Have just had my first checkup for three years, apparently need my first filling 🙄 Initially I was a bit dubious as its a new dentist to me and it was the first time I’ve had a check up where the teeth were just looked at rather than prodded with a pointy stick, but having quizzed him about the x ray he showed me an extremely faint shadow on one tooth, having done some Googling it appears legit. Lots of scary rotten teeth on Google…

But I was just wondering, is there still the incentive for NHS dentists to do unnecessary work or does that no longer happen. As a kid I was always driven 40 minutes to the next town to a ‘trusted’ dentist, didn’t moan as it meant longer off school 🙂

I don’t know, – there are no NHS dentists!

I used to have one. They struck me off for not going to their stupid 6 month check-up, then said they would only put me back on the list if I first had their next checkup and subsequent work all done privately first!

Blackmailers.

Well its their fault I haven’t been for three years and now need a filling, on my last visit they said they had changed their policy and now I don’t need to go every 12 months to stay on the NHS. So obviously 36 months passed, felt like 18, so booked a check up.

I suppose having never had a filling, I got a bit complacent. Don’t have a sugar habit and brush twice a day, obviously not enough 😥

When I mobilized to go to Afghanistan I had a check up with my civvy dentist first. They didn’t flag up any problems. Two weeks later I had a check up with an Army dentist who didn’t flag up any problems either.
Less than a month later I had to have a tooth extracted because it was too far gone to save and I couldn’t handle the pain any longer.

Anyhow, the incentive for a private dentist to do un-neccesary work has got to be greater than that for an NHS one?

A tooth can go bad really quickly. I had a small (so I thought) speck on one tooth, thought I’d better get to the dentist at some point. Few days later during the course of eating a single choccy bar it developed into a huge cavern inside the thing.

Apparently, the NHS used to pay a flat rate for procedures done which amounted to something like £3/h, which is why they used to rush like madmen to work on you – not so pleasant. Now though they get a much better deal apparently so it’s all ok. I don’t think they would have you in for unnecessary treatment since they mostly have big waiting lists for registration, at least round here.

Mine couldn’t give me an appointment for at least 3 month and by the time I visited, she told me there was a very bad decay which might or might not be saved. I was already in pain at the time but she only gave me a check up. Then gave me an appointment one month later which at time time I was in some serious pain.

Yes, the tooth is now fecked and I went through a period of agony which I was told to get it extracted. Get this they don’t do extraction … then referred me to dental hospital. I am still waiting for the appointment to come. Apparently takes months to arrive so I will how it goes.

She kept pushing me to get an insurance by going private telling me I used up my “pot” of money allocated by NHS (subsidy btw) for dental treatment. Also told me the “pot” of money is needed for treating children … I did not what to make of it since I do not know how the system works. So I politely said ok just to avoid argument.

FFS! I have been with them for nearly 10 years now but they stopped sending me letter for general checked for about 5 years now. I thought everything was fine until I started to get toothache.

As far as I am concerned the dentist association is like a cartel and in order to keep price high they restrict the number of good dentists practising. Yes, some are shite but if there are many then at least there is more to choose from.

If I were to save my tooth it will cost £150 just for consultation and another £500 to £600 to have a crown. Damn …

I really want to drill their teeth without local anesthetics.

p/s: I don’t mind paying a bit but so long as they do a proper job that can last for 10 years. I did have a filling 5 years ago and it’s starting to break …

My NHS dentist seems very thorough.
She bears a striking resemblance to Victoria Pendleton so I quite look forward to my appointments. Tried to get in 3 monthly but they wouldn’t have it….

I’m happy with my NHS dentist (bar the above episode!!), re appointments though, I’ve always been able to get one the same day or at worst the next day.

Well, my gf just went for her annual check a week after me, she had the same ‘new to her’ dentist. She also has no fillings. He had a quick look, no poking, didn’t even bother counting out the teeth to his assistant, and announced that she needed a filling in a wisdom tooth. Didn’t even bother to x-ray it to see how much decay there was. Is that normal?

