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"Kind, reassuring and calming"

About: North Devon District Hospital / Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

(as the patient),

I have suffered with reoccurring infections in my gum due to an impacted wisdom tooth. As well as the pain it caused, the antibiotics and swelling also stopped me from working due to restrictions in my job role each time the infection came back. (Flying as cabin crew).

I was seen at a consultation quickly (1month from referral) which was excellent and was given a surgery date in January, which was then disappointingly moved to April.

The infection returned again but thankfully received a cancellation appointment and was seen last week, which I'm very grateful for. Excellent communication with the reception team.

As I wanted the procedure done as soon as possible I opted for local anaesthetic, which worried me a little but an appointment with sedation would have been a longer wait.

Mr Honey was so kind, reassuring and calming. The 2 dental nurses, Julie and Frankie were supportive and encouraging. The tooth was a bit of a struggle to extract but they calmly worked together and reassured me the whole time. 30 minutes into the procedure I needed a breather and break, and they supported me, held my hand and got me through the last bit.

Thank you so much. not a nice thing to experience but you all made it so much better than I had anticipated. I am still recovering, but the bleeding stopped after a few hours. Swelling appeared the next day and my tongue is still a little numb. This was explained as possibly bruised nerves and it should return after a few days or week.

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Responses

Response from Dianne Cooper, Dental Nurse Team Manager- Maxillofacial & Orthodontics (Northern Services), Maxillofacial & Orthodontics (Northern Services), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust yesterday
Dianne Cooper
Dental Nurse Team Manager- Maxillofacial & Orthodontics (Northern Services), Maxillofacial & Orthodontics (Northern Services),
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Submitted on 26/11/2025 at 14:48
Published on Care Opinion at 14:48


picture of Dianne Cooper

Thank you so much for taking the time to share such thoughtful and detailed feedback. I am very pleased to hear that, despite the difficulties you have faced with recurring infections and the delay to your original surgery date, your recent experience with our team was reassuring and positive.

I am pleased that the reception team kept you well informed and that the cancellation appointment helped you receive treatment sooner. I am really pleased to hear how well supported you felt by Mr Honey, Julie, and Frankie. Your kind words about their calm, caring, and reassuring approach mean a great deal to the whole team.

We understand that procedures under local anaesthetic can feel daunting, and I am glad the team were able to make you feel comfortable, supported, and safe throughout, especially when things became challenging.

Thank you again for your lovely comments—they will be shared with the team, who will be very appreciative. We wish you a smooth and steady recovery, and if you have any concerns as you continue to heal, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

kind regards

Dianne

Dental Team Nurse Manager

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