Dentists every six months?!

fierystormcloud

Why?

This really grinds my gears.

I am tired of having to go that often, purely to stay registered. Moreover, I am tired of the dreaded bill every time, and worrying what they are going to find, and how much it's going to cost.

My OH didn't go for over two years around a decade ago, and he was told he could not be seen by a dentist and would have to find another practice!

He had to then go private, (which cost a FORTUNE,) and then wait on a list for nine months, before another NHS registered dentist would take him on.

Why can you not just go (to an NHS registered dentist,) when you need to?

I am really annoyed at having to go every six months, because my teeth are fine. Yet the dentist almost always seems to find something to charge me for. I don't think I have gone more than 3 times out of the last 10, without something having to be done! When I go, as far as I know there is nothing wrong, but he always finds something. :huh:

My sister's boyfriend is in his late 20s, and has not been since he was 16, and he is not registered at a dentist, because he refuses to bend to this 'every 6 months' rule, and he has the most perfect teeth! I guess he probably should go now and again, as the dentist can pick up things he maybe can't see (like wisdom teeth coming through a bit askew, or gum disease setting in,) but he says until he feels any 'dental pain,' he is not going.

Most older people I have spoken to (like over 45) only seem to have issues now that were caused by dentists drilling unnecessarily into their teeth in the 70s and 80s anyway! Many people I know middle aged and over, have had to have expensive crowns on teeth that were stupidly over-filled for no reason in the first place!

So why DO the dentists insist you go every six months?

Apart from bringing in lots of extra revenue, what other reason is there to have to go every six months?

You don't have to go every six months to the opticians, or to the doctors, to still be registered and seen quite quickly; so why this stupid, annoying 'rule' for dentists? I mean, you may as well make hairdressers and chiropodists have the same rule! :mad:

BTW, I am not going to 'stop' going, because I don't want to end up de-registered, (before anyone suggests that!)

Timalay

Not every 6 months here, my dentists only wants to see me once a year.
I would much rather they caught something early, than have to put up with the pain.

Cisco001

i asked for annual check

Paully232000

Glad mine isn't like that. I go once a year for a check-up, and the stipulation with our dentist is you have to be seen at least once every two years or they will take you off the register, which is fair enough i think.

I guess there are better or worse in every profession. I have been going to the same practice for about 8 or 9 years, and only ever been told that i need two things, one filling and one extraction. These were both things i knew would be needed, one because i cracked my tooth (filled) and the other i had an abscess due to another cracked tooth. Dentist said could fill it or take it out and as it was at the back i said just take it out.

David_Aston

Ours is also every six months. Does tend to be the Seventeen quid check up fee only, for both my wife and myself normally.

peachyprice

Once a year here too, except for the children.

You're going on about not wanting to be de-registered if you don't go, but it doesn't seem as if your dentist is all that anyway.

Shrimply

I don't know if it's different in Scotland, I go every 6 months but unless I get my teeth cleaned etc I don't pay anything, that actual check-up is not charged for.

Usually I go in, she has a quick prod around and I leave 5 minutes later, making a new appointment as I leave.

I'm continually paranoid about my teeth and I'm happy to get them looked at very 6 months to ensure nothing is wrong

shaun_from_Africa

fierystormcloud wrote: »

So why DO the dentists insist you go every six months?

£££

Even the NHS themselves don't state that a check up must be done every 6 months. All they say for adults is that the recommended maximum time between check-ups shouldn't exceed 2 years.

moneysaver21

I only go whenever I start to notice the white tartar build up the back of my teeth, usually once a year

pollypenny

It's every ten months for us in North Wales.

Piggywiggy

Mine is every 6 months, after leaving school I didn't go for a couple of years because I hated it so much, wish I had because the reason I went back was because of an abscess and the tooth couldn't be saved. Now I'm glad I go every 6 months, it's only £18 and could save more teeth!