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Bay of Plenty

Find the referral acceptance and access criteria for dental in the Bay of Plenty.

Referral acceptance

Referral acceptance

Dental referrals are prioritised by a hospital dentist based on the information contained within. Additional information should be attached where available. The prioritisation tool used to grade referrals can be found below. 

All accepted referrals will be seen within a maximum waiting time of 4 months, unless there is a clinical reason for delay.

First specialist assessments

Waiting priority 1

Accepted

Waiting priority 2

Accepted

Waiting priority 3

Accepted

Waiting priority 4

Declined


At first specialist assessments (FSA), patients are assessed by a dentist and if surgery is required, patients are then prioritised using the National Dental CPAC tool.  A 0-100 score is allocated to each patient.

Prior to acceptance for surgery, patients are assessed in an anaesthetic pre-assessment clinic to ensure they are fit for surgery.

All patients accepted for surgery will be treated within a maximum waiting time of 4 months, unless there is a clinical reason for delay.

Treatment list

CPAC 80+ 

Accepted

Access criteria

Access criteria

Category

Diagnosis (clinical examples)

1. Urgent
(Within 14 days)

  • High suspicion of cancer, as per April 2016 high suspicion of cancer data definitions

  • Head and neck trauma e.g., facial bone fractures

  • Acute or life threatening oro-facial infections e.g., Ludwig’s angina

  • Significant or uncontrolled pain or bleeding

  • Acute functional problems e.g., TMJ dislocation

2. Semi-urgent
(Within 4 – 6 weeks)

  • Patients recently diagnosed with head or neck cancer, (excluding minor skin cancers) requiring dental treatment

  • Patients diagnosed with or at risk of osteonecrosis

  • Complex oral pathology e.g., cysts, salivary gland pathology

  • Significant infection or pain of oral origin

  • Pre or post-surgery oral health assessments and treatments e.g., organ transplant, cardiac valve surgery, renal

3. Non-urgent
(Within 4 months)

  • Children who cannot cope in a community dental setting due to:

    • their extensive treatment needs (one complete treatment) + their young age (under 7 years)

    • or their complicated treatment needs (extractions only) + their age (7 years of age and older)

  • Patients with significant cranio-facial abnormalities

  • Patients with physical or developmental or intellectual disabilities

4. Routine (Not accepted)
  • Patients living in residential care or nursing care
  • Long-term TMJ pain
  • Patients in long-term mental health units
  • Management of significant dental problems for low-income adults e.g., full clearances
  • Patients with complex comorbidities

Diagnosis and treatment required in a hospital setting for medically complex patients and patients with special needs.

Clinical priority criteria is a guide rather than exhaustive, complete or exclusory.

Exclusion: Orthodontic treatment as per the June 2015 oral health services tier two service specification.