Dentists fees - NHS and Private - Cheaper outside Belfast?

benfilan

Hello, just posting wondering if anyone has any experience with this.

Basically I need a bit of dental work done and I have an NHS dentist in Belfast currently who I am waiting to see, but there's a few things I'd like done (replacing some amalgam fillings with white ones) which seems might be cheaper at another practice outside Belfast.

For replacing white fillings I've been quoted around £100 per tooth but here: http://www.gentledentalclinic.com/fee-guide.php it seems to be much cheaper. Also a half hour appointment with a hygienist is much cheaper than the practice I usually go (£22.50 vs £65).


So am I imagining things or are practices outside the capital much cheaper for some things?

You advice or experiences would be welcomed!

suki1964

Looks like that 22.50 for the hygeinist is just the first consult - as soon as treatment starts that you are looking 120 - 150 for the treatment

Fillings - once again depends on where abouts in the mouth they are

I go both private and NHS up here in Bally money and I can assure you that private costs are not any cheaper at all.

Rather then getting hung up on price you would be better finding a dentist that you feel comfortable with and one that you know from word of mouth does a good job

Toothsmith

suki1964 wrote: »

Rather then getting hung up on price you would be better finding a dentist that you feel comfortable with and one that you know from word of mouth does a good job

Couldn't agree more.

That can work both ways though. The expensive places aren't always best.

Personal recommendation is by far and away the best way to find yourself a dentist. Obviously, you need to be able to afford the fees, but cost should be down the list of priorities a bit.

benfilan

suki1964 wrote: »

Rather then getting hung up on price you would be better finding a dentist that you feel comfortable with and one that you know from word of mouth does a good job

Thats the thing, I haven't really been back in NI for long and I don' know anyone to get a recommendation from. The NHS dentist I'm with right now seems pretty good, I'll stick with him I think. Thanks.

jenny-wren

For every course of dental treatment you can either get it done on the NHS or privately. A dentist cannot 'mix' private and NHS work as one course of treatment.

Ask your dentist what treatment he can do is private and what is NHS. The hygienist is definately private judging by the prices. I paid around £30 the last time I went to the hygienist and my dentist failed to tell me beforehand that this was private treatment. You have every right to ask your dentist for a breakdown of charges so you know exactly what you have been quoted for or have paid for.

White fillings are generally only available on the NHS for front teeth. For other teeth you'd need to get it done as a private course of treatment and can expect to pay £70 - £100 per white filling depending on where it is in the mouth (back teeth are bigger and will cost more). An NHS dentist can do white fillings anywhere in the mouth for you as private treatment (but are under no obligation to) but they can charge you what they like as, as far as I know, there are little restrictions on what can be charged for private dental work.

I guess it pays to shop around!

irishjohn

I came back from England and this is my dentist - very comfortable for treatment from them and until I started paying him £14 a month I was paying £16 per hygienist visit - (monthly payments started last year)

I cannot recommend them highly enough as I am susceptible to gum disease and they are great

solodanceparty

I go to an NHS dentist and pay £17 for a check up. I used to go private and paid about £30. I got the same exact treatment and they used the same exact equipment. I really like my NHS dentist, everyone in the practice is lovely.

benfilan

solodanceparty wrote: »

I go to an NHS dentist and pay £17 for a check up. I used to go private and paid about £30. I got the same exact treatment and they used the same exact equipment. I really like my NHS dentist, everyone in the practice is lovely.

Yeah I have a great NHS dentist too (from what I've seen so far) I used to go to a really great private dentist but I just can't afford it now. I could just about afford the checkups but no actual treatment

metalgal

from my experience private work in a predominately nhs practice is generally cheaper than private work in a complete private practice.

White fillings are charged by the size of the filling. Teeth have 5 surfaces, and you are usually charged per surface, and sometimes depending on linings etc. It is not possible to mix NHS and private treatment i.e you can't get a root canal treatment on the NHS but get a white filling on top. Unless it is an incisor. So if you were to get an nhs check up and needed fillings you could amalgam ones but if you wait a few months, assuming the fillings are small/medium, you can get your check up and clean NHS but your fillings done private.

With regards hygienist you can get a standard scale and polish on the nhs done by your dentist. If you need very extensive perio and they want you to go to their hygienist privately you could ask to be referred to the hospital. You may wait a while but a root planing on all four quadrants could cost hundreds for a hygienist whereas the hospital is free.

I think if you are exempt from charges, no work should be done privately including hygienist visits, but it seems dental practice owners care more about the cash sometimes.

Previous dental nurse.

Milko

I too use a dentist on Hamilton Road Bangor (Livingston) and can highly recommend him ... my denplan is approx £17/month

purt

£100 is a bit steep. I had some amalgam fillings replaced at Stranmillis Dental Practice, privately, for around £55 per tooth. That was to replace them with (white) composite material, regardless of the size of filling.

It does pay to shop around. A nearby private dentist was charging £65 for a new patient consultation v. the £42 I paid.