Dental no-shows cost almost $100,000

People not turning up for their appointments with Whangarei Hospital's dental service are costing the Northland District Health Board tens of thousands of dollars, an oral health adviser says.

Dr Neil Croucher said up to 12 per cent of follow-up appointments for low-income adults receiving relief-of-pain services were being missed. Over the last three months 190 patients did not attend appointments. That equated to 23.7 days of missed appointments  a year.
He estimated this cost taxpayers about $94,800 annually.
"We get disturbed by that because a dentist is waiting, there's a clinical need, and the patient doesn't turn up or inform us."
There were three categories of subsidised access to dental care at Whangarei Hospital, Dr Croucher said -  a specialist service for 0-17- year-olds by referral, hospital  services for people with physical disabilities or medical conditions, and a relief-of-pain service for low-income adults.
There were very few non-attendees within the under-18 age group because specialist care was on offer and parents were engaged in the process, Dr Croucher said.
But that wasn't the case with relief-of-pain services.
"Those in pain generally turn up, but sometimes patients have clear and obvious problems with the rest of their mouth, other than the tooth that is causing them problems."
If a clinician noticed anything which could cause a problem within the following six months, patients could be offered one or two more appointments.
"It's rationed because there's 44,000 people with community service cards in Northland out of an adult population of 90,000. Clearly we want to keep it a relief-of-pain service."
The highest rate of non-attendance was among  those offered a further appointment, Dr Croucher said.
"Once out of pain and offered a second appointment sometimes they don't attend, and they don't give us a reason."
Dr Croucher pleaded with patients to inform the hospital if they weren't  likely to show up.
"If you're not coming, please ring so we can provide an opportunity for another patient."
The  rate of no-shows was up to 12 per cent, but it was hoped that could be reduced to 5 per cent.
Pain relief costs $40 a treatment for low-income adults,  Dr Croucher said, although it cost about 10-times that much to provide it.
"People are thinking about pain but not about other aspects of oral health. When coming for the first time we give them knowledge and offer them another appointment, but some are choosing not to come. We say please let us know, you're wasting an important public resource."