Is My Old Dentist Legally Obliged to Send X-Rays to My New Dentist?
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.
In answer to your questions, why don’t you ask your CDT if he works with or knows dentists in your area? That should solve both your queries. If he currently does not then equally so he should be able to identify the right kind of candidates and I would suggest he approaches them for you. You are legally entitled to copies of your dental records at any time. In some cases administrative fees are charged to cover the costs of making copies, particularly with old style x-rays (non digital). Best wishes, Mark.
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