dental treatment - private or nhs?

boo304

Hi,

Wonder if anyone can help me?

I have an NHS dentist (I'm exempt from charges), but their waiting lists are so long that I can only get an appt 2 or 3 times a year. My dentist is lovely but she's so busy that even when I do go, I only get a short appt, and as a result the work that needs doing isn't being done, and my teeth are slowly getting worse.

I need lots of work doing and have been to see a private dentist who has quoted me £800 for 6 white fillings (4 of which are for the front teeth).

I really want the work doing quickly but I'm not sure whether to persevere with trying to find another NHS dentist who will do it for free, or go with the private one? Problem is, I can barely afford the treatment at the moment, and I know I won't be able to afford further treatment even if I can get the money for this first lot.

Also, is £800 reasonable for 6 white fillings?

Hope you can help - thank you!

debtfreein4years

can you not book 2 appointments? thats what my dentist lets me do as he knows i no longer live with my mum and dad but he still keeps me on his books as he has been my dentist ever since i had teeth. if i dont use the second appoinment my mum or brother uses it for their checkup appoinment as i time coming up for the dentist to coincide roughly with the times of their checkups so that the appointment is not wasted.

WifeofDJFLP

Hi

I've recently gone private and I'm delighted with the service I get from my dentist. I have two of the most beautiful white fillings you'll never see (they're on my very back teeth!) and they cost me £275 but thy took an hour to do so thats not too bad.

Remember, you don't have to have everything done right away, I've set a monthly amount I can afford to spend, my dentist knows what it is and does treatment accordingly. I needed over £2000 worth of work done when I first went and immediately panicked but now I've had half of it done and never went over budget.

My dentist also lets me pay up to my monthly limit and pay the rest when I have it.

hth

WifeofDJFLP
xxx

Rikki

Even if you have an NHS dentist and are exempt from charges you still have to pay for white fillings.

karenw

Rikki wrote: »

Even if you have an NHS dentist and are exempt from charges you still have to pay for white fillings.

How much would they be even if you are exempt?

Rikki

karenw wrote: »

How much would they be even if you are exempt?

It doesn't matter that you are exempt. The treatment is private and you pay full price.

It was the year after the birth of one of my children when you are exempt from nhs charges. I was with a nhs dentist but paid privately to have white fillings as they are not available on the nhs.

karenw

Rikki wrote: »

It doesn't matter that you are exempt. The treatment is private and you pay full price.

It was the year after the birth of one of my children when you are exempt from nhs charges. I was with a nhs dentist but paid privately to have white fillings as they are not available on the nhs.

Roughly how much is one white filling

Rikki

karenw wrote: »

Roughly how much is one white filling

I couldn't say exactly as I haven't had a filling for years. The last one I had was thirty something pounds. I think they are dependant on size too.

Toothsmith is best to advice you.

boo304

Apparently, because I need 4 fillings in front teeth, I am entitled to have white ones done by the NHS.

My dentist won't let me book advance appointments either! I suppose if people did that then the waiting times would be even longer...

Thanks for your replies everyone!

Horace

I have never had an NHS dentist (although maybe I did when I was a child who knows). My private dentist's fees are very similar to those charged by some NHS dentists - a check up is £25, a filling (I broke off part of my front tooth and had it built up with resin) cost for that £25, you actually can't tell the difference between the resin and my normal tooth colour.

I have check ups every six months and can arrange appointments whenever I want although I do prefer to see the same dentist so I will wait until he is free. A couple of years' ago I had a growth on my gum (basically a skin tag that grew over some scar tissue), the dentist didnt want to touch it and passed me over to one of his colleagues who removed it (no charge) it then grew back twice as big as before so I had to go and see the colleague again but this time at my local hospital where it was cut away more deeply, the gum has started to grow back now - again I didnt have to pay.

£133 for each white filling seems to be somewhat excessive if you don't mind me saying - my private dentist charges £45 at the most for white fillings. Mind you I also get some money back because I always submit my receipts to the Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund that I subscribe to and get money back for dental treatment and glasses.

I hope you find a private dentist that has more reasonable fees. Mind you I do know of a private dentist in London and her fees are extortionate but then her clientele are mainly rich arabs and MPs

hethmar

Horace, your private dentist sounds very reasonable! I think thats virtually what NHS charge?

But, back to the OP, IF you can afford it, go private. I went private for the first time 2 years ago after snapping off a front tooth and being told to go back in 2 months to the NHS dentist :eek: I took a couple of recommendations, got in to the private dentist on a Saturday morning - booked in for the following week, done and dusted. Since then Ive had over £2k worth of treatment which has been brilliant - for the first time in decades Im proud of my smile.

If you can afford it, go for it.

PS, I had a large back filling top last week and it was £76.

Re costs, have a google for a private dentist(s) near you - they normally have a price list on their websites.