Welcome To NHS South East London

Accessing Dental Services

You and your dentist

The main providers of NHS Dental Services in Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham are:

• General Dental Practitioners, who work from high street practices and provide both NHS and private treatment.
• Community Dental Services, who work from Health Centres and provide NHS dental treatment for people with special needs.
• Hospital Dental Services, which are provided by King's College Hospital & Guy's Hospital for patients who are referred for treatment by their dentists.

A General Dental Practitioner (GDP) should be the first point of contact for a person wishing to access NHS Dental Services - the GDP can then refer the patient if hospital or community dental service treatment is required.

Finding A Dentist

If you require assistance in finding a dentist you may contact your PCT - visit www.nhs.uk for contact details or check your local phone book.

Or, contact NHS Direct (go to NHS Direct Interactive on digital satellite TV, visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or phone 0845 4647*

What You Can Expect

As an NHS patient you are entitled to ask for the following:

• a written treatment plan (including costs) if you would like one
• a copy of the practice leaflet detailing the names and qualifications of all the dentists
• the practice opening hours
• the practice complaints procedure
• details of the practice emergency/after hours procedures in place

Out-of-Hours

If you need emergency dental advice out of normal surgery hours call 0208 299 5509

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the care you have received, try and resolve the problem by speaking to the practice first. If this is not possible or you remain unsatisfied then you can contact the Complaints Manager for the borough in which the practice is based.

Lewisham 020 7206 3225
Lambeth 020 7716 7145
Southwark 020 7525 0422

Any other queries should be directed to:
Southwark PCT Dental Section
1st Floor Woodmill Building
Neckinger, London, SE16 3QN

Tel: 020 7525 0334
Fax: 020 7525 0343

dental.info@southwarkpct.nhs.uk
www.southwarkpct.nhs.uk

Exemption From Charges

You will receive free services from your NHS dentist if:

• when the treatment starts you are
• aged under 18
• aged 18 and in full-time education
• pregnant, or have had a baby, in the 12 months before treatment starts
• an NHS inpatient and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist
• an NHS Hospital Dental Service outpatient*
• a Community Dental Service patient* or
• when the treatment starts or when the charge is made:
  • you are getting, or your partner gets Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
  • you are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate
  • you are named on a valid HC2 certificate.

Your dentist will ask for evidence that you are entitled to free NHS dental treatment.

If you are named on a valid HC3 certificate, you may be eligible for partial help with dental costs.

Use form HC1 to claim for full (HC2) or partial (HC3) help with NHS dental costs. HC1 forms are available from your Jobcentre Plus office or by calling 0845 850 1166 or 08701 555 455

* Calls cost a maximum of 4 pence per minute from a BT landline. The cost of calls from mobiles and other networks may vary. Your service provider may charge a minimum cost per call. For patients' safety, all calls to NHS Direct are recorded. **There may be a charge for dentures and bridges.

Translations

For current information about the languages spoken at each practice, please contact Southwark PCT on 020 7525 0334, or the practice direct.

If you require a translation of this text please call 020 7525 0334 or click on the language below:

• Albanian
• French
• Portuguese
• Somali
• Spanish
• Turkish