Dentist -- NHS or private

[Pip]

Hello!
This title isn't a question as such, but just something I'm musing about, and the stuff I've written below is a bit of a ramble.

My last visit to the dentist two years ago to have a wisdom tooth removed was the push that got me to ditch the effing Debt Management Plan I was on with CCCS. I'd held off paying to sort out a knackered wisdom tooth because I couldn't afford to go to a dentist because of the amount I was paying into the DMP. This was the straw that broke the camel's back as far as the DMP was concerned. After finding AAD of course, I haven't looked back!

I have had very little work over the past couple of months, but had a couple of days' work out of the blue last week which means I'll be able to cover expenses up to the end of Feb. Also in the past few days though, I've realised that a couple of molars will need looking at very soon and so contingency funds will have to be dipped into, in mid-December an' all.

I've asked about on Facebook for local recommendations for dentists and I need to take the plunge. On the one hand, I thought maybe I could get a check up and x-rays on the NHS and then the treatment privately or otherwise. Then I read on various reviews that certain local dentists just whip you through on NHS check-ups and have you in and out of the dentist's chair in 40 seconds. Also from friends who have supposedly been treated on the NHS, but have paid £350 for a single treatment procedure (over several appointments, but for the same tooth/same issue).

Maybe I just need to resign myself to paying for decent unhurried treatment that may cost more financially, but may well prove to have been a good investment rather than a rush job on the cheap that leads to recurrent problems. I don't anticipate major major work being necessary, but then I'll have to wait and see what the dentist says.

I've emailed a local private practice to go along tomorrow to register with them.

Sorry that this is a right ramble, but any feedback would be most welcome! I'm sort of whingeing in my head about how much it'll probably cost, but well ... it'll hopefully be money well spent. I'm a slightly nervous dental patient after a horrific time with my childhood dentist up to about age 12 (nasty memories of being pinned down and gassed as a young child). In fact the cause of this current problem is a bad bad filling done by him that had to be replaced many years ago.

OK, too much thinking out loud! Thanks very much for any feedback!

[MrsD]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

mmm I used to work with dentists, managing around 200 practices from a training, financial and marketing point of view. I wouldn't pay for private treatment unless you want fancy cosmetic dentistry (no option then).

NHS dentists get paid a little for you every month by the government, you only really need a checkup every year unless you have particularly horrendous mouth and it doesn't sound that way. NHS dentists make their money by upselling private treatment on top of what is provided on the NHS. So the private guy you go to will still do NHS treatment, he just uses allegedly better (and much more expensive)materials. The materials are the difference. I would go to the local dental hospital where students will do the work, but they will be supervised by very very experienced dentists and it's in their interests that you get the best treatment possible. There is nothing available privately that can't be done on the NHS, the only things that I would get done privately are dentures as the NHS materials look cheap. If you're very nervous ask for IV sedation (available on the NHS), you'll wake up and it'll all be over. there is a lot of jiggery pokery goes on in the dental world, I'd steer clear of it as much as possible, and DO NOT join any dental plans!!!

[Deepie]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

. NHS dentists make their money by upselling private treatment on top of what is provided on the NHS.

Not had any work done on my teeth for over 10 years.....

Yet every time I go for check up.....they tell me to see dental hygienist £30 a time.......

[MrsD]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

yup and that is cheap, it's about £45 a pop up here

a full hygiene appointment is always private

if you've got good teeth, the dentist can do clean and polish for about a quarter of the hygienist fee.......................just a thought

[SA Gold]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

MrsD gives good advice there (as always!). I do just this with my dental hospital. You need to complete a form every time you go there to say you haven't got a regular dentist and that you will find one after being discharged.
There are some quality students there and they give you a good going over (your teeth that is!) and often do x-rays before someone with silver hair and a Rolex comes over to ask them what they found. I am quite happy to oblige! Best bit is it doesn't cost a penny!

[Pixie]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

I used to be a dental nurse and have worked for both NHS and private dentists. The best dentist was NHS...he did a really good job, put nervous patients at ease and often saw them out of normal hours. I've found that private dentists (or at least the ones I worked for) spent ages chatting about golf, Rotary Club etc then either rushed through the treatment...or kept the next patients waiting for ages.

