Decision Report 201810727

Summary

Ms C complained about the dental assessment she received from a consultant in restorative dentistry at the board and the consultant's report of their findings. Ms C said that the consultant failed to consider her health/dental health issues and the views of her own dentist appropriately. She complained that the consultant unreasonably concluded that she did not qualify for specialist treatment at the board. Ms C felt that the consultant should have agreed for her to have dental implants.

We took independent advice from a dentist. We found that Ms C's dentist felt that her natural dentition should be removed to make way for dentures and that they referred Ms C to the board for a second opinion. We found that dental implants were not available on the NHS, other than in exceptional circumstances, which Ms C did not meet those criteria. We noted that the two alternative treatment options identified for Ms C by the board consultant would most appropriately be carried out by her own dentist rather than a specialist at the board. We also found that Ms C's health and dental phobia issues would usually be managed by a patient's dentist and would not be the remit of a restorative consultant. However, we noted that if these proved to be too complex, then a patient should be referred to the Public Dental Service, where dentists are better versed in treating patients with medical, behavioural or phobia issues

We concluded that the board provided Ms C with appropriate care and treatment and, therefore, did not uphold the complaint.