How long for a referral to a dental hospital?

[rharper83]

Hi, hopefully someone can help.

Around 2 years ago, perhaps a few months over that, I had a tooth that my dentist at the time decided needed a root filling, and then something else doing to it. She attempted it, and filed out the roots a little, but couldn't do any more as they weren't straight roots. She put a temporary filling in, and said I could either go private, or get a referral to the local dental hospital. At the time, I was a student so I couldn't afford to go private.

However, shortly after, the dental practice became private, and I had to start paying a monthly subscription. The dentist left, and I was looked after by the main dentist, who, after every checkup, kept saying I needed the tooth out, and so I reminded them about the referral.

2 years later, I've just been to the dental hospital, and been told that nothing can be done to save the tooth anymore, as it is beyond repair. I queried this, and was told had they been notified when it was first filed out, then they could have done something with it. I'm now faced with either an extraction (which my dentist will do, and thus, line their pockets whereas a root filling wouldn't have earnt them any money as it would have been done by the dental hospital), or a bridge or implant. It's not in a position that i'd want a gap, and at my age, I don't want a removable tooth really, especially as I'm not very confident anyway!

First question...

How long should a referal realistically take? I was told at the dental hospital that they only received a request for a referral in December 2007...

Secondly....

Has my dentist been negligent in taking so long to sort a referral out / leaving a hole in my tooth?

Thirdly....

Is it worth my obtaining my notes from my dentist (as I know that there is a mention of the referral on them as I saw the previous dentist write it)? They want £50 to produce a copy of my notes (not electronically stored), and that is without any x-rays...


Hope someone can help!

[Toothsmith]

However, shortly after, the dental practice became private, and I had to start paying a monthly subscription. The dentist left, and I was looked after by the main dentist, who, after every checkup, kept saying I needed the tooth out, and so I reminded them about the referral.



I'm a bit confused by this bit.

Was it only at the last appointment you reminded him about the referral, despite him telling you that the tooth needed extracting at each check up since you started with him, or has he told you the tooth needs extracting at every check up in the last 2 years and you have reminded him about the referral each time?

2 years is a long time to wait, but referrals to dental hospitals can sometimes be very slow. They can suffer all sorts of funding problems.

I think you need to establish when you were referred.

It's easily possible that the original dentist did refer you, but you got lost in the system, and it was only when the second dentist checked up on it, after you'd reminded him, that things started to move.

[rharper83]

Thanks for your reply Toothsmith.

3 or so months after the root filling was attempted, I had a checkup, and was told then that it would need either extracting or a referral being made, and I reminded them that the dentist that had left (Dentist A for now) had asked for a referral from the dental hospital. My now current dentist (Dentist B) said that that was fine, and a dressing was put in place on it.

6 months later (21ish months ago), I was told that the tooth would probably need extracting, so I asked Dentist B about the referral and was simply told 'oh yes...'.

A further 6 months (15 months ago), and the same situation occured again. I was asked about the tooth, whether there was any pain or discomfort, and as there wasn't, I said there wasn't. Dentist B said I was going to lose it, so I queried this, regarding the referral, and he replied 'oh yes, I see on your notes that we've referred you'.

9 months ago, the same situation occured.

3 months ago, after a checkup, I said I'd been waiting nearly 2 years for a referral, and did they always take this long, and wasn't really given an answer.

2 months ago, a letter arrived from the dental hospital, telling me I had an appointment.

Last week, I went to the dental hospital, had x-rays etc, and was told that the tooth couldn't really be saved as it had already been attempted to be filed out, and the roots were really not worth saving, so it would need to be extracted by my dentist.

I asked to see the letter of referral, from my dentist to the hospital, and it was dated December 2007, and it was the only letter in my records, according to the senior consultant.

If the original letter did get lost in the system, then surely my reminding after 6 months would have made Dentist B check that?

I'm not having a go at Dentists in general, I just want to know what possibilities I may be overlooking!

Thanks!

[LondonDiva]

Referrals from

[domdent]

consider a 3rd opinion from a private endodontist

[rharper83]

Referrals from

I'm a little confused...

[rharper83]

consider a 3rd opinion from a private endodontist

Where would I find a private endodontist, and how much should I expect to pay? Surely, they can only see my teeth as they are now, rather than how it was 2/3 years ago?