Private versus NHS dental treatment
Discussion
My wife has an NHS dentist and needs a root filling.
Her dentist has stated, if she goes privately with him, she will have better treatment than with the NHS (same dentist though) He mentioned better quality materials, equipment and drugs! He strongly recommends this course of action.
She is now considering going private for this work. Is the advantage worth the £320 cost?
Many thanks for any educated opinions.
Mike
Her dentist has stated, if she goes privately with him, she will have better treatment than with the NHS (same dentist though) He mentioned better quality materials, equipment and drugs! He strongly recommends this course of action.
She is now considering going private for this work. Is the advantage worth the £320 cost?
Many thanks for any educated opinions.
Mike
Difficult one, if you can afford it and happy with the dentist I would go private
I've had some complete butchers over the years as dentists, my current one is very very good , I pay through denplan so private
The issue with NHS treatment I found is it is a bit rushed and done to set times , which can mean you are in then out. With Private I found they take their time and the aftercare is lots better.
Root fillings arent always successful, so I would want to put myself in the best possible position that it would work and not have to suffer extraction after or doing it again
When I had my last root filling done I was surprised how much extra equipment the dentist used compared to the NHS one I had a few years prior, the dentist also really took his time when I felt discomfort! He also gave me a different type (I could be wrong) of injection as I really suffer with dental pain in my mouth.
I've had some complete butchers over the years as dentists, my current one is very very good , I pay through denplan so private
The issue with NHS treatment I found is it is a bit rushed and done to set times , which can mean you are in then out. With Private I found they take their time and the aftercare is lots better.
Root fillings arent always successful, so I would want to put myself in the best possible position that it would work and not have to suffer extraction after or doing it again
When I had my last root filling done I was surprised how much extra equipment the dentist used compared to the NHS one I had a few years prior, the dentist also really took his time when I felt discomfort! He also gave me a different type (I could be wrong) of injection as I really suffer with dental pain in my mouth.
In my experience it depends on the individual dentist. While I was working all my treatment was private - paid for by my employer's dental scheme. The treatment was ok but I still hated going.
When I retired I registered with an NHS practice and feared the worst. In fact the treatment has been the best I've ever experienced.
When I retired I registered with an NHS practice and feared the worst. In fact the treatment has been the best I've ever experienced.
Hilts said:
Better drugs, in what way?
Not a dentist but that doesn't seem to ring true, I thought the freeze either works or it doesn't.
Maybe they whack you with a bit of diazepam or similar just so you don't really care too much while they're doing there stuff. I've only had it for an endoscopy but was quite happy to let them get on once I was way with the fairies Not a dentist but that doesn't seem to ring true, I thought the freeze either works or it doesn't.
C0ffin D0dger said:
Hilts said:
Better drugs, in what way?
Not a dentist but that doesn't seem to ring true, I thought the freeze either works or it doesn't.
Maybe they whack you with a bit of diazepam or similar just so you don't really care too much while they're doing there stuff. I've only had it for an endoscopy but was quite happy to let them get on once I was way with the fairies Not a dentist but that doesn't seem to ring true, I thought the freeze either works or it doesn't.
They'd have to give me a hell of a lot of Diazepam before a root canal!
I had 2 done at once, the worst part was having my mouth kept open for about an hour, she put some sort of device in there I think to keep it open but that was the worst part. I didn't feel any pain from the actual treatment.
mike9009 said:
My wife has an NHS dentist and needs a root filling.
Her dentist has stated, if she goes privately with him, she will have better treatment than with the NHS (same dentist though) He mentioned better quality materials, equipment and drugs! He strongly recommends this course of action.
She is now considering going private for this work. Is the advantage worth the £320 cost?
Many thanks for any educated opinions.
Mike
I had this experience some months after being told an old NHS amalgam filling was 'leaking'. Because he said a private white filling would last longer I paid for that. Some months later I had an infection in the very same tooth and was advised that a root canal filling was the only remedy. The dentist gave me the spiel about private being better and quoted a price (can't recall but more than £320). I accepted on the basis that I cannot afford to lose any more teeth than I have. Over two sessions he did the work and said I should return some weeks later for a (private, naturally) crown. NHS crowns are, of course, inferior blah, blah. Well after only three weeks the tooth became very tender to apply any load to. I went back and he said that the tooth was split and would have to be extracted - at a price obviously. The money grabbing bHer dentist has stated, if she goes privately with him, she will have better treatment than with the NHS (same dentist though) He mentioned better quality materials, equipment and drugs! He strongly recommends this course of action.
She is now considering going private for this work. Is the advantage worth the £320 cost?
Many thanks for any educated opinions.
Mike
d had conned me into an unnecessary filling, followed by a root canal and then because of his incompetence, I lost an otherwise good tooth that had been filled years before by a wonderful lady NHS dentist who now had unfortunately retired. A stiff letter of complaint to the practice manager yielded a refund of a couple of hundred pounds but left me with a further few hundred out of pocket and a lost tooth.You don't live in the HP9 postcode do you?
motco said:
I had this experience some months after being told an old NHS amalgam filling was 'leaking'. Because he said a private white filling would last longer I paid for that. Some months later I had an infection in the very same tooth and was advised that a root canal filling was the only remedy. The dentist gave me the spiel about private being better and quoted a price (can't recall but more than £320). I accepted on the basis that I cannot afford to lose any more teeth than I have. Over two sessions he did the work and said I should return some weeks later for a (private, naturally) crown. NHS crowns are, of course, inferior blah, blah. Well after only three weeks the tooth became very tender to apply any load to. I went back and he said that the tooth was split and would have to be extracted - at a price obviously. The money grabbing bd had conned me into an unnecessary filling, followed by a root canal and then because of his incompetence, I lost an otherwise good tooth that had been filled years before by a wonderful lady NHS dentist who now had unfortunately retired. A stiff letter of complaint to the practice manager yielded a refund of a couple of hundred pounds but left me with a further few hundred out of pocket and a lost tooth.
