Hello Mark. I am a working pensioner who moved 85 miles away 5 years ago from a dentist who took over from my previously excellent dentist who retired. I continued to see this new dentist as for simple routine dental procedures he seemed OK.

Extracting a tooth recently and replacing with an additional tooth to my lower denture, costing me over £200 proved to be a disaster, causing me pain and inflammation. Any adjustments made were unsuccessful. I was unhappy with his technique, which seemed brusque and caused more pain, sticking an x-ray plate into my sore mouth and suggesting that he would need to remove the root of the tooth he’d extracted. I said I would have to think about this.

I have since seen a clinical dental technician, on recommendation, who removed the offending tooth replacing with another onto my denture immediately. Though the gum became sore slightly, it is far more comfortable and I know I can return to him for adjustment.

My 2 questions are: 1.When I find a good and experienced dentist in/near Brighton, Sussex, is my existing dentist legally obliged to send all x-rays and my dental history from his practice to my new dentist?
2. Can I insist that any dentist who I see use the clinical dental technician I found for myself as described above, although is he is even further away than 85 miles? I have confidence in him.

Sorry for this very long email and many, many thanks.