Discussion
So I watched the latest "consumer" program on dentits and how people cannot afford to go to a Private Dentist and why can't they have a NHS Dentist? Only thing is that I go to a Private dentist and pay a reasonable amount for a check-up and have had a Implant to replace a Molar that had an abcess destroy it. Yes it isn't cheap but well worth it to stave off problems. My gripe is that one guy hadn't been for years and contracted Mouth Cancer. He complained he couldn't afford it but had two leather sofas and a large Flat Screen TV in a very nice council flat!!! Why couldn't he afford it??? Another Woman spent three hours each way on buses to get to her dentist once every six months refusing to spend any money on transport that would get her there quicker!!!!
I'm off to the dentist today for some pretty expensive treatment that my last NHS dentist didn't do anything about. I always had the feeling he just did whatever he could and nothing more.
The nearest NHS dentists are miles away from me, and extremely difficult to register with. I took the private option and was seen immediately.
The nearest NHS dentists are miles away from me, and extremely difficult to register with. I took the private option and was seen immediately.
Thanks to an article in the Sunday Mail up here I registered on the NHS with my present dentist in Edinburgh, and she is superb. I don't think I've had a better dentist, and the treatment is everything I would expect if I was paying through the nose at a private dentist. She's also a looker, which helps 
When I was starting to look for dentists when I moved into the area I went into a private surgery and they wanted £70 for a 5 minute check up, descale and polish. IIRC it costs £12 for the polish on the NHS.
When I was starting to look for dentists when I moved into the area I went into a private surgery and they wanted £70 for a 5 minute check up, descale and polish. IIRC it costs £12 for the polish on the NHS.
there was a guy in the local paper a year or so back who had serious problems as he had superglued a filling back in when it fell out. each time it came loose again he'd use more glue, and i think got poisoned by it. feckwit!
my old NHS dentist was simply the best ever. all his work was perfect and i have fillings of his from 15yrs ago that have outlasted more recent ones.
these days i pay for checkups but use manchester dental hospital if i need serious work. had 2 fillings, a root canal repair and a ceramic implant fitted. cost to me - £0.00p
my old NHS dentist was simply the best ever. all his work was perfect and i have fillings of his from 15yrs ago that have outlasted more recent ones.
these days i pay for checkups but use manchester dental hospital if i need serious work. had 2 fillings, a root canal repair and a ceramic implant fitted. cost to me - £0.00p
mouseymousey said:
What exactly is wrong with expecting it on the NHS?
I agree, your teeth are part of your body, which I expect to be looked after by the NHS. After all I pay my tax every year and have done for many years. I begrudge even having to pay contributory costs. About £200 last time for a crown.Skyrat said:
When I was starting to look for dentists when I moved into the area I went into a private surgery and they wanted £70 for a 5 minute check up, descale and polish. IIRC it costs £12 for the polish on the NHS.
Hmm...our old family dentist retired and shut up shop so we had to find a new one (in Chester). Had no problem at all and I'm always amazed at how quiet the new place seems.However everytime we've (family of 4) been, there's always been some minor additional work needed so the cost is (currently) £44.60 and they always really push for a hygenist appt, which is done privately and costs about £30. So you end up at £70 anyway.
I stuck a post up on here a month or so ago asking for advice when I knocked myself in the face with a bar.
Rang the dentist to get a appointment, was told they could book me in for February if I was NHS. November call, February appointment. I doubt they had a completely full book from then until February, so out of interest I asked when they could see me if I wasnt NHS.
Tuesday.
What, first Tuesday in February?
No, Tuesday, few days time
So I'm not altogether surprised that the guy never made it to the dentist when you're looking at 4 months waiting list. What made me slightly angry was even though I'm paying for the NHS, I'm not using it even though I'm using the same dentist
Rang the dentist to get a appointment, was told they could book me in for February if I was NHS. November call, February appointment. I doubt they had a completely full book from then until February, so out of interest I asked when they could see me if I wasnt NHS.
Tuesday.
What, first Tuesday in February?
No, Tuesday, few days time
So I'm not altogether surprised that the guy never made it to the dentist when you're looking at 4 months waiting list. What made me slightly angry was even though I'm paying for the NHS, I'm not using it even though I'm using the same dentist
jjones said:
a lot of people are scared of the dentist and will use any excuse not to go.
