What is the difference between your service and an NHS dentist?
The short answer is time and attention to individual requirements. At Hallcross Dental Practice we are able to spend more time with our patients because of a lower patient load. This means that not only do we have more time to spend with you; it also allows us to offer you more rapid appointments. In addition we are able use the most up to date materials to give you the best quality treatments available. We can promise to provide any new treatment without being restricted by the NHS in which materials and treatments we should use.
I'm very self conscious about my teeth at the moment; can you improve their colour and the way that my teeth have grown?
Yes, we offer a comprehensive range of orthodontic treatments to straighten teeth as well as veneers and tooth whitening to change your teeth to the colour that you desire.
I 'm currently happy with my local dentist, but he does not carry out cosmetic dental work. Is it possible to come to you for specialist cosmetic work only?
Yes. Because we are not governed by NHS regulations, we can accept patients for specialist cosmetic work only - in fact this happens on a regular basis.
Does your work come with any guarantees?

Each treatment is different and so the guarantee terms do vary, but as a general rule the following guarantees are offered:

  • Fillings are guaranteed for 1 year
  • Crowns are guaranteed for 5 years but we do make a note and warn you if the proposed tooth cannot be guaranteed for this period of time.
What is your complaints procedure?

We take all of our patient's comments very seriously and we encourage patients to tell us if they think we can improve our service.

Any initial complaints regarding the practice should be raised with either the reception team or the dentist who provided the treatment. If the explanation from this is not satisfactory then your complaint can be put in writing to the practice manager. The practice manager will acknowledge your complaint within 7 working days and if necessary advise of any further action that will be taken regarding your complaint. If an investigation has to take place, you will be advised of this and provided with a schedule as to when a possible solution can be expected.

We hope to solve all of our complaints in house, but if this is not the case then issues can be taken to the local health authority.

How many visits should I make to the dentist in a year?
It depends. Most people need two visits to ensure that their dental health is monitored appropriately - however, some patients may need more frequent visits whilst others may need less.
How do I know that you won't give me extra fillings and dental work that I don't need?

The up to date technology that we employ within the practice enables us to keep our patients informed about their dental care. We are able to show you your teeth as we see them which enables us to explain more clearly what treatment you need and why.

  1. We offer digital x-rays on a 15" monitor so you can actually see the decay for yourself.
  2. We also have intra - oral cameras which can show the decay on a tooth.
  3. The fillings that we carry out should last for a long time. Occasionally there is no decay present, but a filling may be worn away. In this instance we will discuss the different options with you so you are able to make an informed decision
Do I have to live locally to use your services?

Some patients travel to us from many miles away. There is no catchments limit and we appreciate you all the more for making the extra effort to come and see us.
I have had bad experiences with dentist in the past and as a result have not been to see a dentist for a number of years. Will this mean I need a great deal of work done to my teeth on my first visit?

This will largely depend upon the condition of your teeth which will obviously vary in each individual case. We use the initial consultation to get to know you and your dental history and then make decisions for your future treatment from there. We hope to keep our patients for a long time and therefore take a long term view of your dental care, taking treatment a step at a time.
Do the treatments hurt?

We recognise that going to the dentist is considered an ordeal by many people! We do our very best to ensure pain free dentistry as much as possible. We apply anaesthetic gel before an injection is given to take the sting off the needle and at all times both dentist and nurse will assess you the patient for signs of discomfort and stress.

How long do I have to wait for emergency treatment?

If you ring in the morning you should be seen later that day.
What is your cancellation policy?

If long appointments are cancelled on the day or with less than 24 hours notice we do charge if we cannot fill the surgery time allocated.