Why is it so hard to get a dental appt?

sneezyboots

Wondering if it is just me/this area or if I am doing something wrong here

I'll admit I have not had a check up in a couple of years and keep thinking that I need to start going to the dentist regularly again- well my filling fell out over the weekend so I figured it would spur me to start going again.

Rang up what I thought was my dentist (whole family go there, last dentist I saw etc) and as I haven't been for a couple of years I am no longer registered with them. Because of this I would have to re-register and they aren't registering new patients until January and then wouldn't be able to give me an appointment for for a couple of weeks.

Figured I'd try ringing the other dentists in my town and see if any of them would register me so I could get the work done- none are currently registering. Some said they would be in February, some just said no!

Rang the nhs direct emergency number for people without dentists and they said is it causing pain to which I foolishly said no as it isn't so they said to buy some temporary cement stuff from boots until I can get an appointment :eek:

Am I doing something wrong here??

Toothsmith

Only in deciding that you need to see a dentist in the week before Xmas.

The country is about to shut down for a couple of weeks.

welshdent

Its MENTAL this week. I am inundated with people that have had some problem or another for literally weeks but choose to come in this week.

Honestly, you will be viewed FAR more positively if you do not pretend you are in pain to get in sooner. I guarantee you will not be better off. If you lie .... and believe me we CAN tell ... you wont get the full check over and assessment you may expect. You will get a bemused dentist, annoyed you have been squeezed in ahead of "genuine" emergencies and they will plug a temp filling in and tell you to come back again. Better off going in for a regular appointment as a new patient and getting assess properly when the world and their dog are trying "avoid problems over christmas"

brook2jack

Absolutelty snowed under here as well with people who have had problems for weeks but "don't want it to flare up over Christmas". Unfortunately this is coupled with the people who cancel at the last minute to do Christmas shopping not leaving enough time to book anyone else into the slot.
Bah humbug.

jugglebug

brook2jack wrote: »

Absolutelty snowed under here as well with people who have had problems for weeks but "don't want it to flare up over Christmas". Unfortunately this is coupled with the people who cancel at the last minute to do Christmas shopping not leaving enough time to book anyone else into the slot.
Bah humbug.

At the expense of this thread sounding like a stuck record.
Me too

bitemebankers

Yep, this thread does sound like a stuck record.

The OP was after some constructive advice, not a bunch of dentists whinging about their jobs, as if anyone really cares. Most people in this country are very happy simply to have a job right now. You chaps want to live in the real world for a while.

caeler

Could you go further afield? I remember moving to a new area and I waited over a year before they would register new patients and ever since I've kept to my 6 monthly appointments in fear (just been this morning actually)!! Good luck and I hope you find somebody to register you, although it sounds like waiting until January, register where your family go and ask them for the earlier appointment they have is your best bet.

welshdent

bitemebankers wrote: »

Yep, this thread does sound like a stuck record.

The OP was after some constructive advice, not a bunch of dentists whinging about their jobs, as if anyone really cares. Most people in this country are very happy simply to have a job right now. You chaps want to live in the real world for a while.

Rather not if it means putting up with you


As it happens I WAS being constructive with advice. I said dont lie and pretend you have pain when you dont if you want to be managed properly. We were all then highlighting WHY it is hard to get an appointment this time of year. Thats called the real world by the way

Seasons Greetings!:money:

jlj_2

If you phone NHS Direct 0845 4647, they should be able to let you know where to go to get a temporary filling as an emergency and then you can register with a dentist after christmas.

bitemebankers

welshdent wrote: »

Rather not if it means putting up with you

Stick to your ivory tower then. It seems to be where you belong.

We were all then highlighting WHY it is hard to get an appointment this time of year

Yes, stating the blindingly obvious, and then whittering on about how terribly hard your job is, it clearly helpful advice...not!

Grumble grumble grumble...

jlj - Couldn't even manage to read the whole of the first post ehh?

sneezyboots

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't expecting to be seen before christmas, just asap. To those who said register and wait or call nhs direct, that's the problem. I have only been told "we aren't registering until february/etc" or a blank "we aren't registering". Nhs direct said as I am not in pain to use cement from boots to fill it myself and wait until a dentist does start registering.

So to all the dentists out there- is this cement stuff any good for now until I can find one to see me or should I just try and keep the hole open and as clean as possible? Looking on the boots website it seems to be about £7 which I don't mind paying but would rather not waste if it is just going to fall out tomorrow. Plus, if I use the cement and have even a speck of food in the hole I can't see, will that not cause more damage?

Are dentists more willing to register if you are willing to go private? and then do you think I would get an appointment before jan 4th?