[Pip]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

Thanks very much MrsD! You've given me second thoughts. I've looked around but no dental schools within reasonable travelling distance of where I live are taking patients, but I'll try first asking in a dentist down my street whether they're taking NHS patients, rather than going straight to the private-only one. If they're not taking NHS patients I'll try getting on the waiting list of another NHS dentist. My wisdom tooth extraction (simple extraction, took a couple of minutes) cost £120 last time done privately. If I can get everything done for £49 I'll be quite surprised and pleased!

The NHS bands are all quite clear, but there is a lot of confusion and muddying of waters, it seems. I wouldn't need sedation, but I do go a bit white-knuckle at the nasty bits! Fingers crossed I'll manage to set things in motion tomorrow.

[Pip]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

Thanks also Pixie, SAGold and Deepie (hadn't seen your posts)! I'll let you know how I get on.

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

I've been weighing up a similar decision on the basis that I need an appointment..... and my workplace will pay up to £200 a year for dental work as part of the group health care policy.

In reality £200 won't go that far and one of my molars is presenting a problem, so I am now thinking of sticking with the local NHS dentist after all, to try and make the most of the £200 entitlement from where I work.

[Pip]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

Yep, molar problem here too PriorityOne. Hopefully just one or possibly two neighbouring ones. No pain yet, but the longer I leave it ... !
If you have an NHS dentist that you already know and trust, then I would certainly stick with him or her!

[Beefy1976]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

Dentists are not my favourite subject but I do have something I can add here.

I went to dentist regularly as a child and in my teens - In my late teens I needed a few fillings so duly went to have the work completed. I was always frightened of the dentist but as I never really had to have any work it wasn't a problem until these fillings... I was shaking in the chair as I was so scared. My dentist said if I didn't stop shaking he would drill through my gums! As you can imagine, I didn't get my fillings and never went back.

Fast forward a few years and I had awful toothache and I went to the dental hospital and to cut a long story short I opted for a few extractions under sedation (after they tried in vein to do anything whilst I was awake). I then continued happily with no dentist for a few years (over 10) knowing deep down that I should go but couldn't face it. Cue the toothache...

I was crying with the pain so much so I ended up in hospital for pain relief. I then was referred by my GP to a an NHS dentist for people who were unable to attend a normal dentist. They were AMAZING and talked me through everything they were doing and really made me feel at ease. I had to pay the top band NHS fee as I needed so much work by that point but it was worth every penny.

I now have regular check ups every six months with a regular dentist but they have not put anything more than a mirror in my mouth as I still freak out with anything more.

I have rambled but I think it's important you feel at ease with your dentist and you certainly need to consider your options.

Beefy

[Pip]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

Hmm... soonest they'd be taking on NHS patients is the middle of January. Doubt very much that my tooth situation will stay stable (without pain!) for a whole four or five weeks. Looks like I'll have to raid the piggy bank and get down to the private-only place to at least find out what treatment is going to be needed. If I need a crown or root canal work I'll just have to hang on somehow until mid-Jan as my budget wouldn't stretch to the non-NHS prices.
Or maybe hang on and go to the emergency dentist if it becomes painful? Oo-eck ...

PS Mind you -- just seen this:
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-services/dental/patients/patients.aspx

I could swear there was no availability to get on the waiting list when I looked yesterday. I could travel to London to get this done easily enough ...

[MrsD]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

get going then

[Pip]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

get going then

Sent off my application to the London dental teaching hospital!

[Pip]

Re: Dentist -- NHS or private

Just to say thanks very very much to Mrs D for the dental students/teaching hospital suggestion -- I didn't hold out much hope of getting on their books, but I've got an assessment appointment for next week (which would have been the soonest I could get an appointment with a local dentist when I tried back in early December)!! And amazingly, the tooth issue hasn't deteriorated or given any pain. I think I can safely rule out the need for root canal work given the lack of pain. Will be keeping my fingers crossed that they have me back for treatment after the assessment.