Terms and Conditions

About These Terms

These terms and conditions set out the basis on which Newkirkgate Dental Care provides dental services to patients. By registering with the practice or attending an appointment, you agree to these terms.

Please read them carefully. If you have any questions, our reception team is happy to help. You can reach us on 0131 554 3509 or at smile@newkirkgatedental.co.uk.

These terms do not affect your statutory rights as a patient or consumer.

1. About the Practice

Newkirkgate Dental Care is an NHS Lothian provider and a private dental practice. All clinical staff adhere to the standards set out by the General Dental Council in its publication Standards for Dental Professionals.

2. Registering as a Patient

2.1

Registration as a patient at Newkirkgate Dental Care is subject to the availability of NHS or private appointments and the practice’s capacity to accept new patients at the time of enquiry.

2.2
Registration does not guarantee the immediate availability of an appointment. We will contact you to arrange your first appointment after registration has been completed.

2.3
Patients are required to provide accurate and complete information when registering, including full name, date of birth, address, contact details and relevant medical history. Failure to provide accurate information may affect the care we are able to provide.

2.4
NHS registration is subject to the practice’s NHS contract with NHS Lothian. The practice reserves the right to remove patients from its NHS list in accordance with NHS regulations where there is clinical justification or a breakdown of the patient-practitioner relationship.

2.5
Patients wishing to register their children must be the parent or legal guardian of the child and must provide consent for treatment on the child’s behalf until the child is of sufficient age and maturity to consent independently.

3. Appointments

3.1
Appointments are offered subject to availability. We will do our best to accommodate appointment preferences including day, time and preferred dentist, but cannot guarantee availability of specific dentists or appointment times.

3.2
Patients are asked to arrive on time for their appointment. Arriving significantly late may mean the appointment cannot proceed in full and a further appointment may be required.

3.3
We ask that patients give at least 24 hours notice if they need to cancel or rearrange an appointment. Notice can be given by telephone on 0131 554 3509 or by email at smile@newkirkgatedental.co.uk.

3.4
The practice reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee for appointments that are cancelled without 24 hours notice or where a patient fails to attend without prior notification. Where a charge applies, patients will be notified in advance of the practice’s current cancellation policy.

3.5
Repeated late cancellations or non-attendance may result in the patient being discharged from the practice’s patient list.

3.6
Emergency appointments are held back daily for registered patients. Emergency slots are offered at the discretion of the clinical team based on clinical need. Registering with the practice does not guarantee a same-day emergency appointment on any given day.

3.7
The practice reserves the right to cancel or rearrange appointments in the event of unforeseen clinical circumstances, staff absence or other matters beyond our reasonable control. We will give as much notice as possible in these circumstances and will make alternative arrangements.

4. Treatment and Consent

4.1
All dental treatment at Newkirkgate Dental Care is provided with the patient’s informed consent. Your dentist will explain the proposed treatment, the alternatives available and the associated costs before any treatment begins.

4.2
Patients have the right to refuse or withdraw consent for any aspect of their treatment at any time. Refusing treatment will not affect the quality of care offered for treatments you do accept.

4.3
A written treatment plan and cost estimate will be provided for all proposed treatment. No treatment will proceed without your agreement to the plan and confirmation of your consent.

4.4
Where a patient is under 16, or where clinical assessment determines that a patient lacks capacity to consent for themselves, consent must be obtained from a parent, legal guardian or other appropriate representative in accordance with the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 and the Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991.

4.5
Patients are responsible for following the clinical advice and aftercare instructions provided by their dentist. Where a patient chooses not to follow advice, the practice cannot be held responsible for outcomes resulting from that decision.

4.6
The practice will take and retain clinical records including X-rays, photographs and treatment notes as required by GDC regulations and NHS guidelines. Records are retained for a minimum of ten years from the date of last treatment, or until the patient’s 25th birthday if they were a child at the time.

4.7
Where a patient requests treatment that the clinician believes is not in the patient’s best clinical interest, the clinician reserves the right to decline to provide that treatment in accordance with their professional obligations under GDC standards.

5. Fees and Payment

5.1
NHS dental treatment is provided in accordance with NHS Scotland regulations. Charges are calculated at 80% of the cost of treatment up to a maximum of £384 per course of treatment. Fees are set by NHS Scotland and are subject to change. Current fee information is available from the reception team.

5.2
Patients entitled to free NHS dental treatment must provide proof of eligibility at each appointment. The practice reserves the right to charge the standard NHS rate if proof of exemption cannot be provided at the time of treatment.

5.3
Private treatment fees are confirmed in writing in the patient’s treatment plan before any treatment begins. Fees quoted are those in effect at the time the treatment plan is agreed. Where treatment extends beyond the originally agreed plan, any additional costs will be discussed and confirmed before additional work is carried out.

