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Introduction
The Community Dental Service exists to complement the general (or 'high street') dental
service. We offer care mostly to the most vulnerable members of our communities, such as children with high
levels of dental problems, children and adults with special needs and the elderly. There are also facilities
for conscious sedation and general anaesthetic. We receive referrals from other dentists, doctors, nurses,
social workers and other related professionals.
The Objectives of the Service are:
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The provision of oral health promotion programmes
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Epidemiological studies investigating the patterns of oral diseases in the local
community.
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The provision of oral health care for people who would not or cannot receive treatment
from the General Dental Service (GDS), such as those with special needs or children with high needs.
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The provision of oral health care for patients who have experienced difficulty in
obtaining treatment from the GDS – the ‘safety net’.
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The provision of treatment that is not generally available in the GDS, such as general
anaesthesia, conscious sedation and orthodontics.
Priority in the provision of oral health care is given to those disadvantaged groups who
cannot or do not use the GDS:
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Children with extensive disease
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Children from families who do not normally use the GDS
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Adults and children who are disabled and or have a compromising medical problem which can
both affect their oral health and the accessibility to dental services
The Community Dental Service exists to monitor and improve the dental health of the
population and provide dental treatment for those patients who have difficulty in obtaining treatment from
other services. The Community dental Service will provide both a dental public health and treatment service
acing in a complimentary way to the hospital and general practitioner services.
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