And fed up of booking appointmnets that the denisist cancels, leaving youi with time off work booked (happened 3 out of every 4 times at my wife's dentisit (but she has been with him since childhood and won't change). Only profession where you pay to be treated like you are getting it for free IMHO.
Brown and Boris said:
jjones said:
a lot of people are scared of the dentist and will use any excuse not to go.
And fed up of booking appointmnets that the denisist cancels, leaving youi with time off work booked (happened 3 out of every 4 times at my wife's dentisit (but she has been with him since childhood and won't change). Only profession where you pay to be treated like you are getting it for free IMHO.
Yes the NHS SHOULD pay for dentistry but the new contracts are a joke. It's been discussed many times on here
Dental service in the UK is a joke. I'm lucky in that I have a fabulous dentist who still does NHS work and fits me in whenever needed, but as she's a family friend that might make a difference. The only problem for me is that she's in the South of England and I live in Scotland.
I tried to get registered at a dentist up here when I moved up and even though I tried to register as a private patient there was no room anywhere. One dentist told me that even though they had a new dentist starting with them in the next week, they couldn't fit me in for 6 months.
So I still use my old dentist 465 miles away. A total joke.
I tried to get registered at a dentist up here when I moved up and even though I tried to register as a private patient there was no room anywhere. One dentist told me that even though they had a new dentist starting with them in the next week, they couldn't fit me in for 6 months.
So I still use my old dentist 465 miles away. A total joke.
Skyrat said:
Thanks to an article in the Sunday Mail up here I registered on the NHS with my present dentist in Edinburgh, and she is superb. I don't think I've had a better dentist, and the treatment is everything I would expect if I was paying through the nose at a private dentist. She's also a looker, which helps
When I was starting to look for dentists when I moved into the area I went into a private surgery and they wanted £70 for a 5 minute check up, descale and polish. IIRC it costs £12 for the polish on the NHS.
Don't fancy PM-ing me with the details, do you?When I was starting to look for dentists when I moved into the area I went into a private surgery and they wanted £70 for a 5 minute check up, descale and polish. IIRC it costs £12 for the polish on the NHS.
NHS dentistry doesn't cover the cost needed to provide an acceptable standard of care (hygienist).
A basic scale and polish takes me 20 mins, the NHS fee is about £8.
Advanced periodontal treatment can take me upto 4 hours to treat the whole mouth, the NHS would pay me £44.
So I should work for free?
A basic scale and polish takes me 20 mins, the NHS fee is about £8.
Advanced periodontal treatment can take me upto 4 hours to treat the whole mouth, the NHS would pay me £44.
So I should work for free?
I've been lucky and always worked for very fair dentists, but I've also seen the quality of well made private crowns, they aren't cheap, if I fell and broke a tooth I know what I'd rather pay for.
Its the government who forced the NHS contracts who took the piss and effectively withdrew NHS dentistry.
Its the government who forced the NHS contracts who took the piss and effectively withdrew NHS dentistry.
NHS dentistry is s
t. You get rushed through your appointment and they dont use the best stuff. I havent been for a few years but last time I went they were still using mercury amalgam ffs. They did offer a white option but told me it wasnt very good and would wear out in a few years.
Now I go private and pay on a monthly plan with my local dentist. So its £5 for each of the kids per month, £17 for each adult. For that you get everything - check ups, clean and descale, fillings - whatever is necessary.
They dont rush through your appointment, are usually on time and they have the latest equipment, x-ray machines which produce instant results (for example). And they use a laptop and camera so you can see on a big screen what needs doing , then look at the final result.
Over the last year my old NHS amalgam fillings have started to crumble so hes gradually been removing them and replacing with nice white ones :-)
Cant see any of that happening in the NHS.
t. You get rushed through your appointment and they dont use the best stuff. I havent been for a few years but last time I went they were still using mercury amalgam ffs. They did offer a white option but told me it wasnt very good and would wear out in a few years.Now I go private and pay on a monthly plan with my local dentist. So its £5 for each of the kids per month, £17 for each adult. For that you get everything - check ups, clean and descale, fillings - whatever is necessary.
They dont rush through your appointment, are usually on time and they have the latest equipment, x-ray machines which produce instant results (for example). And they use a laptop and camera so you can see on a big screen what needs doing , then look at the final result.
Over the last year my old NHS amalgam fillings have started to crumble so hes gradually been removing them and replacing with nice white ones :-)
Cant see any of that happening in the NHS.
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