5.4
Payment for treatment is due at the time of the appointment unless alternative payment arrangements have been agreed in writing in advance.

5.5
The practice accepts payment by cash, debit card and credit card. Payment by cheque is not accepted.

5.6
Where patient finance is used, payment terms are governed by the agreement between the patient and the finance provider, Tabeo. The practice is not a party to the finance agreement and is not responsible for the terms or administration of the finance arrangement.

5.7
The practice reserves the right to pursue outstanding balances through appropriate channels including debt recovery. Patients with outstanding balances may be required to settle all amounts due before further non-emergency treatment is provided.

5.8
Membership plan fees are governed by the patient’s agreement with DPAS. The practice is not responsible for the administration of membership plan payments, which are managed by DPAS directly.

6. Medical History and Patient Responsibilities

6.1
Patients are responsible for providing accurate and up-to-date medical history information, including all current medications, known allergies, medical conditions and recent changes to health. This information is essential for safe treatment planning.

6.2
Patients must inform the practice of any changes to their medical history, medications or contact details before or at each appointment.

6.3
The practice cannot accept responsibility for adverse outcomes resulting from inaccurate or incomplete medical history information provided by the patient.

6.4
Patients are expected to treat all members of the practice team with respect and courtesy. The practice operates a zero tolerance policy towards abusive, aggressive or threatening behaviour directed at any member of staff or other patients. Breach of this policy may result in immediate discharge from the practice.

6.5
The practice’s full Zero Tolerance Policy is available on request and on the practice website.

7. Data Protection and Privacy

7.1
Newkirkgate Dental Care is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under registration number ZA150384 and processes personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

7.2
Patient data is collected and processed for the purpose of providing dental care, managing appointments, processing NHS claims and meeting legal and regulatory obligations. Full details of how we use your data are set out in our Privacy Policy, available on our website and on request from reception.

7.3
Patient data is not sold to third parties. Data may be shared with NHS Lothian, dental laboratories, specialist referral providers, Tabeo and DPAS where necessary to provide the services you have requested.

7.4
Patients have the right to access their personal data, request correction of inaccurate data, and in certain circumstances request deletion of their data, subject to the practice’s legal obligation to retain clinical records. To exercise any of these rights, contact the practice at smile@newkirkgatedental.co.uk.

7.5
Clinical photographs taken during treatment are held as part of the patient’s clinical record. Where photographs are intended to be used for any other purpose, including marketing or education, explicit written consent will be sought separately.

8. Complaints

8.1
Newkirkgate Dental Care operates a formal complaints procedure. Full details are available in our Complaints Procedure document, available on our website and on request from reception.

8.2
The practice Complaints Manager is Vicky Papanika. Complaints may be submitted in person, by telephone on 0131 554 3509, by email at smile@newkirkgatedental.co.uk, or in writing to the practice address.

8.3
Complaints will be acknowledged in writing within three working days and investigated within 20 working days.

8.4
Where a complaint cannot be resolved to the patient’s satisfaction through the practice’s own procedure, patients may refer the matter to:

NHS treatment:
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Freepost SPSO, Edinburgh EH3 0BR
Phone: 0800 377 7330
Website: spso.org.uk

Private treatment:
Dental Complaints Service
Stephenson House, 2 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon CR0 6BA
Phone: 08456 120 540

Professional conduct:
General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street, London W1M 8DQ
Website: gdc-uk.org

9. Website Terms

9.1
The content on the Newkirkgate Dental Care website at newkirkgatedental.co.uk is provided for general information purposes. It does not constitute clinical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional dental assessment.

9.2
Whilst we take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of information on the website, we cannot guarantee that all content is current or complete at all times. Treatment information, fees and opening hours are subject to change and the practice should be contacted directly for the most current information.

9.3
The practice is not responsible for the content of any third-party websites linked from newkirkgatedental.co.uk.

9.4
Booking through the online booking system at DentalHub (uk.dentalhub.online) is subject to the terms of service of that platform. Newkirkgate Dental Care is not responsible for the operation or terms of the DentalHub platform.

10. Changes to These Terms

10.1
Newkirkgate Dental Care reserves the right to update these terms and conditions at any time. The current version will always be available on the practice website.

10.2
Where changes are significant, the practice will take reasonable steps to notify patients. Continued attendance at the practice following a change to these terms constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Last reviewed: July 2026

11. Governing Law

These terms and conditions are governed by the law of Scotland. Any dispute arising under these terms is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.

Questions About These Terms?

If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, please get in touch.

Phone: 0131 554 3509
Email: smile@newkirkgatedental.co.uk
Address: 2 Great Junction Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 5LA
Website: newkirkgatedental.co.uk