Patient Information Leaflet
PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET April 2026
Practice premises address: 61, New Road, Skewen, SA10 6HA.
Tel: 01792 814734 www.thevillagedentalpractice.com
(Limited roadside parking is available outside the practice)
The Village Dental Practice is run by J&LVLtd.
J&LVLtd holds a contract for NHS services with SBU Health Board.
The contractor is a dental corporation whose registered office is
Suite 2D, Building 1, Eastern Business Park, St. Mellons, Cardiff CF3 5EA.
John Vaughan (Director/responsible person/registered manager/provider – 61 New Road, Skewen, SA10 6HA, 01792 814734)
Leanne Vaughan (Secretary).
Our Team
Our dentists, nurses and reception staff will always aim to provide a high standard of care and service for our patients. The current members of our dental team are:-
Dr John Vaughan BDS (1997), Principal dentist/responsible person/registered manager – GDC No 73755
Dr Paul Fraser BDS (2003), Self-employed Associate dentist – GDC No 80764
Dr Elise Parker BDS (2004), Self-employed Associate dentist – GDC No 83385
Dr William Daniel Rhodri Walters BDS (2015), Self-employed Associate dentist* – GDC No 258358
Sharon Davies, Administrative Manager & Qualified Dental Nurse* (1997)
Leanne Vaughan, Qualified Dental Nurse (Co-Owner) (2000)
Karen Williams, Qualified Dental Nurse (1998)
Laura Thomas, Qualified Dental Nurse (2016)
Krista Mead, Qualified Dental Nurse (2003)
Sadie Evans, Qualified Dental Nurse* (2015)
Sharon Gorvett, Qualified Dental Nurse (re-reg 2022)
Joanne Reynolds, Qualified Dental Nurse (2007)
*Welsh Language Proficient
All our employees are either qualified dental nurses or are actively completing their training with a recognised agency. All staff members must complete the GDC Continual Professional Development targets, as well as having periodic appraisals and the formulation of a Personal Development Plan to keep up to date with their educational and development requirements. We regularly hold in-house training (Basic Life Support & Medical Emergencies, Infection Prevention Control, Fire Safety etc) as well as utilising online or face to face training by external agencies for other topics (Radiation safety etc).
Team meetings are held on a monthly basis.
Access
We have limited access for disabled patients via a ramp at the rear of the building. Our downstairs surgeries and toilet facilities are wheelchair accessible. Please note most treatment provision will be dependent on the patients’ ability to transfer to the dental chair.
Making an Appointment
To arrange an appointment please call our reception team on 01792 814734 where our range of services will be fully explained, along with any costs to expect at your first visit.
For Private (non-NHS) patients a fee is taken before making your first appointment. This will be refunded at the end of your first course of treatment, as long as all your appointments are kept, and are not cancelled at short notice.
You may request to see any of our dentists, but please be aware that due to limitations in patient list sizes we may not always be able to accommodate you with your preferred choice.
Services
We provide general dental services at our four-surgery practice (examinations, periodontal treatment, fillings, extractions, endodontic treatments, fixed and removable prosthodontics).
Written information on treatments is available on request at reception.
Patients over 18 years of age seeking continuing care are required to join our private monthly Dental Plan, which is administered through DPAS.
Full details of our essentials and inclusive packages are available on request (or on our website) along with a current Private Fee Guide.
Patients under 18 years of age are seen on the NHS. We also provide NHS domiciliary care for patients at our pre-registered nursing / residential homes. https://www.gov.wales/nhs-dental-charges-and-exemptions
Specialist Services
We can refer you to another dentist/hospital if you require specialist treatment involving long term orthodontics, oral surgery, specialist endodontics etc. which we do not provide.
Usual Opening Hours
Mon 9.00am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Tues 9.00am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Wed 9.00am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Thurs 9.00am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Fri 9.00am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Out of Hours Care
For details of out of hours emergency care please call 01792 814734 or visit our website at www.thevillagedentalpractice.com.
Out of hours NHS services are commissioned by Swansea Bay University Health Board and can be accessed via NHS Direct on 111 or online at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
Patients looking to register with an NHS dentist can do so by visiting: https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/community-primary-care/primary-care/dentists/dental-access-portal/
Seeking Patients Views
We invite verbal and written feedback from patients. An online feedback survey is available, the results of which are discussed at monthly practice meetings.
