NHS Dentists

postingalwaysposting

i have been lucky, i have always had the same dental practice, i did however stop going when i was 12 and i have just had a check up this year (age 20) luckly i wasnt taken off of there books, the bad part now is i have to pay but £15 isnt all that bad

looby75

Out of curiosity I have just checked the situation in my area and it's terrible, there are no dentists taking on new adult NHS patients anywhere in the PCT

I already thought my NHS dentist was fantastic but I love him even more now and will make sure I send him a Christmas card this year LOL

Noozan

Toothsmith wrote:

As for people travelling from one end of the country to another to get NHS treatment :- Have you ever worked out what it's costing you in petrol, wear & tear on your car and how much value do you place on your own time?

Private dentistry is very like the resturant business in it's prices. There are private practices at all price ranges from just a bit dearer than the NHS upwards. By and large you get what you pay for, but there are some 'bargins' out there.

In effect what you are doing at the moment is travelling the length of the country to visit a MacDonalds. The choice isn't do that or go to the Gordon Ramsey establishment in the city centre. I'm sure there's a decent local bistro you could use instead.

Hehe Toothsmith, good point I still have family living in Cornwall and drive down two or three times a year and always tie in my dental treatment with these visits.

The dentist that I see has been looking after my teeth since I was about 6 or 7 years old (I'm 28 now :cool: ). About 9 years ago, he left the NHS practice that he was working in and set up his own private practice. I got a letter from him asking if we wished to transfer to his new practice or stay at the old one and be taken on by one his old colleagues. I had a bad experience with one of his colleagues (my dentist was away and his colleague did a filling for me and left some of the nerve exposed. I went back in agony 3 days on the trot and he kept fobbing me off) so I decided to go to the new practice, even though it meant going private. 5 years ago, when I was out of work, I was due a check up, scale and polish. I mentioned to dentist that I was out of work and skint and he said he would see me as NHS since I had been his patient since the year dot. He's been happy to see me NHS ever since.

I really like him, he makes me feel at ease and is happy to answer any questions at great length. I only wish he wasn't a 600 mile trek away as my family are now in the process of relocating up to Scotland.

laurajayne

Sadly I 'let my NHS dentist go'.

I had no end of arguments with her -spend nearly £1,000 in her practice for bog all really...she'd charted the sore tooth wrong, was instisting on crowning the tooth when it blatently needed a root canal, told me that gold crowns weren't availiable on the NHS (they are at a specific level of gold), told me that my teeth were crumbling due to my Flouridosis (they ain't, they're hard as nails), sold me a bleaching kit with bleaching trays that didn't fit and when I told her she didn't believe me....the list goes on and on....and to top it all off...I'm a phobic!

She also removed one of my dad's teeth WHILE he was suffering from an absess, never gave him antibotics, and told him that she'd refered him to hospital for a wisdom tooth extraction but they'd written back and said they no longer do it...however she'd happily do it for him under local aneastictic. :eek: Quick call to the maxillo-facial dept of the hospital confirmed that she was talking rubbish! :mad:

I moved to the private practice at the end of our villiage, and long story short (ha!) I've had my RCT, crown and fillings, my dad sees his surgeon next week and it's all hunky dory . They've also set up an intrest free payment arrangement for me to pay, as the treatment was nearly (another) £1,000.

On the downside, I'm currently suffering with my TMJ - it keeps 'popping' out of the socket and I'm in agony...oh well, can't win em all :rotfl:

Toothsmith

Noozan wrote:

I really like him, he makes me feel at ease and is happy to answer any questions at great length. I only wish he wasn't a 600 mile trek away as my family are now in the process of relocating up to Scotland.

That's great. Good to have someone you really trust.

The problem will come one day when something a bit out of the ordinary happens.

Something breaks, or a pain begins, or you get hit in the mouth with a bit of wood etc etc.

You will then be faced with a mega-trek in pain, or have to look around for someone local in the worst way possible - in pain and at the mercy of the first person to have a space in the appointment book.

I too have one or two patients who travel a bit to come and see me. I really find it very stressful!!! I try not to let it influence my tretment plans should they need anything, but I sometimes end up trying to do a bit too much in a bit too shorter time in order to save a big round trip for them.

My recommendation is that you look around for someone local, and take your time about it and visit a few practices for a general look (Not an appointment with the dentist - just call in to 'pick up information' and see if you like the feel of a place.) The very best time (and the cheapest) to change dentist is when everything is fine.

Queen.Bess

MickKnipfler wrote:

mmm....

This Dental Practice is

NOT Currently Accepting New Fee Paying NHS Patients
NOT Accepting New Charge Exempt Adults for NHS Treatment
NOT Accepting New Children Aged 0-18 years for NHS Treatment
DOES NOT Provide Urgent Dental Access Slots

Does that mean they won't take me on?

Same here for me! My dentist went private earlier this year and I just won't be able to afford the treatment and it's not worth me paying for insurance as I only need to go every year - I have good teeth apparently according to my old dentist!! Oh well, when they start to fall out or go black, then I'll have to do something about them! I might be debt free then though and be able to afford gold ones if needed!!

Mrs_pbradley936

Toothsmith wrote:

This is actually against the terms of the new dental NHS contract.

By only accepting as NHS patients the children of his private adults, he is 'discriminating on the ability of patients to pay'.

This is specifically forbidden in the new contract. He may accept 'children only' if that is the sort of contract he has been awarded, but he may not only make places available to children of private adults.

.

My dentist does this as well. How long have these contracts been in place?

Toothsmith

Smashing wrote:

Have been regularly checking this website for over a year. Still nowt in my area.

Rang the primary care trust numerous times - they're 'working on it.'
Still.

Have you tried looking round the private options?

Mrs_pbradley936

Hold on, I might be mistaken - perhaps he treats all kids for free/NHS and only takes adults privately. Is that allowed?

Toothsmith

pbradley936 wrote:

Hold on, I might be mistaken - perhaps he treats all kids for free/NHS and only takes adults privately. Is that allowed?

Yes - if he has a kids only contract that would be fine.

So long as there are no conditions for which kids he sees.