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Referral to a health centre or clinic

Your disability or medical condition may mean you need extra time, care or special features to receive proper dental treatment. A health centre or clinic can provide this.

Some hospitals or health centres offer specialist alternative treatment, which may involve sedation or general anaesthetic. This may be most suitable for disabled children, someone who has a severe learning disability or is, due to their particular impairment, unable to remain still during the treatment period.

Your dentist or doctor can refer you to the service best suited to your needs.

Home visits

If you are unable to visit a dentist, they may be able to bring dental treatment to where you live. Treatment options outside the surgery are limited. The time of day when the dentist can visit may also be limited due to normal surgery hours.

General dental practitioners may treat you at your home or temporary residence, provided your condition requires this and they agree to accept you as a patient for National Health Service (NHS) care. You should confirm with the dentist that care is being provided under NHS arrangements.

Alternatively, the NHS community dental service provided by your local primary care trust may be able to visit you at home. Your doctor or a local dentist can give you contact details.

• Find a local NHS dentist Opens new window

Medication

If you are taking any medication it's important to let your dentist know. Your dentist will also need to know the name of your doctor and, where relevant, the consultant at your hospital if you are taking medication, have had an operation or use, for example, an inhaler.

Your rights to healthcare

Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) you have rights of access to dentists' surgeries, and dentists should make 'reasonable adjustments' to their premises and procedures. A small dental surgery would perhaps not be expected to make the type of adjustment that a hospital would be able to make.

• Rights of access to health and social care

More about dental care

There is more information about dental care generally in the health and well-being section of Directgov.

The website of the British Dental Health foundation has plenty of information about all aspects of dental health, including information about dental care for people with special needs.

• Dentists (health and well-being section)
• British Dental Health Foundation website Opens new window