Any idea on dental treatment costs

collectors

Hi, i think i shot myself in the foot about 8 months ago with having such a terrible dentist, that i left them. I am now looking for a new NHS dentist to do work & can't find one to solve a toothache problem unless its private. I was given an emergency NHS number & as soon as you mention an emergency tooth ache they just hang up. I cant believe how rude someone can be to a patient that's in pain.
So i have asked around for private treatment. But as soon as i ask for a price or even a ballpark figure for a filling or extraction, all i get from the receptionist on costs is "i can't" say, you will have to see the dentist first.
So, can anyone say what they have paid for an extraction or a filling?
I am really peeved off that i should have to go private considering how much money i have contributed to the NHS.

Thanks

sheramber

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/dentists/how-to-find-an-nhs-dentist/

silvercar

I was given an emergency NHS number & as soon as you mention an emergency tooth ache they just hang up.

Terrible service, but probably not the right dentist for you if the experience starts that badly.

As for costs, the price of a filling is bound to vary depending on where it is, how big it is and the work involved eg a root filling will cost far more than a minor chip.

The same goes for extractions, an impacted wisdom tooth is going to be harder to extract and take longer than a simpler tooth.

If you want a guide of private prices (and I’m near London so expect prices are higher than in rural areas in the North) my current all high tech mainly private dentist charged me £140 for an extraction recently, my previous dentist who was part NHS/ part private with a very low tech set up would have been £80-100.

At the end of the day the tooth still came out, but you pay your money and take your choice. I was super impressed with the injection into my upper palate delivered by some drip feed over what seemed like 2 minutes - didn’t feel a thing! The after care will be better from this new practice, phone calls a day and a week later to check on recovery etc follow up appointment to discuss options and check healing 2 weeks later.

Toothsmith

Finding a dentist when you have a toothache is a 'distress purchase' and so it is highly unlikely that the place you find to deal with this will be the best place for your continuing dental care.

You will simply have very little choice, as the first person who has space in an appointment book will be the one you want to go for.

So do this in 2 stages.

Find someone to stop your tooth hurting, and pay them what they charge to do that.

Once the tooth isn't hurting, then you will have time to look round dental practices and find the place you want to go to properly (This could easily be the place you find to deal with the toothache - I'm just saying don't complicate the process of looking for a long-term dentist by making it a requirement that they have space to see you as a non-registered newcomer to sort this out.)

Find a practice for the long-term by following the steps in my signature.

Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/work colleagues.

Visit the short list practices to get yourself a practice leaflet. This will give you an opportunity to meet some of the staff, and generally 'get a feel' for the place. The practice leaflet should include a fee guide.

When you find the place you like, with the fees you think are reasonable - only then book the appointment.

These steps are much easier to follow if your face isn't hurting.


DO NOT get the toothache sorted, and then forget about it all until the next time a tooth hurts. To change what is happening to you, you need to change your behaviour and habits.

collectors

I managed to get in touch with a NHS emergency only clinic. "Yes the one that kept hanging up on me" When i got there i kept my mouth shut until i got the treatment done. The dentist himself was very helpful & pulled the tooth as it was to far gone, & as i am typing this, it’s still throbbing. LOL. The strange thing, is i have to go back for a check in a weeks time & it all cost £22.00. Now my NHS dentist would of charged about £90,00 for this treatment. So on the bright side persistence saved me £68.00 which helped towards the bucket of ibuprofen.
But i will still put in a complaint about the receptionist. When i got there she said fill out these forms "3 pages worth" i have the problem now days with not being able to write anymore due to getting very shaky hands & asked if she could help. And as quick & as rudely as she could, said no i can't do it for you. Another nice patient fortunately had seen this & said i will help.
I really don't know how people like this receptionist get these jobs.

silvercar

The dentist himself was very helpful & pulled the tooth as it was to far gone, & as i am typing this, it’s still throbbing. LOL. The strange thing, is i have to go back for a check in a weeks time & it all cost £22.00.

I'm glad you are out of pain.

For a charge of £22, pulling the tooth out was more likely than an attempt at a root canal.

Toothsmith

Maybe the receptionist was helping someone fill in a form when complaints came in that she was putting the phone down on people ringing up with toothache? So she was given a warning from her manager that if she did that again, she'd be sacked?