Cambridge dentists should not be all about costs
A Cambridgeshire man has said that dental treatment should not be all about expense.
Ian Winters, from Eaton Socon, claimed that he was told that he needed to have two teeth repaired by a local cambridge dentist but when he visited the dental wing of his local hospital, Hinchingbrooke, he was told that the teeth were going to be removed.
Reports have suggested that one tooth was then removed and that a future appointment was made for the removal of the second one.
Later in October 2009 Winters claimed that he returned to his general dental practitioner (GDP) with a separate issue and was again referred to Hinchingbrooke.
Allegedly he attended the hospital again and he was told that he would have to have a tooth removed again.
When he asked if the tooth could be prepared via root canal he was reportedly informed that the hospital was too under-staffed to perform that procedure.
Winters refused to have the removal procedure and returned to his GDP.
He said that with today’s modern technology the best treatment should be available at all times and not based on the finances of the specific hospital or clinic.
Winters also complained that Hinchingbrooke had removed his teeth as a matter of course.
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Dear Sir/Madam
Specialist Dental Services on the Hinchingbrooke hospital site are provided by Cambridgeshire Community Services. Whilst we cannot enter into correspondence about individual patients, in all cases treatment will be based on a discussion with the patient on options available with the aim of securing the best possible outcome for that person. No treatments are ruled out on the grounds of staffing levels.
We have asked that Mr Winter contact us direct so that we may explore his concerns more fully and identify any communication issues that may have arisen at his appointment.
Yours sincerely
Maria Ross-Russell
Clinical Lead, Community Dental Service
Cambridgeshire Community Services