North Wales Dental Service
The North Wales Dental Service is managed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. It works closely with Clinical Leads, Dental Practice Advisors, Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs), Local Dental Committee (LDC) and Consultants in Dental Public Health. It is guided strategically by the North Wales Oral Health Strategy Group. Together they are responsible for ensuring the optimal service delivery models and associated patient pathways possible, supported by specialist advice and/or access to care, that meets the needs of the local population whilst achieving the nationally expected standards of care provision.
North Wales Dental Service is responsible for the delivery of NHS Primary Care dental services to the population of North Wales. Services commissioned and delivered through North Wales Dental Service are:
- General Dental Services (GDS) and Personal Dental Services (PDS)
- Urgent Dental Services
- Oral Health Promotion commissioned by Welsh Government
- Intermediate tier services
- Specialised dental services including:
- Prison dentistry
- Dental services for people who may not otherwise seek or receive dental care, such as people with learning disabilities, elderly housebound people, people with mental or physical health problems or other disabling conditions which prevent them from visiting a dentist in the high street.
- Domiciliary services
- Orthodontics
- Conscious sedation & dental treatment under general anaesthetic
- Oral surgery
The service also delivers education to specified patient groups through service delivery and specialist programmes:
- Designed to Smile (A focused programme concentrating on children living in deprived areas)
- Gwên am Byth (Older people living in Care Homes)
- Seren o Wên (Child Learning Disability Programme)
- Gwên Wen (Adult Learning Disability Programme)
- Mouthcare for Adults in Hospital (MAH)
Service commissioning is guided in part by the Local Area Oral Health Needs Assessment produced by Public Health Wales, Guidance and Operating Frameworks produced by Welsh Government and the Chief Dental Officer circulars and letters, the General Dental Service (GDS) contract regulations and Welsh Government Circulars for the Community Dental Service role and remit is defined by WG circular.
