Appointments & General Info

Welcome to Appletree Practice. We aim to provide care in a relaxed, comfortable and friendly environment, using up to date techniques and equipment. We have an ongoing commitment to our patients to provide quality dental care.


Appointments and treatment

We provide the full range of NHS treatment (except orthodontics and sedation) to all our patients and will always try to offer you an appointment as soon as possible and at a convenient time.

You can make an appointment by ringing 01723 365393 during normal practice hours.

We would strongly encourage our patients to attend regularly in order to achieve or maintain good oral health. At the end of your appointment the dentist will suggest when you should have your next examination. This will be based on your oral health assessment as the practice follows guidelines issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)

Cancellations and Missed Appointments

Missing appointments wastes time and resources which are needed for other patients. Our practice policy is that if patients fail to attend two or more appointments, we will no longer be able to offer NHS treatment or offer you dental care in the future. We will of course take any special circumstances into account. We may still be able to offer private dental care, but payment will be required in advance. If you wish to cancel your appointment please give at least 24 hours notice.

Disabled Access

We endeavour to see all our patients and our practice has been designed so patients with disabilities can access care. Our ground floor surgery is wheelchair friendly; there is also a ramp available from reception for the outside path.

If you do have any disability that you think we need to know about please give us a call before your appointment and we will do our best to put suitable arrangements in place to accommodate your needs.

Payment

After you have been examined if you require treatment that falls into the NHS band 2 or band 3 you will be given a written treatment plan and cost estimate. Payment is requested before or at the end of treatment we accept cash, cheque and also have chip and pin facilities. On occasions it may be necessary to request a deposit on expensive courses of treatment. If you wish to discuss matters of a confidential nature with a member of staff we can arrange to do this away from the reception area.

If you pay for prescriptions, you'll have to pay the usual prescription charge of £8.80 when you collect your medicine(s).

Rights and Responsibilities

You are entitled to-

  • A full examination of your mouth, gums and teeth
  • A full explanation of your treatment options
  • A written treatment plan (including costs if applicable)
  • Information on both NHS and Private charges
  • Dental health advice
  • Information about the practice
  • To make a complaint if you are not happy with the treatment provided

You are responsible for-

  • Following your dentists advice to prevent tooth decay and gum disease
  • Showing proof of entitlement if you are claiming help with NHS charges.
  • If no proof is shown your exemption will be checked and penalty charges will apply for patients found to be incorrectly claiming
  • Giving at least 24 hours notice if you wish to cancel your appointment. If you miss two or more appointments we may no longer be able to offer you treatment within the practice
  • Treating our staff with courtesy and respect

Implants

Dental implants are offered privately as an alternative option to replace missing teeth when other treatments are not suitable or have failed. Our highly experienced implant specialist David Vivian visits the practice regularly. Appointments and further details are available through reception.

Prices

Band 1 – examination, x-rays and a scale and polish if necessary = £23.80

Band 2 – All treatment within band 1 plus additional treatment such as fillings, extractions or root treatments as necessary = £65.20

Band 3 – All treatment within band 2 plus more complex procedures involving lab work such as crowns, bridges and dentures = £282.80

Dental Records and Confidentiality

This practice complies with the 1998 Data Protection Act we take patient confidentiality extremely seriously and all personal information is treated in the strictest confidence. Only members of staff have access to patient information. All our patient records are securely stored at our practice to ensure that any patient information is only accessed as part of your treatment. Our computer system has secure audit trails and we back up information routinely.

No information will ever be released to a third party without express permission. We have a strict data protection and confidentiality policy. To see a copy of the policy or if you would like further information regarding your rights to view your patient records please contact reception.

What personal data do we hold?

In order to provide you with a high standard of dental care and attention, we need to hold personal information about you.  This personal data comprises:

  • Your past and current medical and dental condition; personal details such as your age, national insurance number/NHS number, address, telephone number and your general medical practitioner
  • Radiographs, clinical photographs and study models
  • Information about the treatment that we have provided or propose to provide and its cost
  • Notes of conversations/incidents that might occur for which a record needs to be kept and records of consent to treatment
  • Correspondence relating to you with other health care professionals, for example in the hospital or community services.

Quality Assurance

The practice follows BDA and CQC guidance on quality assurance for UK dental practices. This demonstrates a visible commitment to providing quality dental care to nationally recognised best practice standards.