Community Dental Service

The Special Care Dentistry Service in Norfolk and Waveney is largely a ‘referral only’ service providing high quality care and treatment for patients that are resident, including homeless and socially excluded groups, within Norfolk and Waveney that meet the following criteria:

Children and adults who cannot be managed by a High Street dentist or General Dental Practitioner (GDP) because they have:

• Learning disabilities (including people who exhibit challenging behaviour)

• Severe mental health problems (including people who exhibit challenging behaviour)

• Severe physical and/or medical compromise including bariatric patients (over 23 stone 140kg) that cannot be treated in a general dentist practice

• Complex social problems (including the homeless and drug/alcohol dependent)

• Children from socially deprived backgrounds who cannot receive on-going care from general dental practice

• Children requiring treatment who cannot be treated in general dental practice owing to behavioural difficulties and/or severe anxiety management

• Adults and children with severe dental phobia who require sedation for care

We welcome referrals from dentists (General Dental Practitioners) and Health and Social Care professionals into our services. Self-referrals are also welcome for some services. To see our full criteria for those who can access our service, please visit our website or contact your nearest clinic. The Service may provide a single item of treatment or a complete course of dental treatment for a patient and then discharge them to return to their own dentist. Occasionally, where appropriate, the Service will provide a patient’s long term dental care. It is recognised that patients’ needs do change with time and patients eligibility for ongoing care will be reassessed regularly. Patients whose needs can be provided by general dental practices will be discharged from the service.

*Details correct at time of update 28/09/2021