Free Dental Treatment

clareowen1986

Hello! This is an old thread but thought I would just note my experiences with students dentists.

I am only 25 and have very bad teeth despite looking after them pretty well. As I knew I needed a fair amount of work I got my name down for the Plymouth dental school. I have been going for a over 18 months and have found the whole thing very traumatic.

As someone has stated above, if you are a nervous patient (as I am) this may not be the best way to get treatment. But I also appreciate that private it soooo expensive.

When I had a broken molar fixed, I wasn't booked into a long enough slot and the procedure was rushed and very invasive. This tooth then got infected and the root canal had to be done 5 times in 5 different appointments. This was due to not getting booked into for long enough slots and not getting finished. I have since had to loose this tooth because the tooth had been drilled so many times and became sore and weak.

I find that the students don't really tell you what is going on and aren't compassionate (perhaps I need to man-up). They also don't listen.

I am now having trouble with a front tooth that I hit and caused trauma to when I was 10 (another reason I got onto the dental school). After x rays it appeard that I had cracked the root and this means loosing the tooth. I was given a root canal even though the diagnosis was a fractured root and this has made the pain ten times worse. I have now been referred to a consultant to see if I can have an implant through the dental school. This is free, which is obviously fantastic. But it will be another month before I am even seen and considered for the treatment.I was supposed to be going travelling this spring and can't because of the pain. Very upset.

I think dental schools are great if you need little bits and pieces doing but any major work should be really thought about and if you can invest in your teeth with a dental plan or something - you should! The appointments have been weeks and even months apart.

I now have to go to a private dentist and spend thousands that I really do not have. But have decided it's better than being in pain 24/7.

Anyway, sorry about the rant. Just very frustrated and thought it would be a good idea to share.

rjh090384

thats a very generalistic view of students - i am a trainee hygienist at cardiff -originally from belfast. i have a lot of nervous patients and to be honest they love me. im very patient and compassionate and they always come up. we are very very well supervised and checked at every point so i personally think the standard of care is very high. oh yeah and its free!!!!

you do need to appreciate that if you go to a student that it will take a longer time and several appointments as we are only learning!! for instance - i have 1.5 hour slots to do something that i would only have 15 minutes to do in practice when i qualify.

also if the student hasnt told you what is going on, they are not following dental council guidelines on informed consent and you should specifically inform their tutors about this as it is a breach of patient care.

and im sorry but if you have bad teeth as you say the chances you have "looked after them well" are highly slim