Staff 2023

Amazing feedback on our new dentists who joined September 2023. Thank you!

November 2023 saw dental nurse Sophie C. leave us after 6 years, we will miss her very much.  And 4/12/23 we give a warm welcome to Shania, our new trainee dental nurse.

Well done to Gemma and Becky who recently completed their dental nursing qualifications.

September 2023 saw a change of receptionists, Maz joined us to replace Camilla.  We welcomed our new associate dentist, Arlene who we hope will serve both NHS and private patients.  And mid-October, Caitlin joined the dental nurse team.  If you know of anyone else wishing to be a dental nurse, please see our job advert on Indeed.

Foundation Dentists only spend a one-year placement with the dental practice. Sometimes they remain longer, as an Associate Dentist.  At the end of August 2023 we said goodbye to Daisy and Raj.  September 2023 welcomed Asmah and Yas, two excellent graduates from Queen Mary London university, both who have already made good impressions with their patients.

March 2023 we said goodbye to dental therapist, Amy Greatwood.  Previous Patient Feedback demonstrated our patients' fondness for Amy and her treatments; we wish her and our apprentice nurse Lolli all the best for their futures.

Dr Rahul Faujdar provided some locum dentist sessions to ease the turnover period.

2023 began on the 3rd January with several staff recovering from contracting Covid-19 over the festive holidays.

Face Masks Optional

From the 1st June 2023, the reception team will no longer ask patients to wear a face covering.  Instead patients and visitors may wear one if it makes them feel more comfortable.  Masks will be provided free-of-charge on entrance to the ground floor reception room.

Please note that our Covid19 precautions still require all persons that enter the dental practice to wash their hands.  Refusal to do so can result in your registration being reviewed and even suspended.

We still ask that persons suspected or known to have Covid19 not to enter the building and to ring the reception team on 01449 771 700 for instructions.

As we approach winter 2023, we are aware of the increasing numbers of people contracting the flu and COVID, and recommend all those lucky enough to be eligible, or able to get, vaccinations to please do so.

Our staff have taken Covid-19 vaccinates and boosters.  We encourage everyone to take government advise and accept the vaccine when offered it.  For details on the virus and vaccine see here. 

Building Renovations

In 2023, we replaced the garage's asbestos roof with something more environmentally friendly - well done Kris Loomes!  And we hope everyone likes the fresh paint job on the outside of the building - well done Reynolds & Ruston Ltd

During 2022, we painted treatment rooms and the patient loo.

Our buidling got a 'new' Welsh slate roof in 2021. Let's hope the roof lasts another 200 years.  Well done to Loomes Roofing Contractors Ltd.

NHS Fees

The government increased the NHS band fees charged to patients by 8.5% from Monday 24th April 2023.  Patient fees were increased again from the 1st April 2024 (though the government has yet to uplift the payments to dental practices - information correct as of 5/7/2024).

Please see further information including exemptions from charges in the Fees section.

Failure to Attend, and Was Not Brought

Since the introduction of our new computer system with its appointment reminder facility, we see less patients failing to turn up for their dentist and hygienist appointments.  Thank you.

We remind all patients, especially those making family appointments, whenever possible to provide (or reconfirm) mobile and email contact details to the reception team.

Should you be unwell or be able to attend your appointment, please contact the reception team ASAP. Doing so may allow your appointment slot to be given to another patient.

Failure to attend (*) may result in you being de-registered from our dental practice and you being charged for the missed private appointment. 

* Children who are not brought to their dental appointment by their parent or guardiance.  Note the NICE guidance in section 1.3 of Public Health England Safeguarding in general practice - A toolkit for dental teams.

From September 2023 our computer system allows us to monitor the children who were not brought to their dental appointment.  The reception staff will be following up non attendance and when necessary reporting to local safeguarding leads.

Private Fees

Since October 2023, we have been analysing the impact of recent gas and stock price rises and renovation expenses.  For example, gloves are now three-times what they were before Covid.  Many of our support staff will have higher than inflation pay rises in April 2024 due to the government's mandatory 'minimum wage'.  And the majority of our laboratories have increased their prices who are similarly impacted by energy and staff wage rises, and the price of precious metals.  On the 1st April 2024 we have a new private price guide for dental examinations and treatments.  We have tried to keep somethings unchanged (e.g. online booking, Airflow consumables, composit veeners).  Sadly we expect another fee change around September 2024.

17/05/2023 : Clarified the child private hygienist appointment fee.

Our electricity and gas prices significantly increased in January 2023 (and will again later in 2023); we are trying our best to reduce our consumption or explore alternative energy sources available to Listed Buildings.  Staff costs have and continue to increase, similarly have dental materials, equipment maintenance, and disposal service costs.  Dental laboratory costs increased either in January or on the 1st April 2023.  Should customers wish to consider spreading the price of their treatments - please let the reception team know when you visit the reception desk or use the webform survey With sufficient interest we may introduce a payment plan at a later date. 

Private prices changed on 1/4/2023.  Notice we kept the 30 minute routine and 40 minute direct- access (new) private hygiene services unchanged.

On the 1/9/22 we had to make a small increase to some private denture fees to account for unexpected laboratory charges and the higher cost of gold.  To compensate, we now include the cost of all small (intraoral) X-rays with dentist examinations.  We have added some new treatments.  We clarified the appointment deposit, online booking fee, and penalty charges on our printed fee list.

On the 1/4/2022, the private dental prices changed.  All private hygiene treatments now include Airflow.  Proving successful with patients, the cost of up to two intraoral Xrays in the routine dental examination fee remains.  We continue to offer discounts for children under 18 years when accompanied by a fee paying adult. Then in July 2022 we included provision for online booking (£1.50 non-refundable booking fee) and we extended the new dentist exam to 30mins and, like routine examinations, included in the cost up to two intraoral (small) X-rays.

The private fees were updated on the 1st January 2020, to reflect both the world increase in precious metal (e.g. gold) costs and associated laboratory price rises and staff wages since October 2018.  Recent change includes the impact of the UK Government's decision to increase the National minimum and living wage by over 6% in April 2020, and of course the Covid-19 situation.

Our private prices are very competitve.  To improve affordability to families we discount child examination prices by 50% to those under 18 years old (and children under 5 years free) when they accompany a private fee paying adult. 

Notes:

• The fee price guide was edited on 14/2/2020 (version 11alt) to better describe the Airflow treatments.  There is no change to price.
• The cost of soft and hard bite raising appliances was changed, £90 and £270, respectively to reflect the cost of laboratory fees.  4/3/2020 (version 12).
• Minimal wage and Covid-19 change, 15/6/2020 (version 13).

Independent dental hygiene appointments normally require a financial deposit.  Should you fail to attend, or cancel within 24 working hours of the appointment, the full cost of the treatment will be charged.