Guidance on Fixing Turkey Teeth Troubles
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- Published: Thursday, 13 February 2025 09:48
- Written by Peter Ingle
- Hits: 2055
It can be the stuff of nightmares, even without the added difficulties of working under a UDA system. The question of just what GDP‘s are expected to do when a patient attends with problems following a spot of dental tourism has caused a good deal of anxiety, not to mention heart searching. For better or worse, there is now some official NHS guidance.
“Avoidance of doubt: Clinical policy for self-funded dental treatment requiring NHS intervention” was published late in 2024 and sets out to provide guidelines for when it is appropriate to provide NHS dental care after patients have received self-funded dental treatment. As well as the Turkey teeth scenario it covers all privately funded non-NHS care received within and outside of the UK. Notably it applies in those cases where patients have acute presentations or complications.
The key points are that patients who have previously paid for dental treatment privately in the UK or abroad but later require NHS treatment due to a complication or sudden oral health issue health issue, are entitled to access NHS dental care for assessment and evaluation to stabilise their condition.
However, any treatment beyond stabilisation is to be assessed based on complexity and need. It should be provided at the appropriate care setting, subject to the existing NHS acceptance criteria in the 2005 GDS regulations.
The underpinning principles are based upon three sources, the NHS constitution, the 2005 regulations, and on the foundation that the NHS will provide the treatment necessary to secure and maintain a patient’s oral health.
In terms of pathways it is expected that patients would initially seek support from their self-funded dental care provider, who should be responsible for any post-treatment clinical issues within a reasonable timeframe. How realistic this is in the case of work carried out overseas, is not considered.
Those that find their way to an NHS appointment, for example via 111, should have an acute management plan formulated that will meet their immediate and reasonable oral health needs.
Once pain and infection have been addressed, further treatment may be referred to the appropriate care setting according to local NHS acceptance criteria and care complexity (Levels 1, 2 or 3 where required, and associated available services). Links are provided to the previously published Clinical guides for dentistry and dental specialities.
When patients request further care, such as reconstructive treatment, the provision of this and choice of care setting would be subject to NHS acceptance criteria with reference to the complexity of need. For cases at Level 1 or Level 2, NHS services must meet the necessary clinical needs of the patient, as per the NHS Constitution. In line with the GDS contract, mandatory and additional services are available to provide the treatment that will meet the patient’s necessary needs.
For those patients requesting more complex, and specialist treatment, which is generally not routinely available as part of NHS-funded dental care (for example, advanced multi-unit fixed appliances and/or implants), they are subject to the usual existing NHS and trust-based policies and acceptance criteria, treatment-specific guidelines, and NICE guidelines. There is specific guidance on the standard of care for NHS funded dental implant treatment.
To clarify matters a flow chart is provided.
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