Questions Frequently Asked by Dentists
Why should I refer to MIDHS?
It is the responsibility of the dentist to monitor/screen patients for the presence of periodontal diseases, including the use of relevant radiographs, and to make a diagnosis. We hold the patient’s trust to present a choice of treatment options, including the offer of a referral to other team members when this may be beneficial. This is followed by the presentation of a treatment plan with defined therapeutic goals.
Referrals for patients with periodontal problems, whether to specialist practitioners or hospital consultants will depends on several factors:
1. The GDP's knowledge and ability to treat patients, which will vary considerably
2. The patient's desire to see a specialist or undergo specialist treatment
3. The age and general health status of the patient
4. The complexity of treatment required
5. The availability of hospital consultant appointments
6. The patient’s ability to pay a private specialist's fee
These factors will influence effective options and treatment outcomes.
MIDHS offer immediate appointments at an intermediate cost to your patients delivered by a very experienced team. Fees are time-based, starting at £48.00.
Do I have control of what MIDHS do?
MIDHS should be thought of as part of your own periodontally experienced team, with a combined knowledge and skills developed over many years in specialist periodontal practice. We will be delivering the therapy within our skills and experience but to your treatment plan or prescription. We offer treatment times to suit the patient, and can re-establish and maintain healthy gums at an affordable cost.
What difference can MIDHS make?
Hygienists have particular skills such as advanced education in prevention, motivation, scaling, and root surface debridement. If you have a hygienist in your practice they will have furthered and developed these skills.
At MIDHS we underline the importance of the time, effort and skills needed to ‘coach’ the more challenging patient, based on our qualifications, studies, experience and achievements. We treat these patients with thoroughness, efficiency and the essential equipment that is on hand in our surgeries. By teaching those patients that are more difficult to motivate to control their plaque and remove biofilm daily, and by bringing them back to health, we reinforce the working accomplishments of your practice and hygienist. We give written feedback to your team and the patient and we offer on-going verifiable CPD to members of your team that wish for it.
What about my NHS patients?
Whilst NHS treatment should be sufficient, as a hygienist referral practice we can allocate all the time needed to offer a service that focuses on education and obtaining patient compliance. We treat periodontal diseases non-surgically, teach patients the value and techniques of preventative care, explain the consequences of poor follow-up, reinforce changes and give vital encouragement. Therefore we offer more than treatment, a return to periodontally healthy tissue, establishing stability even where there is tissue loss and excellent oral hygiene habits aimed at retaining teeth for life.
What about charges to my patient?
Our fees are based on the time and costs of providing the standard of care that is exactly right for your referred patient. Our therapy is designed to achieve long-term oral health. Your practice or your patient can be accountable for the fees, as you chose. We can estimate after a ‘level 1’ appointment how much further work will need to be done and we will communicate our findings to you.
How will this help build my practice?
We will support you in maintaining the health of teeth and gums, rather than only responding to and treating problems. Remember, you can decide if we invoice you for our fees or the patient.
What is the risk of losing my patient if I refer?
Our hygienist surgeries are not equipped for general dentistry; they are attractive, small and sufficient.
We work under your prescription and at no time will your patient be seen by another dentist at any of the sites where we operate, without your express request. However, for patients who don't have their own dentist, we have a dentist available for some hours, for examination and referral of patients and for dental treatment if they require and request it.
How will you protect my patient?
We will avoid damage and confirm that periodontal treatments do not ‘take off the enamel’ or loosen the teeth - we take time to confirm that, to dispel common fears. We are covered by Dental Protection in our own right and have additional liability insurance as required by any dental practice. We are currently enrolled and working towards full Care Quality Control (CQC) compliance.
How can you look after my patient if your team are peripatetic?
Patients can have a choice of where they see us and on which days. They can access us after their appointment if they have a perceived problem (which is very unlikely with periodontal therapy). They can contact the hygienist via the surgery at all times and the hygienist will call them back and keep you informed. We will refer back to you at once if a change of treatment plan is needed or another problem arises that needs your direction.
What’s in it for the dentist?
It’s not the dentist who asks this question of course but those who, being a little more cynical, fail to understand the high ideals and ethics of our profession!
Some dentists do not have the space or cannot afford a hygienist in their practice. MIDHS allows them to offer a referral to ‘their off-site’ hygienist of the highest calibre and experience, without committing their own surgery to space and expense.
Most importantly, a dentist that refers will have the gratitude of their patients and the satisfaction of knowing that they have referred to an ‘added value’ service that enhances the patient’s sense of dental care, rather than accepting a gradual deterioration or frequent, recurring treatment.