Why Can I Not Transmit Guaranteed Treatment Items Without an Exam?

As you may or may not be aware there have been changes when it comes to transmitting guaranteed treatment items. You will now get a warning in SFD if you attempt to transmit and do not meet the new regulations. The regulations are shown below and can also be found by following the links.

Does a full mouth examination need to be carried out with guaranteed treatment?

Where a Band 2 or Band 3 course of treatment is submitted as a ‘Free repair/Replacement’ claim, a full mouth examination should have been carried out as part of that course of treatment.

The relevant regulations in respect of this advice are as follows:

If a claim under ‘Free repair/Replacement’ is made within 12 months of the provision of a restoration - defined by The National Health Service (Dental Charges) Regulations 2005 (Part 2. [1]) as any filling, root filling, inlay, porcelain veneer or crown - as part of a Band 2 or Band 3 course of treatment; then The National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) Regulations 2005, Part 1.2 apply. This defines a course of treatment as:

(a) An examination of a patient, an assessment of their oral health, and the planning of any treatment to be provided to that patient as a result of that examination and assessment; and

(b) the provision of any planned treatment (including any treatment planned at a time other than the time of the initial examination) to that patient, provided by, except where expressly provided otherwise, one or more providers of primary dental services, but it does not include the provision of any orthodontic services or dental public health services.

Click here to be directed to the NHS Dental Services' page.

Where applicable you will need to add on an Exam to your treatment plan that includes a single guaranteed item. Once the exam is added onto your treatment plan, simply double click on the exam, tick the box next guaranteed (shown below). As you would do previously before the changes, make sure the guaranteed box is ticked on your treatment item also.

When the item and the exam is marked as guaranteed, the text will show as ‘CUR’ (example below).



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