How much does it cost to get a second opinion going private? (I guess I can’t get an NHS checkup without changing to another practise)

Just seems a bit strange that we have both taken care of our teeth well enough for the last 28 years, and now suddenly need fillings now we have a new dentist.

What irks me; and this is a common theme throughout the NHS, is that there never seems to be any immediate treatment.

I used to go to the dentist and if I needed a filling, they would give me a filling.

Now, it’s an appointment to look inside your gob, then another to actually do the work. I have an abcess developing above a tooth that was filled a couple of months back and at my appointment on monday, the dentist barely even looked in my mouth, and told me to book an appointment for a couple of weeks time.

It’s an extra slot in their busy schedule and extra down time for me – it epitomises a significant set of procedures that seems all wrong with this country.

As another example, a lump in my wife’s breast will take a visit to the GP and three hospital consultations before any results are divulged – madness when apparently the NHS is skint.

My dentist advised me to get a root treatment/crown if I wanted to save the tooth otherwise extraction at dental hospital. The cost of root treatment/crown is £105 for consultation & another £500 or more to get a crown done with root treatment. She kept saying she would only treat on private next time so advised me to get an insurance. Told me some rubbish that the pot of money allocated to me was needed to treat children which pissed me off as I did not even see a dentist for the past five years.

So I have decided to go private now but Not with them. They can fecked off and I would not recommend them to anyone. Especially her. Frankly, she just wanted to get the filling/job done quickly (perhaps I did not realised that I was still on NHS and she wanted to get me out asap) and did not even attempt to do a good job. i.e. all the filling resulted in severe tooth sensitivity now.

Cut the long story short since I have decided to go private I searched the internet for one that I feel can do the job by looking at the feedback on the internet. This is the website so have a look.

http://www.dentist-finder.co.uk/allcities.php

The one I found will cost me £360 (highest in their price range but I could go cheaper if I wish) for crown and £90 for root treatment and £34 for checking. It will cost me in total £484 but just not as expensive as the one I was told to go.

Alternatively, if you happen to be abroad where you are absolutely confident of their dentists there you might as well get it done while there. Get some recommendation from reliable friend first.

For the above treatment I could get them for £250 all in i.e. check then root treatment and crown from a reliable dentist. But the air ticket is expensive so not worth it. Next time I go there for holiday I will get them done there.

People should start writing their experience and feedback regarding dentist(s) they have visited. Some are simply rip off and not worth a second visit especially if they are private.

If you go private you decide the dentist you see and the dentist must wise up to competition. Charge high/low but give shite treatment they will make a loss.

🙂

p/s: I will definitely give them some poor feedback on the internet later.

A filling only lasted 5 years? How many bike bits that are used all day, every day last that long, and how much do you pay for those?

crewlie – Member

A filling only lasted 5 years? How many bike bits that are used all day, every day last that long, and how much do you pay for those?

Filling should last as long as possible and certainly more than 5 years unless you have a severe decay. I have filling that have last more than 10 years easy. The quality should be maintained rather the letting them slip. Put it this way, if the quality is poor then we all end up pay more for having to get the job done twice or more. Bear in mind, they are NHS dentists so quality should be there since we all pay for it and should not be profit minded until they go private.

You simply cannot compare bike parts to something done onto you for health reason. i.e. would you have artificial hips replace every 5 years?

😯

I agree I’d like my artificial hip to last, but a surgeon doesn’t have to worry about how much rubbish someone eats, decay isn’t just caused by bad luck it’s a preventable disease and fillings are just a cost effective fix. £50 for a filling on the NHS, thousands for a hip replacement, not a fair comparison.

Chewkw, here on the wirral we have NHS funded dental surgeries, went there last week and was told i needed an extraction, due to snapped tooth, and would be refered to another dentist, , had it out on Monday, excellent chaps both of them no or little pain, and all funded by the NHS.

Phonre NHS direcrt a nd ask for the name and number of an NHS DENTAL SURGERY.Thats what i did

project,

Thanks for the reminder as I forgot about that option, I will give NHS direct again to see if there are some willing to take NHS work.

🙂