In Britain, we take queuing very seriously. We politely wait for the loo, to buy coffee, or even for the latest Apple product. Why do we do it? It is because we have a need or a want that we are prepared to wait for, and waiting will alleviate this need. For many of the children we treat on the NHS, there is a wait to begin orthodontic treatment. This is because the demand for our services is outstripping the supply granted to us by the NHS. That “queue” is getting longer and longer, and so we are having to close our doors to new NHS patients so that we can get the wait down to a more manageable level. It is not a decision we are happy about, but without more funds from the NHS becoming available we have no other choice.
Is waiting a problem? For most patients, no. A few patients have an urgent orthodontic treatment need and are ‘fast tracked’ to treatment. The remainder are routine cases and will not suffer any detriment to their dental health whilst they wait.
If you want to start your child’s treatment sooner, or want to take advantage of the other possible benefits available to your child, such as a wide choice of braces (including non-extraction options) and appointments outside of school hours, then paying yourself for their orthodontic treatment is an easy and affordable option for you.
If you want to know more, please contact our Treatment Coordinator, Gloria, on 01189 411628.
Paula