Procurement description
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (the "Authority") is seeking to procure a laboratory service provider to support its Community and Special Care Dental Services. A dental laboratory (often referred to as a restorative laboratory) provides custom made dental appliances and restorations prescribed by dentists to restore, replace or support patients' teeth and oral structures. These items are manufactured on an individual patient basis and are essential to the delivery of primary, community and special care dentistry within the NHS.
Dental laboratories work to written prescriptions supplied by registered dental professionals and operate under UK regulatory, quality and medical device requirements.
The Authority is a large NHS community healthcare provider serving a population of approximately 1.4 million across Kent and parts of Northeast London. The requirement supports dental services delivered to patients with complex health and social care needs, including special care dentistry, paediatric dentistry and dental services within secure and custodial settings.
Dental services are provided from multiple community clinical sites, 1 secure school, HM Prison facilities, forensic units and mobile dental units. The service supports patients who are unable to access mainstream dental provision due to physical, psychological, medical or social factors.
The Authority requires a collection and delivery service to all Community Dental Services listed in Kent and Northeast London. Royal Mail Special Delivery may be considered in some circumstances but must be agreed by the Authority.
Service provision is anticipated to start 1st June 2026 for a 3 year period, with the option to extend by a further 24 months in 12 month tranches.