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This story is sponsored by The Raglan Suite.

Good oral health and feeling confident in your smile are closely related – yet there are still many of us living with dental issues that don’t give us much reason to grin.

One dental practice determined to turn the frown upside down is The Raglan Suite. Based in the centre of Harrogate, The Raglan Suite is a well-established practice and part of the Bupa Healthcare family, with over two decades of experience providing dental services across North Yorkshire and beyond.

The practice has worked tirelessly to build a referral network over many years. Currently, over 400 dentist practitioners refer their patients from across Yorkshire and the North East for advanced treatments such as dental implants, orthodontics, and other complex dental work.

While the majority of its patients are referred by other practices, the expert clinicians at The Raglan Suite also take on self-referrals, often made by those seeking out a particular treatment delivered by trusted professionals.

You don’t need to be a Bupa member or have Bupa insurance to be seen either – The Raglan Suite is open to everybody.

‘Patient-centred care’

The highly experienced team at The Raglan Suite understand that visiting the dentist – especially for specialised treatment beyond a regular check-up – can be a daunting prospect.

The Raglan Suite is a well-established practice, with over two decades of experience

The Raglan Suite has been providing quality dental care to the local Harrogate community for over 20 years. That’s why they treat patients as individuals, and their team of dedicated treatment coordinators will guide you along your bespoke dental journey.

If you’d class yourself as an especially nervous patient, they have ample experience assisting those who need extra reassurance, and are always happy to find stress-free solutions to suit.

Modern and welcoming facilities

The practice is conveniently located in Harrogate town centre, four minutes’ walk from the train station. For those driving, there’s on street parking on Raglan Street.

The Raglan Suite is conveniently located in Harrogate town centre

Inside you’ll discover a relaxed environment – there’s refreshments in the waiting area, where you can get comfortable on the sofa and set your mind at ease before your appointment.

The six treatment rooms all include digital X-ray machines and intra-oral cameras, as well as an on-site CBCT scanner and dental laboratory.

A range of specialised treatments

There’s a wide variety of treatments available to both dentist-referred and self-referred patients. Treatments include dental implants, orthodontic braces and other teeth-straightening procedures, bespoke dentures, root canal treatment, tooth removal and sedation for anxious patients – and much more.

Certain aesthetic dental services are also offered, like teeth whitening and both porcelain and composite veneers. If you’re unsure where to begin, the approachable team is always on hand to answer any questions and recommend the best course of action.

Find out more:

The Raglan Suite is located at 16 – 18 Raglan Street, HG1 1LE. For more information, visit the website, give them a call at 01423 565432, or fill out the enquiry form.

Chatsworth House dental patients in Harrogate to be offered alternative NHS provision

NHS dental patients at Chatsworth House Dental Clinic, in Harrogate, will be offered treatment at alternative NHS practices next month.

Chatsworth House, on King’s Road, announced in September it would stop providing NHS treatments from December 1.

The move heightened concerns about the lack of access to NHS dentistry in the Harrogate district.

It prompted Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, to seek assurances from the Integrated Care Board for Humber and North Yorkshire that local NHS provision would be expanded.

Mr Jones said today he had been told any patient on Chatsworth House’s roll in the last two years will be sent a letter by the NHS next month explaining where the new provision will be available.

Subject to the terms and conditions of their contract, any former NHS patient who has signed up for private services with Chatsworth House can apply to a new provider.

Mr Jones said:

“This is good news for NHS patients at Chatsworth House. It was important that the cash provided for NHS dental activity at Chatsworth House remained invested in Harrogate NHS dentistry. I am grateful to the ICB for ensuring this is the case.”

Mr Jones said more than 50 Chatsworth House patients had contacted him.

The ICB letter to Mr Jones said:

“We have written to eligible dental providers in Harrogate to invite them to submit an expression of interest in taking on more dental activity. This EOI went out week commencing 30 October and providers have been given two weeks in which to respond.

“Once EOIs are received, officers at the ICB will then consider all EOIs in order to allocate the dental activity. As soon as new providers are confirmed, the ICB will ensure that patients from Chatsworth House are written to, explaining where they may be able to find an alternative dentist.”

Mr Jones added he had “longer term aspirations for dentistry in our area:, adding:

“I want to see a centre of dental excellence for North Yorkshire based in Harrogate. This will train the next generation of NHS dentists and could help provide more capacity locally. I have also met two dentists locally who are looking to expand their practices and put them in touch with people in the NHS who can help with that. These discussions look very positive.

A review of NHS dentistry in August 2021 also found that there was just one NHS dentist practice per 10,000 people in the Harrogate district.

Plan to convert former Ripon dentist into flat

A plan has been lodged to convert a former dentist in Ripon into a flat.

The proposal, which has been lodged by Wilkinsons Properties Ltd, would see the former W&B Dental practice converted.

The dentists was formerly based at 12 High Skellgate in the city.

The practice has since moved to Phoenix Business Centre.

Under the plans, the first floor property would be converted into a one-bedroom flat and be accessed from High Skellgate.

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Harrogate district patients feeling ‘catastrophic impact’ of dental crisis

Patients in the Harrogate district are feeling the “catastrophic impact” of the dental crisis on their overall health, according to a new report.

Healthwatch North Yorkshire, the NHS body representing patients, is demanding a task force be set up to address the crisis in the county’s oral health due to a lack of NHS dentists.

The report outlines the impact of not being able to access an NHS dentist on the lives of more than 80 residents in the county, including Harrogate.

‘Urgent reform’

The watchdog said the issue needed “urgent reform”.

