At David Neal Dental we aim to provide you with the highest standards of dental care, and for you to have the most positive experience possible every time you visit our practice.
We are always happy to answer any questions you may have, and on this page you will find the most Frequently Asked Questions from our patients. If you are unable to find the information you are looking for, please call or email our Reception Team and we will be delighted to help you.
At David Neal Dental Hastings we are pleased to offer dental care to both NHS and private patients. If wished, patients are welcome to choose private treatment for all or selected NHS treatments. Your NHS status will not be affected if you do choose private treatment.
Children are welcome are David Neal Dental Hastings– we offer dental care to the whole family.
We currently promote the DENTALCHECKUP by 1 Scheme which cares for all babies under 1 year old and are accepting referrals from health visitors and GPs.
We always aim to offer the first available appointments, and this is usually within one week. On occasion this is not possible, eg if your preferred dentist is away, so where possible we aim to offer you a suitable alternative.
We hold a limited number of emergency appointments for registered David Neal Dental patients who are experiencing dental-related pain and swelling. So, if you have noticeable swelling, excessive bleeding or pain that you cannot control with pain relief, please call our Reception Team at 8am on weekdays to secure the first available emergency treatment time.
Where possible, emergency appointments are given on the same day. These appointments are not long-length, but we aim to remove the source of pain to give immediate relief and so you are ready for remedial treatment as required.
If our Reception Team cannot pick up your call during working hours, please leave a voice message and a member of our team will call you back as soon as possible.
If you are in need of emergency dental care outside of normal working hours, please call the NHS emergency dental service on 01424 850792 or call NHS Direct on 111 for help and advice.
Our normal opening hours for private and NHS patients are 8:00am until 5:00pm Monday to Friday.
Please read the question above “Do you offer emergency appointments?” if you are in need of urgent dental care out of normal opening hours.
NHS dental charges are fixed by the government. There are currently three bands of NHS treatment charges. Patients who pay for their NHS treatment will pay according to the treatment required.
For NHS treatment, you will be asked to pay the appropriate Band fee in advance of receiving treatment.
Private treatment fees are payable as you go whether you are a fully private patient or a patient who has opted to have some private treatment. We may take deposits for long appointments or in advance for lab work, so please be prepared to pay when requested.
You may qualify for FREE NHS dental treatment or partial exemption from NHS charges if you or your partner is in one of the categories below. Please note that proof of benefit or circumstances is required at the point of treatment.
Download NHS Dental Exemptions Form
Our policy is for your dentist to discuss your treatment options with you, and then to provide you with a treatment plan that details those options, along with the costs. This will help you make the best treatment option decision for you and to make sure you understand how much you will need to pay.
NHS emergency appointments are a Band 1 charge of £23.80, which covers the appointment. Your dentist will then discuss further appointments needed and charges.
Private emergency treatment is charged for treatment carried out on the day, and future treatment needs will also be discussed.
Your dentist can provide you with the actual costs of your dental treatment once they have examined you. Our Reception Team can provide you with approximate costs if you would like a general understanding of costs.
We offer finance options for high-end treatments such as dental implant work and cosmetic treatments. Please speak to our Reception Team for more information.
Yes. Our dentists are all highly skilled dental and healthcare professionals who pride themselves on providing outstanding clinical treatment. Our team also includes a team of dental nurses, receptionists and managers who ensure that our dentists are fully supported and that the practice runs smoothly. Our dentists all have their own areas of special dental interests, so we are able to offer a wide range of treatment options within the practice.
All of our dentists are registered with the General Dental Council (GDC), the government body that regulates dental practitioners in the UK. Our dentists attend courses through a mandatory programme for continuous professional development which assists them in continually achieving new levels of success.
You can check the qualifications and current registration of any individual dentist or dental assistant on the GDC website
Yes, we abide by strict legal guidelines on patient confidentiality as we take your privacy very seriously. Only relevant staff members have access to patient information. Please note that the relevant social services or the police may be given access to your data in the event of a safeguarding issue.
Click here to see our Privacy Policy, or ask a member of our Reception Team and they will be pleased to provide one.
We do understand that it is sometime not possible to keep your booked appointment time, but ask that, whenever reasonable, you give us 48 hours’ notice if you are unable to attend. This enables us to offer your appointment to someone else who needs treatment.
For private appointments, we may charge a fee for a missed appointment or late attendance. If a patient is regularly late or misses appointments, they may lose their place on our patient list as we need to ensure that patient time is not wasted.
We are proud that the majority of our patients give us positive feedback – if you are pleased with the treatment you have received please do recommend us as a practice and let us know on our contact forms. You may also like to leave a Google or Facebook review.
If you have concerns about your treatment or have not been satisfied with the service you have received, we encourage you to discuss this with your dentist or with our Practice Manager, Sarah Beckwith, by email at sarahb@davidnealdental.co.uk, as we are always keen to resolve any issues quickly and professionally. If necessary, we will follow through with our Complaints Procedure.
Alternatively, you can write in confidence to Lorraine Barrett, Area Manager at Lorraine@davidnealdental.co.uk who will deal with the matter personally.
Click here for our Complaints Procedure