Notification of Concerns
If you are not happy about any aspect of the services we provide, we would ask you to bring the issues to the attention of our practice administrative manager who will give you details of our complaint’s procedure.
For private dental treatment you can contact the GDC private dental complaints service within 12 months of the treatment or within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue by calling 020 8253 0800 or visiting www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk.
If you would like support or advice regarding your NHS complaint you can contact Swansea Bay University Health board at
One Talbot Gateway, Baglan Energy Park, Port Talbot, SA12 7BR
01639 683316/683363
Or your local Llais team by calling 01639 683490. If you are still unhappy about your NHS complaint, you can contact The Ombudsman for Wales by calling 0300 790 0203 or visiting www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk.
You can also contact Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) who is the independent inspectorate and regulator of all healthcare in Wales by calling 0300 062 8163 or via www.hiw.org.uk. You can also write to them at Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, Welsh Government, Rhydycar Business Park, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 1UZ.
The General Dental Council is responsible for regulating all dental professionals. You can complain using their online form at www.gdc-uk.org contact them on information@gdc-org.uk or by calling 020 7167 6000.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
You are entitled to:-
- A thorough examination of your mouth, teeth and gums
- A full explanation of your treatment options
- A written treatment plan including costs
- Advice on how to keep your teeth and gums healthy
- Information about this practice and the range of services available
- A care and treatment summary if you transfer to another dentist
- Make a complaint if you are not happy with the care you receive
You are responsible for: -
- Giving at least 24 Hrs notice to cancel an appointment
- Contacting us if you think your examination is overdue
- Following your dentist’s advice on preventing tooth decay and gum disease
- Paying any bills promptly (or in advance if requested)
- Treating staff with courtesy and respect – we employ a zero-tolerance approach to any rude, aggressive or violent behaviour toward any staff member, and will withhold any further treatment with immediate effect.
Reminders and Recalls
We use NICE guidelines for recall intervals which are determined on individual patients clinical needs, and this will be explained and discussed with you at your visit.
It is our policy to send reminders to patients when their recall is due via text message (though it can be arranged via letter on request). Please be aware this is a courtesy service only and it is the responsibility of the individual to contact the practice if they think they are overdue an examination or other appointment.
Missed appointmentsâ??
From 1st April 2026, an NHS contractor must, unless it is satisfied that the missedâ?? appointments were caused because of something beyond the control of the patient, beginâ?? the de-listing process (in accordance with paragraph 17 of the NHS Dentistry Regs 2026), where a patient during the courseâ?? of a care package—â??
(a)â?? fails to attend two consecutive appointments, orâ??(b)â?? fails to attend three appointments in total.â??
Upon initiating de-listing, the NHS contractor must—â??
(a)â?? notify the patient in writing of the intention to remove them from their list of activeâ?? patients, including the reasons and the number of missed appointments,â??
(b)â?? provide the patient with an opportunity to respond within 14 clear days and, ifâ?? they do respond, consider whether the de-listing process should be stopped,â?? andâ??
(c)â?? record the missed appointments and correspondence in the patient’s clinicalâ?? record.â??
If no response that allows the contractor to be satisfied that the process should be stopped is received within 14 days, or ifâ?? the patient confirms they no longer wish to continue care, the contractor must—â??
(a)â?? de-list the patient from the care package, andâ??
(b)â?? advise the patient to re-apply through the Dental Access Portal for re-allocation.
De-listing after 36 monthsâ??
If an active patient NHS patient has not attended an appointment with the contractors practiceâ?? for a period of 36 months the contractor must—â??
(a)â?? de-list the patient, andâ??
(b)â?? advise the patient to register on the Dental Access Portal for reallocation.â??
Access to information
Your dental records will remain confidential and secure. These are accessible only to authorised staff members who are bound by strict confidentiality. However, we may from time to time be required to release these to SBUHB or NHS Business Services Authority as part of our on-going clinical review programme. We will try to inform you before releasing your records to any organisations. Our Privacy Notice (M217-T) and Information Publication Scheme (M219) are available on request and on our website.
Please make any requests you have regarding your information to the practice manager.
