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Ethical Scenario 3


A 30 year old attends your practice and would like braces under the NHS as she feels her teeth are misaligned and this is affecting her social interactions. On examination, you find that the IOTN is low and there are minimal misalignments. How do you explain to the patient that she doesn’t fit the criteria for braces under the NHS?
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Excellent Candidate response
  • You would explain to the patient that NHS treatment for braces is generally provided for those under the age of 18.
  • Thereafter orthodontic treatment is private.
  • You would explain that orthodontic treatment and its need scale is dependant on the IOTN and because she is over 18 and her IOTN is also minimal, her need for braces is mainly cosmetic as opposed to correcting a functional problem, thus she can only pursue this privately.
  • Reassure the patient that she can always seek a second opinion should they want to.
  • Explain that the NHS doesn’t provide sole ‘cosmetic treatment’.