Ashley Green, chief executive officer at Healthwatch North Yorkshire, said:

“The case studies presented in this report reiterate the severe issues facing people across North Yorkshire. To hear the drastic measures people have resorted to after not being able to access an NHS dentist is harrowing.

“The financial impact, the impact on people’s mental health and on people’s physical health – these case studies reiterate the disaster people across our county are facing.

“Urgent reform is needed, and we urge that something is done now — before the situation gets even worse.”

A Harrogate case study detailed how one patient suffering gum pain called 10 dentists, both private and NHS, and offered to pay privately, but was told none were taking either NHS or private patients.

They said:

“I called 111 and was told to go and see my dentist, I explained I didn’t have a dentist and was told it was difficult at the moment.

“The pain was worsening so I ended up taking paracetamol, codeine and ibuprofen, spaced out at regular intervals. I again called 111, and only when I said I was now taking three types of painkiller did they take notice.

“They said a dentist would call me at around 7.30am next morning, so be up and ready to go. No phone call until 1.30pm telling me to go to a practice in Harrogate the next morning. I went and was seen for a couple of minutes, confirming that I had a gum infection. The dentist prescribed antibiotics, which did clear up the infection.

“My complaint is that dentists are not bound to give a person in pain help. I have heard this complaint from quite a few friends now, surely they should be duty bound to see emergency cases.”

The recommendations outlined in the report include:

• Establishing a dental task force for North Yorkshire that tackles the underlying issues identified in this and previous reports.
• Adopting a collaborative approach to addressing the dental crisis across the Humber and North Yorkshire region to ensure the commissioning of services meets the needs of the wider population.

Nationally, Healthwatch England has led calls for a radical rethink of NHS dentistry and it will be announcing its next steps over the coming weeks.

The government said it was increasing investment in services to improve access.

Acute problem of NHS dentists

Last year, the Stray Ferret revealed that just two Harrogate district NHS dentists were accepting patients but both had a waiting list of at least two-and-a-half years.

The investigation revealed how acute the problem of dental care is for people on low incomes in the district, with one councillor describing the situation as “shocking”.

Meanwhile, a review of NHS dentistry published in August 2021 found that found there was just one NHS dentist practice per 10,000 people in the district.

Healthwatch North Yorkshire is calling for people to share their views and experiences of health and social care, by visiting our website, calling 01423 788128 or emailing admin@hwny.co.uk.

Covid causes Harrogate residents to seek the perfect smile

There’s been a rise in demand for cosmetic dental treatments from teeth whitening to full smile makeovers according to Harrogate dentists who specialise in the field. Treatments such as veneers and composite bonding are at much higher levels than 18 months ago.

Now we are venturing out again and social calendars are filling up, people are looking to fix the things that have always bothered them, like crooked smiles or stained teeth.

Constant Zoom video calls during the pandemic also caused the ‘mirror effect’ meaning there’s no escaping hours looking at your dental imperfections.

Dr Shoreh Ghasmi, from The Harrogate Clinic

Dr Shoreh Ghasmi, who runs The Harrogate Clinic, on Prospect Crescent, said:

“I think everybody now wants to do something nice for their smile. Before they didn’t care that much.

“Many people stayed at home during the pandemic and have been using Zoom and I think it makes them aware of their smile and the state of their teeth. I have many patients now who have said they think they look awful on Zoom and don’t want to smile.

“Also when people have stayed at home, their partners have seen them much more and have noticed their teeth, so that’s another reason they are wanting to improve them.

“One of the crucial things is people are removing their masks and they are seeing much more of their smiles. Where as before when everybody had masks, people got used to their teeth. Now half of their face isn’t under a mask all of a sudden.”

Dr Jatinder ‘Sonny’ Sagoo, clinical director of Clover House dental practice, on Skipton Road, said he had also noticed a significant increase in elective treatments in the wake of the pandemic, as well as treatments to secure and maintain dental health.

He said:

“The two have to go hand-in-hand for long term successful outcomes. Although patients do come in asking for specific treatments we find it best to have a detailed conversation of the outcome they desire and then working out the best way of achieving it. Sometimes simple interventions can make a remarkable difference. With modern dentistry we increasingly make use of digital technologies to help plan, visualise and deliver results.

Dr Sagoo also said people have money to spend after a year of lockdown:

He said:

“In addition the inability to make other discretionary spending, such as holidays and eating out, probably means there is a higher level of disposable income available. Costs of treatments can now be easily spread over several months, making treatment more affordable from monthly cash flow.

“Dental treatments have also become really accessible and easier to tolerate, for example clear and invisible braces that straighten teeth without anyone knowing about the treatment.

“I definitely agree Zoom is a factor. In normal circumstances you can’t see your own smile, so it’s easier to ignore it if there’s something that’s not right.

“When you see your smile on the monitor – now often in high res – it can be a prompt. People generally want to present themselves in the best possible light and with Zoom the only bit of the person you normally see is their face and smile.”

Dr Jatinder ‘Sonny’ Sagoo, from Clover House dental practice

There has also been a notable increase in the number of adults getting braces in a bid for straighter teeth, said Dr Sagoo.

He said:

“In the noughties there was a marked trend in instant smile makeovers using ceramic veneers and crowns. If teeth were not straight they could be disguised to look straight.

“Whilst this gave instant results, there were long term consequences such as damage to enamel and dentine and also eventually the ceramics needed replacing.

“With the advent of clear aligner and invisible brace systems, it became easier and more acceptable to move crowded teeth so they were straight.

“If you couple this with tooth whitening to lift the colour and cosmetic bonding to make subtle refinements, it became easier to get great results and keep the natural tooth perfectly intact.

“The “Align, Bleach, Bond” method is much more conservative in its approach and therefore better for long term dental health.”