there as he needs to be sedated to have any treatment.

[BlueSky444]

My son with severe LD is seen at the local Department of Special Care dentistry at a health centre. He was referred there last year by our dentist. They haven’t said any criteria has changed. It might be worth worth emailing whoever funds them or contacting NHS England for advice.

[LaVerite]

Sounds very familiar. Local Authority changing the goalposts without warning, without consultation and without caring - other than their purse strings. Maybe if the decision makers had to take a wage cut in order to keep their job and save the cash strapped council from sinking into a hole of their own bureaucratic blundering, they might care more about those who they are supposed to be looking after!

[Bergersil400]

My daughter who has a severe learning disability has been having 6 monthly visits to the community dentist since the age of 9. She is now age 28 This was due to our family dentist not trained to carry out treatments and assessments to those with additional needs. We have been very pleased with the service over the years, and we also get her dulphalat toothpaste on prescription through the community dentist.We have been very lucky, that our daughter has only ever required treatment for a half filling once when she was a small child. She required a general anaesthetic for this at our local hospital.

I haven't been told of any changes to the service, and even now, she is in supported living in another part of the county we still bring her home for her appointments.

[Badedee]

might be worth contacting PALS for your area and also Healthwatch?