How to Get Referred to a Dentist
How to get referred to a dentist for complex cases and conditions that require specialist attention or advanced dental experience.
If you’re already registered with a dental practice, but they don’t offer a particular treatment or have no specialists within the practice to handle your complex smile problem. You’ll likely need a dental referral. With a dental referral, you’ll be submitted to another practice (perhaps locally or further afield) to undergo the specific treatment or procedure. Your local dentist handles any follow-up care. In some cases, your dental practice might only refer you to have a particular set of scans taken.
Typically, dental practices will refer to affiliated practices within the area, who can fill in their treatment gaps and vice versa. Your local practice will make the referral on your behalf and provide you with all the information you need moving forward. However, you don’t need your local dentist to be the middleman in this modern world. You can self-refer or undertake treatment with a practice you’ve researched, which will still pass you back to your local dentist for continued care.
Typical referral treatments
- Dental implants, zygomatic implants & CBCT scans
- Sinus lifts or bone augmentations
- Specialist oral surgeons for complicated extractions
- Wisdom teeth removal
- Advanced periodontal treatment (black triangle treatment)
- Gum recession (pinhole treatment)
- Root canal treatment or re-root canals
- iTero scans or OPG referrals
- Specialist orthodontics
- Dental sedation
Use the button below to make a referral to our practice in East Molesey, Surrey who can help with the above treatments.
NHS patients referred for specialist care only
If you’re self-referring and trying to receive free NHS dental care, some practices will only accept you if you are referred by your local NHS practice for specialist care only.
As there is a shortage of NHS dentists at the moment, the situation is quite dire, so if you come across an NHS dentist who cannot provide you with the treatment you need, you might be referred to another NHS dentist who can.
If you’re not registered with an NHS dentist, then you won’t be seen, and there’s not much hope of joining long waiting lists, which might delay your treatment for months or longer. Your only option here is to go private.
It is possible for a GP, dentist or another health professional to refer you to the services you need, however, this will vary by area and might not result in faster dental care.
Read: My Dentist is Going Private What Can I Do? Or explore your rights and choices around dental referrals here. Alternatively, 111 might be able to refer you in emergency situations.
