Can A Dentist Provide A Sick Note?
How many of you reading this have been avoiding the dentist?
Be honest, if you’ve been avoiding the dentist, you definitely aren’t alone.
Whether you need a new filling, your wisdom teeth need to be removed, or if you just need your teeth cleaned, many adults put visiting their dentist off longer than they should.
And it could be for a variety of reasons. A lot of people, even adults, are scared of the dentist. Some people are afraid they can’t afford the dentist.
And other people are afraid of missing work, or that their trip to the dentist won’t be excused like a trip to the doctor is.
If a doctor can give a sick note, a dentist can too, right?
We’ll find out in the article below.
Table Of Contents
- Can A Dentist Give A Sick Note?
- Dental Issues Requiring A Sick Note
- Dental Emergencies
- Planned Dental Procedures
- Follow The Correct Procedure
- Don’t Avoid The Dentist
Can A Dentist Give A Sick Note?
We’ll come right out and say it; a dentist can give you a sick note.
However, it’s not quite as simple as that. There are several things you need to keep in mind before you make the trip to see your dentist.
Your dentist is just as important and qualified as any other medical professional.
Your oral health plays a vital role in your overall health, so seeing your dentist is just as important as seeing any other doctor.
The fact that people wonder if a dentist can give a sick note implies one of two things.
It implies that people don’t value their dental health, or that, for some reason, they don’t view dentists the same way they do other doctors.
So let’s take care of these two things first.
Every dentist has to attend at least four years of rigorous training and school to get certified.
And, dental health is just as important as any other area of your overall health.
Without proper dental care, you could end up suffering from a wide range of dental diseases, all of which can impact the quality of your overall health.
So, since dentists put themselves through years of school to take care of an essential aspect of your overall health, they are more than qualified to give you a sick note for work or school.
Dental Issues Requiring A Sick Note
There are two types of dental issues that can potentially affect your ability to work:
- Unexpected, emergency dental damage
- Planned dental procedures and treatments
Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies, like most other emergencies, can occur without warning.
If any of your teeth are knocked out of your mouth either completely or partially, you need to act fast.
In a perfect world, you’d make it to the dentist within 30 minutes of the accident.
You’d need to leave work immediately to attend to your broken or missing teeth. Waiting until your workday is over, or even just an hour or two, can severely impair the tooth’s ability to be successfully reinserted.
Understandably, leaving work early is often easier said than done. Delaying emergency care, though, can result in permanent damage that will compromise your overall oral health.
Like we mentioned above, your dentist is qualified too, and will likely have no problem writing you a note to take back to your employer.
The dentist can emphasize the need for expeditious treatment, and why leaving work was the best decision to make for your health.
The note will hopefully help alleviate any work-related problems.
Planned Dental Procedures
Outside of routine cleanings, just about every other dental procedure will require at least some recovery time.
Unlike emergency care, though, you will have more time to plan, and far more flexibility when scheduling routine procedures.
You will be able to request time off and work with your boss to work around your responsibilities at work to plan for a recovery period.
Follow The Correct Procedure
Hopefully you’re relieved now that you know your dentist can give you a valid sick note.
You should still follow the correct procedure to be sure you don’t accidentally get into trouble at work or school.
Unless you’re in an emergency situation, you need to book an appointment with your dentist ahead of time.
Your dentist will schedule your visit, and with a date in mind, you can approach your teacher or employer to let them know when you’re going to the dentist so they can work around it.
Next, you need to prepare yourself for your visit. Clear your entire schedule the day of your appointment to avoid any conflicts that could cause you to miss the appointment.
Arrive on time for your appointment, and be sure to let reception know as soon as possible that you will need a sick note.
And that’s about it. Just be sure to keep the note safe and try not to lose it before you get back to your job or school.
The most important thing you can do for yourself is to be on time and follow your dentist’s instructions to the T.
Don’t Avoid The Dentist
Even though visiting the dentist is a valid excuse to miss work or school, you should try to avoid seeing the dentist outside of your regular checkups.
Any extra visits to the dentist means that there are issues with your overall dental health.
You should take care of your dental hygiene between checkups to avoid the extra appointments.
That means brushing and flossing at least twice a day every day.
But, if you need to see the dentist, don’t avoid it.
Delaying your trip to the dentist just sets you up for additional problems.
If you’re ready to visit the dentist, either for a routine checkup or because you’re experiencing dental issues, contact the team at Hylan Dental Care.
Their team of experts will take care of any issues you’re facing, and they’ll give you a sick note to take back to your boss or your teacher.
