Is My Dentist Any Good?

[Chesnut1]

I started with a private Dentist on a plan last year. So far it has cost me £400 for 5 resin fillings and £13 a month for plan. I can not get onto the full plan until my teeth are at the required standard. Fair enough but every time it looks like they are OK for this another problem is found even though I was originally told I had good teeth. This is my main gripe from a money saving point however what are the guarantees with my new fillings. I ask this as one of them after 8 months now has a small hole which I can feel but dentist cannot find it so has done nothing but it causes me pain. Another one cracked and split the tooth which this time has been replced FOC but if it goes again I will need a crown which will cost me in excess of £300 and lastly one of my resin fillings was done on a front tooth at the gum line. I complained that for many months there has been a fowl smell coming from the gum line there but was told the filling is OK after a quick tap and he shaved away a bit more of the surface as this was apperntly causing my gum to swell. This would stop the problem which it has not. I have just started another year of the contract so cannot just pull out. Any ideas as to what I can do as I can ill afford this and often go without heating ect to pay vast dental bills. I started off with quite good teeth but now I am a lot poorer and my teeth appear to be suffering. I have asked the Dentist but he says although my teeth are quite good it can cost several hundreds before I can go on the full plan and this only covers fillings, extractions and check ups, hygenist and will cost aprrox £25 a month! Sorry for such long thread but this is annoying me. Thank you.

[Savvy_Sue]

I cannot say if your dentist is any good or not, but is the plan transferable? I definitely wouldn't stay with a dentist I didn't trust.

[Chesnut1]

Not very sure if the plan is transferable? but as it stands he was the only private dentist taking on anybody at the time and it is still the same way. We appear to have a severe shortage of private dentists here and no NHS. I think the only reason he was taking on a list was that he was new to area and quite young so not long qualified I expect. Thanks for your reply.

[Toothsmith]

Hard to tell from your post if it's bad luck or incompetence.

How well are things being explained to you? Although some very good dentists are very poor communicators - and vice versa!

How much time is taken over the filings and appointments?

Does the pace of the practice seem relaxed, or are there queues of patients in the waiting room putting the dentist under pressure?

If in doubt, I would seek a second opinion at least.

[treliac]

Chesnut1,
I would definitely want a second opinion even if I had to travel to find another dentist. If you are worried about the health of your teeth and gums, why not ask your doctor's advice in case there is any infection?

[Toothsmith]

Doctors know nothing about the teeth and mouth.

At best, they will tell you this, at worst they pretend they do!!!

It will be a waste of both your time and theirs to ask a Doctor about your teeth. Many Health centres now refuse to book patients in with dental problems

[treliac]

I ask this as one of them after 8 months now has a small hole which I can feel but dentist cannot find it so has done nothing but it causes me pain......... one of my resin fillings was done on a front tooth at the gum line. I complained that for many months there has been a fowl smell coming from the gum line there but was told the filling is OK after a quick tap and he shaved away a bit more of the surface as this was apperntly causing my gum to swell. This would stop the problem which it has not.

I would agree with you Toothsmith but Chesnut1's dentist sounds to be worryingly inefficient and may not have dealt with an underlying infection. If Chesnut cannot find another dentist then emergency treatment may be needed. The doctor is a last option although maybe NHS Direct may be worth trying, as per the following post (not the Bristol part ;) )
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=9076869#post9076869

If Chesnut's health is at risk from this practitioner's negligence then IMO s/he should seek whatever medical advice they can access.

[Chesnut1]

Thanks for all the replies, I am a bit stuck at the minute and teeth are no better. My insurance plan cannot be moved to another dentist and I have 10 months of contract left:rolleyes: I will get a second opinion but only when I can afford it and that will not be anytime soon due to not working and O income. As to the practice I go to, it is never very busy but not quiet either and it is clean and tidy. You can normally get an appointment within 3 weeks/ emergency 1week. But as I say I am not happy with the treatment particulary as I cannot break this contract so I am stuck for another 10 months. Alarm bells should have started ringing when I first joined as I have never been x rayed once even when in pain. IMO not very good with a new patient who had not been near a dentist in 7 years due to no NHS available. I suppose like everything else even private does not guarantee a good service. Just not sure of next step:confused: