Stephen Godfrey
Dental Care

Why should I refer a patient to Stephen Godfrey Dental Care?

We will accept referrals for a number of different scenarios. If you want to undertake a treatment yourself, we may be able to provide guidance by telephone or letter after we have seen a supporting radiograph. You may also wish to refer your patient for a consultation due to a difficult diagnosis or because you are seeking a second opinion about the outcomes or long-term prognosis of a tooth. Finally, we regularly accept patient referrals for the treatments to be carried out at Stephen Godfrey Dental Care (see below).

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What kind of cases can I refer?

With the spiralling cost of professional indemnity insurance and a continual rise in claims, referring patients to a specialist practice like Stephen Godfrey Dental Care reduces practice risk in technically complex and demanding cases.

The technology and training costs associated with providing advanced dentistry are considerable and ongoing. By associating with a specialist provider, your practice can focus on core revenues and increasing margins.

As an experienced provider of postgraduate training, our team and techniques remain at the forefront of best practice. We take clinical and legal obligations extremely seriously with robust control systems to protect you and your patients – our reputation depends on it.

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What treatments are available?

Each member of the team at Stephen Godfrey Dental Care has specific areas of expertise. Collectively, they represent a powerful solution for advanced dentistry with treatments available including:

Implantology – from a single implant to whole mouth rehabilitation. A full range of bone augmentation procedures is available, plus maintenance and replacement of existing implant prostheses.

Endodontics – from conventional to re-treatment micro endodontics; post removal; separated instruments; emergency management of pain or trauma; non-vital bleaching and complex anatomy.

Oral Surgery – diagnosis and treatment of impacted wisdom teeth, endodontic surgery, surgical extraction and minor soft tissue surgery.

Restorative and Prosthodontics – aesthetic treatments, implant prostheses, replacement restorations and full mouth rehabilitations.

Hygiene Therapy – non-surgical hygiene therapies, supportive care and maintenance of advanced dentistry and implant patients.

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Will my patient have their treatment options fully explained?

Absolutely. At Stephen Godfrey Dental Care, we believe that a patient who fully understands the treatment, its process and timeframe has less anxiety. We will work with you to ensure your referred patient is completely at ease with the proposed treatment, and we will keep you and the patient fully informed from enquiry to completion.

All correspondence is duplicated to the referring practice, and our costs are laid out openly so that both you and your patient are fully aware of the treatment plan from day one.

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Is it possible to ‘fast track’ referrals?

In the case of dental emergencies, you may be able to refer your patient over the phone for immediate treatment by calling us on 01246 417893. Where possible, we will see the referred patient on the same day but a next day appointment may be offered for emergency treatment.

Typical fast track cases include:

• Severe pain from pulpitis - these teeth are often difficult and time consuming to diagnose, anesthetize and treat, and the patient may require high levels of sympathy and care
• Facial swelling due to periapical infection - these cases may require root canal therapy and drainage as a matter of urgency
• Trauma - prompt care is a priority to reduce future complications, e.g. root resorption, discolouration

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What is your post treatment protocol for referral patients?

Once referred work is completed, the patient is handed back to your care for their ongoing dental needs. We ask patients receiving complex restorations to return to Stephen Godfrey Dental Care for an annual check with feedback returned to the referring practice. This process is kept entirely separate from any other dental care provided by your practice.