In light of a recent episode of BBC’s The One Show, which highlighted a dental scam that targeted Lincolnshire residents last year, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is reminding the public to use official channels when seeking dental care.

The scam involved individuals being deceived into booking fake appointments and making fraudulent payments, leaving many victims without care and out of pocket.

A spokesperson for the NHS Lincolnshire ICB said:

“Anyone looking to access routine dental care who does not currently have access to a dental practice should visit the NHS website to find a practice accepting NHS patients. For urgent treatment, we would encourage people to call NHS 111 or use the NHS 111 online service.”

“We understand that accessing dental care can be challenging for some, and we are actively working to improve this as part of our dental strategy. An example of this was the opening of a new dental practice in Mablethorpe last year”.

Working in partnership with Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, the ICB is urging residents to remain vigilant and to be cautious of any offers of dental services that do not come from official NHS sources. The organisations advises against making any payments or sharing personal details (notably passport information) with unverified individuals or services.

If you believe you have fallen victim to this scam, please report it immediately to Action Fraud (the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre) at Action Fraud’s website or by calling 0300 123 2040.

For more information, please email licb.communications@nhs.net.