You don't live in the HP9 postcode do you?
Eeeek, that sounds like a nightmare.d had conned me into an unnecessary filling, followed by a root canal and then because of his incompetence, I lost an otherwise good tooth that had been filled years before by a wonderful lady NHS dentist who now had unfortunately retired. A stiff letter of complaint to the practice manager yielded a refund of a couple of hundred pounds but left me with a further few hundred out of pocket and a lost tooth.You don't live in the HP9 postcode do you?
The wife just had the exact same dilemma; £320 for NHS root canal work which requires three sittings and poorer equipment, or £495 done privately all in one go with better equipment; same dentist.
She paid £495 and it was done in an hour and a half.
Haven't a clue if he was spinning a yarn.
She paid £495 and it was done in an hour and a half.
Haven't a clue if he was spinning a yarn.
root canals are remarkably difficult to do correctly. The NHS fees for them are a joke and dentist definitely loses money on them. Newer techniques involve using Nickel titanium files which are expensive and due to CJD are single use only. The gen equipment for these are also pricey. I can't blame them for asking a higher fee. I feel it's worth it if done properly.
MacGee said:
root canals are remarkably difficult to do correctly. The NHS fees for them are a joke and dentist definitely loses money on them. Newer techniques involve using Nickel titanium files which are expensive and due to CJD are single use only. The gen equipment for these are also pricey. I can't blame them for asking a higher fee. I feel it's worth it if done properly.
Are you a dentist, MacGee?HTP99 said:
The wife just had the exact same dilemma; £320 for NHS root canal work which requires three sittings and poorer equipment, or £495 done privately all in one go with better equipment; same dentist.
She paid £495 and it was done in an hour and a half.
Haven't a clue if he was spinning a yarn.
I am reading my NHS dental services in England leaflet dated 1 April 2016, yes I know silly date!!She paid £495 and it was done in an hour and a half.
Haven't a clue if he was spinning a yarn.
Max cost including . . . fillings root canal work, teeth removed etc, etc £233.70.
I am now on course to have treatment etc up to Band 3 for £233.70 and my appointments are going on until the end of August. So check out the leaflet.
mike9009 said:
My wife has an NHS dentist and needs a root filling.
Her dentist has stated, if she goes privately with him, she will have better treatment than with the NHS (same dentist though) He mentioned better quality materials, equipment and drugs! He strongly recommends this course of action.
She is now considering going private for this work. Is the advantage worth the £320 cost?
Many thanks for any educated opinions.
Mike
Given the option I would always pay extra to get the best possible treatment, but I hate going to the dentist so the less work/pain the better.Her dentist has stated, if she goes privately with him, she will have better treatment than with the NHS (same dentist though) He mentioned better quality materials, equipment and drugs! He strongly recommends this course of action.
She is now considering going private for this work. Is the advantage worth the £320 cost?
Many thanks for any educated opinions.
Mike
My fear stems from two dentists I've seen in the past. The first botched removing a tooth leaving the roots in my gum resulting in some gum cutting surgery and having to chisel them out from underneath - that left an impression on me, let me tell you.
The second did a filling which I suffered with for weeks afterwards and I eventually had to pay privately to get it redone properly.
Both of these were NHS dentists.
Nezquick said:
Given the option I would always pay extra to get the best possible treatment, but I hate going to the dentist so the less work/pain the better.
My fear stems from two dentists I've seen in the past. The first botched removing a tooth leaving the roots in my gum resulting in some gum cutting surgery and having to chisel them out from underneath - that left an impression on me, let me tell you.
The second did a filling which I suffered with for weeks afterwards and I eventually had to pay privately to get it redone properly.
Both of these were NHS dentists.
They both probably also offered private treatment? As has been said, a lot of this boils down to how good the dentist is.My fear stems from two dentists I've seen in the past. The first botched removing a tooth leaving the roots in my gum resulting in some gum cutting surgery and having to chisel them out from underneath - that left an impression on me, let me tell you.
The second did a filling which I suffered with for weeks afterwards and I eventually had to pay privately to get it redone properly.
Both of these were NHS dentists.
Mrs Muttleysnoop said:
Driller said:
Only £233 for all that treatment, how is that possible?
My lab charges £100 for a ceramic crown. One!
It is possible as it is the NHS.My lab charges £100 for a ceramic crown. One!
I have never paid for any hospital appointments or operations as it is NHS.
"It is possible because it's the NHS" doesn't explain it.
Halb said:
MacGee said:
root canals are remarkably difficult to do correctly. The NHS fees for them are a joke and dentist definitely loses money on them. Newer techniques involve using Nickel titanium files which are expensive and due to CJD are single use only. The gen equipment for these are also pricey. I can't blame them for asking a higher fee. I feel it's worth it if done properly.
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