Dental Centre

The Dental Centre at RAF Valley is part of the Defence Dental Agency (DDA), a Tri-service Organisation tasked with providing dental treatment to all service personnel and entitled civilians.

Our objectives are to meet all your dental needs, ensuring that you get the best possible treatment and care. This will ensure that not only will you fulfill your military duties at home and abroad but we hope to provide you with the basis to keep your teeth and gums healthy for life.

Dental hygiene products

The dental centre sells a wide range of toothbrushes, floss, tape and interdental brushes, all at very competitive prices. We also sell electric toothbrushes and replacement heads.

Complaints

Should you have any complaints, suggestions or queries regarding your treatment or the management of the Dental Centre, please bring them to the attention of the Practice Manager or a Dental Officer.

If you consider that your case has not been properly dealt with, then please put your evidence in writing to the Senior Dental Officer. All complaints will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence, promptly and to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Going Overseas?

It is essential that all personnel arrive at their overseas unit dental fit. Service personnel must contact the Dental Centre as part of their preparation for posting and complete any necessary treatment.

If dependants are to accompany Service personnel they are to ensure that they are dental fit, irrespective of their destination (AP3392, leaflet 1509). It is imperative that dependants have any outstanding treatment completed prior to leaving the UK.

Leaving the Service?

It is not a requirement to be dental fit when leaving the Services; however; should you wish to be, ensure that you give at least 6 months notice so that we have sufficient time to complete any necessary treatment.

Remember also that dental treatment for Service personnel once on terminal leave is to be provided by a civilian Practitioner under your own arrangements.

Arrangements for Families

We regret that the DDA is not established or funded to permit the treatment of families in the UK. Service dependants are encouraged to register with a civilian Dental Practitioner.

A comprehensive range of dental treatments are available to entitled personnel, delivered in a highly professional and informative manner.

Treatment options will be explained in full and for those personnel undergoing more complex treatment procedures, the DDA provide a referral service which includes consultants and specialists in orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery and the respective disciplines.

Appointments

Making an appointment couldn't be easier. Simply contact the Dental Centre on Ext. 7321 and our receptionist will arrange an appointment for you. If we are unable to answer the telephone, please leave a message on the answer machine and one of our staff will get back to you as soon as possible.

Emergencies Whilst at RAF Valley

During working hours

Contact reception and an appointment will be made as soon as possible during our normal emergency treatment times. When there is no dental cover at RAF Valley, general dental emergencies will be referred to the Dental Centre at Chester or RAF Cosford.

Out Of Hours

Please contact the Dental Centre on ext 7321 and the answerphone message will include the mobile number of the duty dental staff on call at that time.

Emergencies Whilst On Leave

Serving personnel requiring emergency treatment whilst on leave are to contact their nearest DDA clinic. Where this is impractical, due to distance or other difficulty, personnel are to seek emergency treatment from a civilian Dental Practice, normally under NHS arrangements.

In the absence of NHS facilities, the reimbursement of fees for emergency treatment only is now authorised, on production of a receipt and after authentication by their DDA Dental officer. Similarly, the charges for the urgent repair of a removable denture will be reimbursed, again on production of an authenticated receipt.

Charges other than for emergency treatment are the responsibility of the patient.

Dental Inspections

TheMilitary insist that all personnel receive an annual dental inspection to ensure they are fit to serve. It is to your advantage to be seen regularly so that any treatment can be diagnosed early. Any treatment that is required will be discussed with you and if there is anything that you do not understand then please do not hesitate to ask the advice of our Dental Officer or indeed any member of the Dental Team.

Canceling Appointments
Should you be unable to attend any dental appointment, please inform the dental staff in advance and as soon as possible.

Failing to Attend an Appointment
Failing to attend and appointment is inexcusable and an unacceptable waste of time and resources; it prevents us from treating another patient. Without prior notification we are not able to book patients in on short notice. This has the knock on effect of increasing waiting lists, and increasing the time it takes to complete your treatment.

All failed appointments are recorded in your notes, which may have a bearing on future treatment.

Repeated failures to attend for treatment may also result in disciplinary action.

Entitlement to Treatment
We regret that we are only permitted to see service personnel. Families are advised to register with a local civilian dentist. NHS dentists near RAF Valley are as listed below:

Valley:

Mr. Adl 01407 763399

Holyhead

Mr. Evans 01407 463399

Mrs. Dixon 01407 763455

If you experience difficulty in finding a dentist locally, please contact NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 who will be able to tell you which dentists are currently taking on NHS patients.