Total Dentalcare Dover offers the highest standards of both private and NHS dentalcare, whatever your personal needs.
The most commonly asked questions asked by our patients are listed below.
Please speak to a member of our Reception Team if you are not able to find the information you need.
Do you accept both private and NHS patients?
Yes, Total Dentalcare Dover provides both private and NHS dental care. Patients are able to choose private alternatives for any, or all, of their NHS treatment. If you do choose private options your NHS status will not be affected.
Do you treat children?
Yes, we offer the highest standards of private dental care for the whole family.
We currently promote the DENTALCHECKUP by 1 scheme – providing care for all babies under 1 year old and accepting referrals from health visitors and GPs.
How long does it take to secure an appointment?
We aim to book patients into the first available appointment, which is usually within one week.
Do you offer emergency appointments?
We make every effort to see patients in need of urgent treatment as soon as possible.
We reserve emergency appointments every day. If you have noticeable swelling, excessive bleeding or pain that’s uncontrolled by pain relief, please call our Reception Team at 8:00am to secure the first available emergency treatment time.
If our Reception Team cannot pick up your call, please leave a voice message (there is no option to leave a message during open hours) and a member of the team will call you back as soon as possible.
If you call out of hours, you can ring the following numbers:
- 01634 890300 (Dentaline)
- NHS direct – 111 (for help and advice)
You can find our opening times here
What are your opening hours – and do you offer weekend appointments?
We are pleased to offer extended opening hours so are open each weekday from 8.00 am until 5.00 pm or 5:30pm. We have additional appointments available for private patients on Tuesdays between 5:30pm and 8:00pm. Our practice is now open for private appointments on alternate Saturdays so please check with our Reception Team.
Click here for full opening times
Please read “Do you offer emergency appointments” if you are in need of urgent attention outside our normal opening hours.
What are the current NHS charges?
If you or your partner is in one of the following categories you may qualify for FREE NHS dental treatment or partial exemption from NHS charges:
- Under 18 years of age
- Under 19 and in full time education
- Expectant mothers and mothers of children under one year
- Family receiving Income Support or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- In receipt of Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- In receipt of Guarantee Credit Pension Credit
- Holders of valid NHS tax credit exemption certificates and holders of HC2 and HC3 exemption certificates
- Universal Credit (in the last assessment there were no earnings)
Proof of benefit or circumstances is required at the point of treatment.
NHS charges are fixed by the government and those patients who pay for their treatment will pay for it depending on what treatment you need. Currently there are three bands of treatment:
- Band 1 costs £21.60 for an examination, X-rays, preventative fluoride application and oral hygiene instructions and cleaning if clinically necessary
- Band 2 costs £59.10 for the above fee and any dental treatment not requiring dental laboratory work e.g. fillings, extractions or root canal treatment
- Band 3 costs £256.50 and this would include both of the above and/or laboratory work if it is required e.g. dentures, crowns and bridges.
For NHS treatment, you will be asked to pay the appropriate Band fee in advance of receiving treatment. Private treatment fees are payable as you go but we may take deposits for long appointments or in advance for lab work, so please be prepared to pay when requested.
Download NHS Dental Exemptions Form
Will I be notified of costs before treatment begins?
We provide service to our clients transparently and without pressure. Your dentist will discuss various treatment options suitable for you and you will be given a full treatment plan which will thoroughly outline what your complete treatment is and how much it will cost.
Do you have a list of costs?
We can provide you with approximate costs over the telephone but we cannot confirm an exact treatment cost until you have been seen by your dentist.
How can I be sure that your dentists will provide a high standard of dental care?
We have a highly skilled team of dentists and healthcare professionals who provide outstanding clinical treatment. They are supported by a highly organised team of dental nurses, receptionists and managers who ensure that levels of service are consistently high. Each dentist has their own area of special interest so we can treat all dental needs, and you can complete various treatment options without having to be referred out of the practice.
We are registered with the General Dental Council (GDC), the government body that regulates dental practitioners in the UK. You can therefore be confident that we meet the requirements to practice competently in the UK. Our dentists attend courses through a mandatory programme for continuous professional development which assists them in continually achieving new levels of success.
You can check the qualifications and current registration of any individual dentist or dental assistant on the GDC website
What is your policy on patient confidentiality?
We take patient confidentiality very seriously and ensure that we abide by strict legal guidelines at all times. Only staff members have access to patient information. If you would like to see a copy of our Privacy Policy, please ask at reception.
In the event of a safeguarding concern, relevant social services or the police may be given access to your data.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
We understand that in certain circumstances it is not possible to keep your appointment. However, we ask that, whenever reasonable, you give 24 hours’notice if you are not able to attend.
On occasion, for private appointments only, we may charge a fee for late or missed appointments. If it is a regular occurrence you may lose your place on our patient list as we need to ensure that patient time, which is valuable to others, is not wasted.
What if I have feedback or concerns about my treatment?
If, like the majority of our patients, you have been pleased with your treatment please recommend us to others and let us know on our contact forms.
If however, you have not been satisfied or have concerns, we encourage you to discuss this with your dentist or Sarah Clark, Dover Practice Manager, who will help you to resolve the matter and, if necessary, follow through with our Complaints Procedure.
Alternatively, you can write in confidence to the Operations Manager Tony.Homden@totaldentalcare.co.uk who will deal with the matter personally.