Welcome to The Dental CATS Service
The Heywood Middleton and Rochdale Oral Surgery Service and the Bury Oral Surgery Service, also known as the Dental Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service (Dental CATS), has been developed by the NHS in Greater Manchester to allow patients in Bury and Rochdale to receive specialist oral surgery treatment closer to home and reduce the amount of dental treatment that has to be done in hospital.
Why has it been developed?
The Dental CATS service has been developed because it will help us to stop people having to go to hospital when they don’t need to. It has a number of benefits:
- Care can be provided closer to home, within the community
- Reduced waiting times for patients to get the treatment they need.
- Frees up hospital appointments for the patients who need them the most.
- Improved self-help information to allow patients to manage their own conditions.
- Helps to manage the flow of patients more effectively.
- Allows referrals to be made quickly and reduces the number of incorrect referrals.
- Improves the overall patient experience.
Who is the service for?
Anyone aged over 18 in the Bury and Rochdale and nearby local areas can who requires specialist oral surgery treatment can be referred to the Dental CATS service. We receive our referrals from dentists in the Greater Manchester area.
Patients that have cancer or are suspected of having cancer or any other life threatening condition cannot be referred to Dental CATS and would instead receive treatment in hospital.
What types of treatment does Dental CATS provide?
Your regular dentist can perform a range of treatments such as fillings and removing a tooth. However, there are some forms of specialist oral surgical treatment that requires more specialist care than your dentist can provide but which Dental CATS can – such as removal of wisdom teeth, difficult surgical extractions and removal of buried broken roots.
Will there be a charge for treatment?
There are no charges for this treatment if treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic. If treatment is carried out under sedation then an NHS charge of £73.50 will apply which we will take in advance of your appointment over the phone.
Why am I being referred to Dental CATS when I used to go to hospital?
It is unnecessary for you to go to hospital because the same quality of treatment can be performed in a community location, closer to where you live. It also means that hospital appointments can be reserved for people who need more specialist medical help. You should be seen within four weeks of being referred, making it much quicker than going to hospital.
Where is the service located?
Treatment by the Dental CATS service is provided at Langley Dental Practice Middleton postcode M24 5RU and Market Place Dental Practice Ramsbottom postcode BL0 9HT
Will my treatment be done at my first appointment?
This depends on the type of treatment that your dentist is requesting. Sometimes we can do the treatment “on the day” sometimes the first appointment is a consultation. If you have been referred for sedation you will always have a consultation first. Our highly-trained staff will answer any questions that you may have in advance of your appointment.
