AN OSWESTRY dental practice has blamed a ‘chronic lack of investment’ in the NHS for its decision to only accept private paying adult patients from October.
Oswyn House Dental Practice, in Oswald Road, has sent a letter to its patients – seen by The Advertizer – to confirm that from October 31, 2023, adults will not be treated under ‘NHS terms’.
The letter has also set out a ‘patient membership plan’ on a first come, first served basis and told patients that the practice will expect strong demand for spaces.
The letter said: “As a valued patient of our practice, we are sure you will have experienced our whole team’s dedication and commitment to providing you with the highest level of dental care, and that remains our key priority.
“For many years we have proudly provided that care under the umbrella of the NHS.
“However, a chronic lack of investment in NHS dentistry, coupled with rapidly rising costs and significant recruitment issues means we can no longer provide the level of dental care you have come to expect under the NHS.
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“Like many NHS practices across the UK, we are having to make crucial decisions to ensure our practice survives and is here to provide your dental care in the long-term.
“As such, we have made the decision to move away from the NHS and will no longer be seeing adult patients under NHS terms from October 31, 2023.
“Instead, we will be here to provide your dental care on a private basis. To do that, we have introduced a patient membership plan that we are delighted to invite you to join.
"Our patient membership plan helps you keep your teeth and gums healthy by allowing you to budget monthly for your dental care so you can attend on a basis that’s right for you.
“Through regular examinations and hygiene appointments, we can spot issues early, potentially saving you from more invasive treatment in the future.”
The letter says that patients can register as ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG) if they do not choose a patient plan.
A basic membership is £18.75 a month, while Membership Plus is £27 with both enabling patients eligibility for a worldwide dental assistance scheme.
A PAYG patient would pay one-off prices for their treatments e.g. £50 for two dental health examinations per year.
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