NHS Dentists in Woking

I have recently received quite a few items of casework from residents concerned about how difficult it is to find a local NHS dentist, especially that there is not an NHS dentist in Knaphill. This is a national problem that the Lib-dems have been campaigning about. Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb puts the blame on the Governments dental contact saying: “The Government is in complete denial over the fact that the new dental contract has been an abject failure. People want to see an NHS dentist, but all the evidence shows they are finding this increasingly difficult.” I tried to find an NHS dentist in Woking last year, but the closest dentist willing to take on NHS patients was in Cobham. Although every dentist surgery I called in Woking was willing to take on private patients. In my case there was only one dentists in Woking open late enough for me to use after work and this was the 24 hour dentist in Woking High Street, but for many local residents suffering from ever increasing prices for food, heating and council services this is not an option. As Norman Lamb says The crisis in NHS dentistry is Labour’s hidden legacy. With many people unable to find an NHS dentist, but equally entitled the real crime is the inequality that Labour has created and that the Conservatives are silent about.

Ironically the 24 hour dentist in Woking is excellent and very keen to get funding to take on NHS patients during the day time, which has consistently been turned down. Woking is really being let down on this issue!

To find local services such as dentists try this NHS link: http://www.nhs.uk/Servicedirectories/pages/servicesearch.aspx

3 Comments

3 Responses

DC Dentist says:

January 8, 2009 at 9:38 pm

I know this to be a major problem: One of my closest friends is a solicitor in Leeds and needed an emergency root canal since it was days before a big event that she was attending in Asia. Since she lives in Barnsley, she had to travel out to Sheffield to find the nearest NHS dentist that can take her case past normal business hours. Inevitably she had the procedure done and the dentist at-hand was very cordial to her needs. In other words, The NHS needs spread out their availability so that more practitioners will take on patients under it. It is simply no fair that the majority of the queen’s subjects have to be inconvenienced to this degree for something that should be available in every town.

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Chris G says:

April 29, 2010 at 12:30 pm

I have been unable to find an NHS Dentist in Woking and when I went to the NHS website there seemed to be only the choice of an NHS dentist ion Weybridge.
But they only do certain treatments under the NHS contract. Inevitably the root canal treatment I needed and other work wasn’t covered. I could not afford the cost of treatment on private basis which was close to £1,000
So over one year later, I have still not received the dental treatment I need and my dental health continues to deteriorate.

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ollywells says:

April 29, 2010 at 11:05 pm

Dear Chris,

Sorry to hear about the difficulties you are having with NHS dentists in Woking. Even the Citizens advice bureau has been talking about the need for more local dentist places. I will certainly update my blog with any information if I hear of any new dental facilities in Woking.

I wish we lived in a country where I wouldn’t need to say this, but If your treatment needs are complex it might be worth trying a teaching hospital where they teach dentistry as you may be able to get the work done there at a good value.

Regards,

Olly

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Olly Wells

NHS Dentists in Woking

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