Category: Dental Referrals

Dental referral guidelines

Public Dental Service

Scott McLaughlin

Who can we treat under the Public Dental Service?

The Public Dental Service’s treatment role is now focused on:

  • providing treatment to patients with special care requirements.
  • the provision of dental services that are not routinely available in general dental practice (such as dental treatment under general anesthetic for children and adults with special needs).
  • accepting referrals of patients (special care adults, vulnerable children and children with behavioural management problems) from independent contractor general dental practitioners and other Health Care Professionals.
  • accepting referrals of patients with complex medical needs that cannot be treated in general dental practice.
  • accepting referrals of anxious children and severely anxious adults for dental treatment under sedation.
  • the provision of care for socially excluded groups such as prisoners, and those who are unable to leave their home.

The other main roles for the Public Dental Service continue to be prevention, epidemiology and teaching.
While the vast majority of referrals are perfectly acceptable, the more information we can have about a patient before we see them, the better able we are to help them.

Patient Charges

The Public Dental Service has to charge patients for the dental treatment provided (unless the patient is exempt from charges) and work under the same rules and regulations as independent contractor general dental practitioners. Patient charges must be collected unless the patient is exempt.

Normal charging arrangements will apply when a PDS dentist provides general dental services. Patients are required to pay 80% of the cost of their NHS dental treatment up to a set maximum per course of treatment (currently £384), unless they are in one of the groups entitled to free NHS dental treatment or help with the cost of dental treatment.

Contact the Public Dental Service

The Dental Office,

Glendoe Building,

Coathill Hospital,

Hospital Street,

Coatbridge ML5 4DN

Telephone: 01236 707711

Lead Clinician: Michael Devine,
Director of Public Dental Services,
NHS Lanarkshire.
Review Date: January 2016

Stop Smoking Service Guidelines

Scott McLaughlin

Stop Smoking Service Referral

This referral is for use by dentists to refer patients to the NHS Lanarkshire Stop Smoking Service.

Please make your patient aware of the following note:

Your information will be stored on a Stop Smoking Service database and held securely by NHS Lanarkshire, this information will be used only in connection with this service. Anonymous information may be used for statistical and audit purposes.

Stop Smoking Service OfficeCo-ordinatorsAreas Covered
Glenalmond Building
Coathill Hospital
Hospital Street
Coatbridge
ML5 4DN

Tel: 01236 707714
Fax : 01236 707742 		Catherine BrownNW Locality
Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Airdrie.
Netherton House
94-104 Netherton Street
Wishaw
ML2 0DZ

Tel: 01698 366979
Fax : 01698 366982		Maureen BrownNE Locality
Motherwell, Bellshill, Viewpark, Wishaw, Newmains, Harthill, Shotts, Newarthill
Udston Hospital
Farm Road
Hamilton
ML3 9LA

Tel: 01698 723233
Fax : 01698 723133 		Jacqueline MacDonaldSouth Locality
Hamilton, Blantyre, East Kilbride, Larkhall, Uddingston, Bothwell, Carluke, Lanark and Clydesdale Areas, Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Strathaven, Harthill, Shotts, Newarthill

Dental Orthodontic

Scott McLaughlin

Key Messages

Referred patients are seen for assessment by a Consultant Orthodontist.
The majority of orthodontic treatment can be carried out in Specialist Orthodontic Practice and the main role of the NHS Lanarkshire based service is to treat patients with more complex problems, in particular multi-disciplinary cases.

This may include:

  • Patients with clefts of the lip and palate and other craniofacial anomalies
  • Patients requiring combined orthodontic/restorative management
  • Patients requiring combined orthodontic/orthognathic surgery
  • Patients with ectopic teeth requiring minor oral surgery as part of their overall management
  • Patients requiring combined orthodontic/ paediatric dentistry management.
  • Index Of Treatment Need (IOTN) 4 and 5 only should be referred.

In addition, special needs patients where treatment is not practicable within primary care will be accepted. Also, a limited number of “routine” orthodontic cases are required to support training of orthodontic specialists and may be accepted for treatment depending on requirement at any given time.
Patients with a low/borderline need for orthodontic treatment will not be offered treatment within the Orthodontic department.

Oral Hygiene

Patients should be made aware that if their oral hygiene is inadequate they will not be accepted for treatment.

Patients referred with inadequate oral hygiene will be returned to the referring practitioner for appropriate hygiene phase therapy

Adult referrals

Adult referrals (aged 19 or over) will be accepted for assessment but are unlikely to be accepted for treatment unless they have a particularly complex problem or a need for multi-disciplinary management.
Please make this clear to any adults you refer.

Clinical Information

Our referral form provides space for you to give any additional information regarding your reason for requesting orthodontic assessment.

Radiographs

Any relevant radiographs, if available, should be sent as attachments if possible or as hard copy by post with a note to say that the patient has been referred via the SCI Gateway.

Did Not Attend Policy

As per our did ‘Not Attend Policy’ patients will not routinely be offered another appointment if they fail to attend without notifying the service before hand.
If the referrer wishes to re-refer, they may do so but please stress the importance of attending the appointment to the patient.

Please ensure:

In order for your patient to be seen as promptly as possible please ensure:

Patient demographic information is up to date
The referral is completed as fully as possible
The patient is aware of where and why they are being referred
The patient is ready for treatment and their oral hygiene is excellent

Lead Clincian: Ross Jones, Consultant Orthodontist
Review Date: 1st December 2015