Lapsed registrations

Prior to April 2006, patient registrations lapsed automatically after 15 months. From April 2006, patient registrations lapse automatically after 36 months, unless (i) the patient returns within that 3-year period to the same NHS dental practice, or registers with another NHS dental practice (and the dentist agrees to re-register/register the patient), at which point registration continues for a further 36 months; (ii) the dentist de-registers the patient by giving three months' notice (immediate de-registration may occur if the patient fails to pay an NHS charge or is violent, or if the patient and the dentist agree that all future treatment will be carried out under private arrangements).

The change in the regulations means that patients will stay registered with their NHS dentist - and will be entitled to receive the full range of dental treatment available under GDS - for a longer period (unless de-registered). Therefore, from July 2007 until March 2009, no patient registrations will lapse; but from April 2009, the registrations of patients who have not returned to the same or another practice within 36 months will begin to lapse.

Example: under the old (15-month) regulations, patients registered at any point during March 2006 were due to lapse automatically on the last day of June 2007; under the new (36-month) regulations, patients registered at any point during April 2006 are due to lapse automatically on the last day of April 2009.

Lapsed registrations January 2005 to June 2007 by age group & NHS board