Why do i get Hygienest charges at the dentist

moneyistooshorttomention

Bellisima wrote: »

My new NHS dentist keeps pushing me to see the hygienist. This was despite saying I had no plaque at all! Ii have only seen a hygienist once and it was AGONY, so never again! We almost had a row over it. No other dentist has pressurised me into this before, but I stood my ground. I shall be seeing another dentist in my practice next time......

If you don't have plaque = then don't see the hygienist. Blow the dentist pushing. It's up to you to choose or otherwise.

Personally - I know I do need to see a hygienist - usually every 6 months. I do see them - as required by me.

I don't think you should let that one hygienist visit put you off. There's hygienists and hygienists. I was used to one I would have preferred not to have to see - but it was bearable and I did so. On moving here - I found I got landed with a right butcher hygienist and I know exactly what you mean. I swear they deliberately made it more "uncomfortable" than need be. Blinkin' person would do well in another life as a torturer and the look in their eye did have me wondering if they were enjoying it.

So I had my eyes out for a new dentist practice - though the dentist themselves was okay. I just wanted rid of their blinkin' butcher hygienist.

I've now found a new practice. It's one where they don't have a separate hygienist (which is not what I'm used to - but oh well....). The dentist does the "hygienist clean" themselves. In the event - they are actually the gentlest dentist I can recall having yet and they are also very gentle with the cleaning. The cleaning was no big deal and I'm not worried about having one from them again. I'm only too delighted to be rid of the "butcher hygienist":D.

So - don't take it that a hygienist clean (whether by a hygienist or by the dentist) is an awful experience. In the vast majority of cases they do do it in a "normal" way and not a "sadistic butcher" way.

EDIT; I am wondering if the hygienist you refer to might be the one I've just ditched?? See my location and if you're in West Wales I could confirm if the one you saw is the one I just "took off and ran from".

zebedy

Just ask for clarification. Why are people so scared to ask. Just say, will it be cocered by the nhs or will i have to pay. Then if they say you!!!8217;ll have to pay then ask if it is really necessary or just nice to have then make your own decision

CotswoldBob

collectors wrote: »

I get the impression that most, but not all dentist are out to screw you. I was told by an NHS dentist that i may need a deep route canal treatment & they only do this privately as the NHS wont pay them enough. Price privately= £512.00
I had had a DRC treatment about 18 months ago at the same practice that took two visits at 10 minutes a time, which is no difference from fillings, & all was done on my normal NHS bill. So, How are they allowed to take what equates to £170.66 per hour from the average wage earner. (£170.66 / 60 * 20mins = £170.66)
Myself & i would say most readers hear don't earn anywhere near this sort of money.

Your mathematics is incorrect.
The equivalent is £1536-00 per hour, which makes your point even more valid.
20 minutes is one third of an hour so £512 x 3 = £1536-00 per hour.
I am, however, highly sceptical that DRC treatment would only take 20 minutes.

Fitzmichael

I'm 77 and for a long time I never heard that any dentist I used had a hygienist. I always got a scale and polish from the dentist as part of the check-up, and understood that that was what was intended. Indeed, a school friend who became a dentist, like his father, warned me in the 90's that younger dentists were not satisfied with their NHS fees (more than just the charge) and might try something like this, and I should avoid them. Since I moved here 12 years ago, every dentist I have seen uses this ploy. Some were not much younger than I was, and in big practices.
The govt is even less interested in this than they are in the failings of the NHS, which is wholly under their control.

Erica51

My dentist charges £38 for a yearly check up done privately. He's good and I think it's worth it. He recommends a six monthly appointment with the hygienist. She says my teeth are fine and I should carry on cleaning them as I'm already doing. She doesn't clean them any better than I do and the charge is £45. I refuse to go six monthly but have compromised by agreeing to see her yearly. I reckon the dentist does it so he doesn't have to do as much work but the practice makes just as much money.

154

My dentist used to give my teeth a quick de-scale during my six-monthly NHS appointments included in the price. I just used a manual toothbrush at the time.



A few years ago I started using flossing tools (Wisdom 'Easy Slide' flossers), combined with mouthwash (I now use Aldi's alcohol free variety), decent Colgate toothpaste and, most importantly, bought an electric toothbrush with a two minute timer. I do this twice a day. Following the British Dental Association's advice, I also don't wash out the toothpaste from my mouth afterwards (ghastly, but you get used to it).



Every time I've been to the dentist since, she's commented on how well I clean my teeth and I've not had a de-scale since I started the new routine. I've never been to a hygienist. She's also increased the time between my check-ups to nine months as I don't need them so often.


My suggestion is that if you spend a bit of extra time and effort cleaning your teeth, it can pay off with savings and less treatment at the dentist. I do appreciate that some folks aren't as lucky with their teeth as I've been (although I've got plenty of fillings from years ago), but I hope this is of interest to you.

Toothsmith

The only thing I'd change in the above is ditch the mouthwash.

It adds nothing to your routine, and is a needless expense.

154

Thanks, I'm tempted, but my routine seems to have worked so well for so long that I'm reluctant to change it.

My dentist was rather non-committal about mouthwash. I'd happily give it up if it's really a waste of time. Would you mind elaborating please?

I did swap from the alcohol based one to alcohol free a few months back as the original stuff was sometimes making my oesophagus uncomfortable.

brook2jack

If you use mouthwash within two hours of using toothpaste they react with each other and you get no benefit from the fluoride in toothpaste.

98% of mouthwashes are classified as cosmetic , that is there is no peer reviewed proper research to show any clinical benefit.

The only mouthwashes that show clinical benefit , in certain situations , are those containing chlorhexidine. These should be used only on a dentists/hygienists advice for short term use.

There are a growing number of people who are developing chlorhexidine allergy and indeed there have been fatalities in the U.K. with chlorhexidine mouthwash. There is also evidence of bacteria developing chlorhexidine resistance.

Cackle

Oh Boo Hoo. Does anyone know a poor dentist? I have paid into the NI and tax system for over 50 years, subsidising others, and now find that I'm still expected to do that while having to live off a small pension and my savings; savings which I made by being careful, prudent and depriving myself (I don't expect to have annual holidays for example and don't have a great social life because I can't afford to). When I ask for help from my local Council I'm fobbed off because I don't live in social housing or on benefits. it really doesn't seem to pay to be honest and self-reliant.