Secondary care dental

Purposes for processing

As part of its direct commissioning responsibilities, NHS England commissions all NHS dental services: primary, community and secondary care services, including dental hospitals and urgent dental care services.

The majority of specialist dental services are delivered in secondary care settings, in acute hospitals, foundation trusts, district general hospitals and (ten) dental hospitals funded by national and local tariff arrangements. Specialist dental services are listed below*, however some of these are recognised as multi-disciplinary care (dental and medical specialties).  The definitions listed are in line with the General Dental Council:

  • Special care dentistry;
  • Oral surgery;
  • Orthodontics;
  • Paediatric dentistry;
  • Restorative (endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant dentistry;
  • Oral medicine;
  • Oral microbiology;
  • Oral and maxillofacial pathology;
  • Dental and maxillofacial radiology;
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgery.

* Not all services are provided at every secondary or tertiary provider.

Sources of the data

The information may be collected from any organisation that provides health services to the NHS, including NHS Trusts, NHS Foundation Trusts, Dental Practices and other dental care providers.

Categories of personal data and recipients

NHS England uses data that has been anonymised in accordance with the Information Commissioner’s Anonymisation code of practice, and summary data (numbers) for monitoring and payment for these services. This data is provided to us by NHS Digital who collects and analyses personal data submitted by providers on our behalf – see Data services for commissioners. The data processed by NHS Digital includes personal details such as NHS number, date of birth, postcode, and details of the diagnosis and treatment received.

Legal Basis for processing

For GDPR purposes NHS England’s lawful basis for processing is Article 6(1)(e) ‘…exercise of official authority…’. For the processing of special categories (health) data the basis is 9(2)(h) ‘…health or social care…’.