Toothache, can't afford more work!

coldstreamalways

lynzpower wrote: »

I went to the dental hospital and they pulled it for free, as an emergency, BUT I got a hell of a lot of grief from the student dentist over it ( why cant you afford to pay and go private) I simply said that one day she would realise not everyone is as loaded as dentists seem to be

I think the point they were probably trying to get across was similar to what toothsmith says in almost every thread on here that he advises on-why not put a little bit of money aside (maybe every time you have a can of pop, a chocolate bar or a cigarette) is-routine dental maintenance isn't bank breaking stuff. If you go for a check up every year and have a small filling done for example, instead of waiting for the tooth to need RCT, antibiotics or an extraction-it will all be a lot more pleasant.

Criticising the earning power of dentists is actually really irritating, when I worked in practice it used to horrify me how many of my patients asked me how much I earnt- for 5 years at Uni and a £30000 student loan, how does not very bl00dy much grab you?

Thank god I escaped the grasping masses who felt they could neglect their own health for 50 years and expect the NHS to pick up the tab.

frivolous_fay

coldstreamalways wrote: »

Criticising the earning power of dentists is actually really irritating, when I worked in practice it used to horrify me how many of my patients asked me how much I earnt- for 5 years at Uni and a £30000 student loan, how does not very bl00dy much grab you?

Sounded like the dentist threw the first stone that time, though?

Toothsmith

jack* wrote: »

see if a credit union can lend you the money short term,we can't expect poor dentists to let you pay next month can we

The day Tesco let you pay for your shopping next month will be the day I adopt the same policy!

coldstreamalways

Don't you know buy now, pay later is the best way to run a business toothsmith?

Honestly, next you'll tell me of patients who have waited "years" to get an NHS dentist and then don't turn up for their appointments. Hahahahaaaa, oh my ribs.

coldstreamalways

What do you do for a living Jack*?

dazzle21

Hey OP, hope you get it sorted, i have a similar problem - had wisdom tooth out then root canal on tooth next to it, have been back to dentist who told me i was "imagining" the pain to be bad as the tooth was dead and sent me away, went to GP who was livid as the where the wisdom tooth had been taken out had become infected - hence the pain, but still suffering now the anti-biotics are finished anyway going to go back to my old dentist (hours drive!) and pay for a second opinion as soon as i can! good luck hope you get it sorted - sorry i could only sympathise x

Toothsmith

jack* wrote: »

If i have my roof fixed or take a pet to the vets i get an invoice through the post,why cant you do that?If a patient had no money and was in pain would you treat him/her free?

The vast majority of my patients are on a monthly payment scheme, so they have nothing extra to pay when they see me.

If a regular patient of mine fell on hard times, I'd almost certainly sort them out.

If a complete unknown turned up in my waiting room, we'd probably help them to get in touch with NHS direct. but no - I wouldn't see them for free. If I did, I would have to charge my regular patients an extra little percentage to cover such things, and that's not fair to them.

It's like you, as a brain surgeon. (And it's very unusual for a consultant to do no private work whatsoever!) If a patient had a tumour that would respond to a drug not approved by NICE, but they couldn't afford it, would you pay for them to receive that treatment?

coldstreamalways

And likewise, as a brain surgeon, it is unlikely that the equipment you use is owned and maintained out of your practice income, it probably belongs to the hospital, as does your operating theatre. Unlike many dentists who take out large mortgages or loans, to buy and equip a dental practice. Even NHS dentists get no money at all from the NHS to set up practice.

mwa

Thanks for all your useful replies, I got an emergency appointment today and have been referred to the local dental hospital to remove the 'tail end of the remaining root' if that means anything to anyone - sounds painful if you ask me!! Also packed off with anti-biotics again which I put on my credit card.

MWA

fizzel81

hugs toothache is the pits, if they have not removed all the root that would be the cause of the problem

i broke a tooth when i had my tounge pirced, had to go private to get it sorted, let just say that man i saw put me off dentist for a very long time, same tooth was then pulled 2 years down the line, in hospital under iv sedation

thankfully i have a great nhs dentist who i currantly see every 3 months had 2 fillings and one more to go, i go to a dentist where there is one who does private 1 who deals with exempt only nhs and children nobody is made to feel any different, there now one of the only few dentists in the area who take nhs