Restorative Dentistry

A comprehensive Restorative Dentistry specialist level clinical service (including all aspects of Endodontics, Traumatology, Fixed & Removable Prosthodontics and Periodontics) is provided within the Dental Hospital & School.
 
The role of the Restorative Dentistry service is to provide a diagnostic, treatment planning and advice service to referring practitioners. In recent years, the service has evolved in response to increasing referral numbers and changes in the dental health needs of the population. For many cases, a ‘shared-care’ service approach is offered whereby the Dental Hospital works in partnership with the referrer. This facilitates those elements of a treatment plan which require specialist level care to be delivered in the Dental Hospital with the other aspects of treatment being completed within primary care. The provision of specialist level Restorative treatment within the Dental Hospital is prioritized for the following patient groups:

• Head and neck cancer patients requiring rehabilitation following resection, radiotherapy or due to altered anatomy
• Patients with other acquired defects due to surgery or severe maxillofacial trauma
• Developmental and congenital abnormalities including cleft lip and palate, multidisciplinary cases, hypodontia and other developmental disturbances (e.g. amelogensis imperfecta)

Patients attending staff clinics should be aware that as part of a teaching hospital, students are often present on clinics.

Whilst patients are awaiting or undergoing treatment within the Dental Hospital they are expected to remain under the care of their General Dental Practitioner (GDP) for routine and emergency dental care, including emergency care for teeth being treated within the Dental Hospital. As the Dental Hospital is not able to register patients for continuing care, patients will be discharged to primary care for general dental care and maintenance of treatment provided within the Dental Hospital.

Restorative Dentistry operates with a highly skilled team over three floors of the building. The team is led by the various stipendiary and academic Consultants within Restorative Dentistry. A number of Dental Nurses hold additional qualifications and the specialist service is supported by a core of experienced Dental Hygienists and Therapists. Laboratory support is provided by Dental Technicians in the Removable Prosthodontic and Fixed Prosthodontic laboratories.

The Restorative Dentistry Service

The role of the Restorative Dentistry service is to provide a Specialist level service for advice, diagnostics and treatment planning.

• We provide advice, second opinions and treatment planning for appropriate referred cases where relevant information is supplied by the referrer.
• New Patient appointments are usually a one-off appointment for examination +/- special tests/ investigations as required. Following this, the patient is either offered treatment within the Dental Hospital or discharged. Correspondence is sent to the referring practitioner detailing the outcome of the New Patient Assessment.
   

Cases suitable for treatment within the Restorative Department are identified at New Patient clinics and depend on the complexity of the patient’s treatment needs, service capacity and the training requirements within the hospital and school.

Cases not meeting acceptance criteria for specialist Restorative treatment within DDH&S:

• If a referring clinician wishes treatment planning advice only, please highlight this in the referral and ensure that the patient is aware that they are not likely to return to the Dental Hospital for treatment following their assessment appointment.
• Cases which are assessed on a New Patient clinic but deemed not to require specialist input are likely to be returned to the referring clinician with a treatment plan.
   

Please note that preference for Specialist level treatment is given to the following priority patient groups:

• Head and neck cancer patients requiring rehabilitation following resection, radiotherapy or due to altered anatomy
• Developmental and congenital abnormalities including cleft lip & palate, hypodontia and other developmental disturbances (e.g. Amelogenesis imperfecta).
• Patients with other acquired defects due to surgery or severe maxillofacial trauma

Undergraduate and postgraduate students and dentists in training:

• Routine restorative care is delivered via the undergraduate BDS [Dental] and BSc (Oral Health Sciences) [Therapy] student clinics.
• Complex care is delivered by NHS Core Trainees (CT), Specialty Training Registrars (StR) and overseas postgraduate students in Prosthodontics or Endodontics who work under the supervision of Consultants.
• Acceptance for treatment on such clinics is dictated by students’ and trainees’ educational needs and cannot be guaranteed to be available: this often shows fluctuation relating to timetables, intakes, examinations and waiting time directives.

To directly refer onto a undergraduate Restorative Student Clinic please follow the instructions found at https://dentistry.dundee.ac.uk/dundee-dental-hospital

Please see Dundee Dental Hospital Specialist Services Service: Restorative Dentistry – Who to Refer for accepted and rejected referral criteria

SCI Gateway should be used for making referrals and be aware that your patient may be offered a virtual appointment as appropriate

Please see Dundee Dental Hospital Specialist Services Service: Restorative Dentistry - Making a Referral for more information on making a referral

The Initial consultation/ assessment appointment
Patients attending for a new patient assessment should not expect treatment at that appointment unless they are attending a ‘One-Stop Clinic’. The first appointment allows relevant information to be gathered, a dental examination and possible investigations to be carried out. If further appointments are required, the member of staff will advise.

Endodontic one-stop clinics
From February 2020, patients requiring fractured post removal and canal location in single rooted teeth where the canal is clearly seen radiographically, will be assessed and treated at the same appointment if possible to expedite treatment requiring one visit only.

For this service to function as planned it is essential that patients are advised by referring dentists to:

• Carefully read the information contained within their appointment letter so that the patient is aware of treatment planned at the appointment
• Attend the appointment with a list of their current medication (without this treatment cannot go ahead)
• Attend the appointment knowing that it may span up to 2 hours

Failure to attend
If a patient fails to attend for an appointment on either a staff or student clinic they are likely to be discharged and require re-referral.

Discharge
Patients who are not suitable for treatment in tertiary care will be discharged with a treatment plan after assessment. Those returning for treatment in the hospital will be discharged either after the completion of this or if several consecutive appointments are cancelled by the patient or the patient fails to attend.

If you would like help or advice on a clinical matter relating to one of your patients or regarding referral of a patient please contact us.

Main reception: 01382 425791
Enquiries about referrals: 01382 740918
To send or request copies of radiographs email with the patient’s name, address and date of birth within the TAY.radiologyddh@nhs.scot

To send photographs related to the referral (maximum of 4 JPEGs) email with the patient’s name, address and date of birth within the email: tay.taysideclinicalphotography@nhs.scot