Dental Work Abroad

Steve_xx

Toothsmith wrote:

But that someone else will be a dentist who owns his own surgery, and has all the financial pressures that go with it.

Unless you mean the Government run places?

These are either the community clinics - who only see special needs kids & adults, or access centres, who just tend to sort out emergencies and then tell you to find your own dentist.

New graduates do do 'vocational training' for a year or two within an ordinary NHS practice, but as I think I mentioned in an earlier post, the funding for these places, since the new contract, has become so bad, that at the end of their course this year, 60% of Birmingham Dental Hospital graduates had no VT job to go to!!

If they don't do VT, their only job options are private practice, or go abroad!!! They are not allowed to have an NHS contract without doing VT!

This is what we're up against!

Yes that person will be another dentist who owns a practise. That dentist will indeed have all of those overheads associated with running a practise. The practise owner then, as i think you said that you did in an earlier post, employs another dentist. That employee is then working for you in the same way an an employee of any other industry. He or she does not set up the practise and has no financial interest in it.

iceman_2

Toothsmith wrote:

Plus, they only last a year or two at most.

Mine's 7 years. And it's a perfectly legal and valid contract, possible to leave but there's a financial penalty. I don't see why this couldn't or shouldn't apply to dentistry.

"Only 50% of the population ever went to the dentist regularly anyway"

I would take a guess that the other 50% don't go cos they think it's a rip-off, not because they don't want healthy teeth.

billlew

My next dental appointment, check up, is 1st week in Dec, cost 0. Yes, I'm off back to Goa.
Persuaded by toothsmith arguments, no.
See post #3

LizEstelle

Toothsmith wrote:

So even if a fair proportion of the population do feel we are just greedy rip off merchants, it doesn't really make much difference...

Why on earth would I hold out an olive brach to the NHS?

I don't need them...


As I have said earlier, I will see any patient the Government is willing to pay for though. But my fees are non-negotiable.

Toothsmith... see above. I know I've hacked your post about but, in all honesty, do you truly see this kind of stuff as portraying anything other than SELF interest?

Genuinely, I'm trying to see your side of things and I know the issue is NOT black and white - but this type of uncompromising stance is storing up trouble both for you and anyone else who shares it.

You're dealing here with politicians - and it's been said that politics is the art of the possible, i.e. it's all about compromise. Ok - don't offer the olive branch - don't offer to compromise, by all means. Remember though that doing so gives the politicians only two choices - they either cave in or they do something unilaterally, without consultation with the profession.

Are YOU willing to risk bets on which it'll be?

You might have to start thinking about the emigration option after all...

Toothsmith

LizEstelle wrote:

You're dealing here with politicians - and it's been said that politics is the art of the possible, i.e. it's all about compromise. Ok - don't offer the olive branch - don't offer to compromise, by all means. Remember though that doing so gives the politicians only two choices - they either cave in or they do something unilaterally, without consultation with the profession.

Are YOU willing to risk bets on which it'll be?

As a professor I know says:-

Poli = Many

Tics = Blood sucking parasites.

They have already done the unilateral thing without consulting the profession. This new contract was it.

They are now calling it a huge success because 'only' 2000 odd dentists have told them where to shove it. That represents 10% of the dentists in the country. A further 30% signed it 'in dispute'.

I have said many times in this thread, but I will repeat it yet again, I have an NHS practice with spaces, less than 3 miles away from me, in the same town.

I get more patients coming from there than they get of mine, DESPITE pulling out of the NHS for kids as well.

I have placed my bet!! My entire practice!

The public is only being asked to bet it's teeth.

LizEstelle

That they've 'done the unilateral thing' once is no indication that they can't or won't do it again - probably quite the contrary.

Ok, seems you've made your decision. Time will tell which of us is right. Good luck... I think you may well need it.

Toothsmith

Not everybody believes it's the fault of dentists.

THIS is a very timely news article that shows just what can happen if people realise where the blame lies, and act accordingly.

I bet the Department of Health are hoping like mad that most people ARE like you Liz, and carry on blaming the dentists!

Steve_xx

Toothsmith wrote:

Not everybody believes it's the fault of dentists.

THIS is a very timely news article that shows just what can happen if people realise where the blame lies, and act accordingly.

I bet the Department of Health are hoping like mad that most people ARE like you Liz, and carry on blaming the dentists!

How scandalous that these people have had to remortgage their home in order to settle a dental bill. Isn't there a message there for dentists? And isn't the message that dentistry in the UK is too expensive for joe average?

Try putting yourself in the position of these unfortunate people and imagine how you yourself would feel if you had to remortgage your home to pay for your childs orthodontics. Or is that just far too far from a reality for you to consider?

LizEstelle

Toothsmith wrote:

Not everybody believes it's the fault of dentists.

THIS is a very timely news article that shows just what can happen if people realise where the blame lies, and act accordingly.

I bet the Department of Health are hoping like mad that most people ARE like you Liz, and carry on blaming the dentists!

I'm afraid I object to this more than somewhat.

'Like me'..??

I've said all along that I DO recognise there are two sides to the story. I've told you repeatedly that I'm simply reporting to you what I hear from non-dentists - you know, the kind of thing that patients tell each other in the waiting room before they put on a smile and go in to see you. The stuff they actually think rather than what they believe the guy holding the drill wants to hear...

That you caricature my position in this way scarcely serves to elevate your views above the rather surly, defiant and self-interested level at which they've seemed to hover so far.

I've said all I have to say on the matter now and leave you to it. Good luck.

Toothsmith

Steve_xx wrote:

How scandalous that these people have had to remortgage their home in order to settle a dental bill. Isn't there a message there for dentists? And isn't the message that dentistry in the UK is too expensive for joe average?

Try putting yourself in the position of these unfortunate people and imagine how you yourself would feel if you had to remortgage your home to pay for your childs orthodontics. Or is that just far too far from a reality for you to consider?

Exactly!!!!!!

But it wasn't a dentist who was sued and had to cough up was it???

It is the governments responsibility to ensure the healthcare services are available.

If that means they have to pay the proper price for them, then that's what it means.