Can anyone else not afford the dentist anymore?

I know that free treatment is only available to benefits claimants on the NHS- sorry if I didn’t make that clear. Dentists in some regions are still taking on NHS patients , though there are not many- that’s why the Government needs to take action with the contracts.

@Allseeingallknowing there are no NHS dentists and free treatment for benefit claimants is only available on the NHS.

I didn't go to the dentist for several years and we didn't even have one in my town. Luckily am NHS dentist opened up and I managed to get registered.

Yes, but some dentists are still taking on NHS patients, and calling 111 is an option in an emergency. Not ideal though. Given how important dental heath is and how it affects the whole body, far more importance should be given. The government needs to work out a new contract with NH dentists, which rewards them for their time and work. Then there will be better quality treatments , including root canal, rather than just extraction , which happens now.

Only if they can get an nhs dentist. Which is the whole point.

Sure, they'd be entitled to free dental care from a NHS dentist. All they'd have to do is find one 🙄

What pisses me off is that my teeth are very healthy, but I'm prone to gum disease, and a scale and polish is now no longer included in a basic check up. I'm overdue a hygienist's appointment, but can't scrape together the £70 right now.

You know you can get on a train and go to another town right?

I think if someone is in that position they would be entitled to benefits, which would then entitle them to free dental treatment.

Does it also trump paying your rent bills and eating

No. I pay £20/month and get 2 check ups and hygienist visits per year included. Never been charged for xrays so assume they're included. Any additional treatment has a discount of I think 20%.

Complete agree. Healthy teeth are necessary for mental and physical health.

This is it, though. I completely agree with you that it would be horrendous, and would likely get worse; but even if you can find an NHS dentist, the cost for band 2 or 3 treatment might still be more than some people can afford, however hard they budget and compromise on other essentials - especially if you have to factor in travel (and maybe even accommodation) costs if your nearest available NHS dentist is a very long way away. Thinking especially (but not exclusively) of PP who lives on the Isle of Wight, where any trip to the mainland is automatically £££

I guess a loan might be the avenue of last resort - but again, if you've got no fat to trim from your budget in the first place, how would you manage the monthly repayments? And that's if you're in good enough financial standing to be given a loan in the first place. Maybe your only recourse would be to take the loan, not make any repayments and have to fend off endless calls and letters and see your credit rating absolutely destroyed for years. The bank can hardly repossess your teeth!! Still very, very far from the ideal situation of course, though - and again, storing up much bigger problems for future you.

I just think it's bonkers that, if you have a serious and hugely expensive problem with almost all parts of your body, the NHS will cover it in full (or at most you have to pay prescription charges)... but if it's a big bill for your teeth or eyes, you have to beg, steal or borrow or otherwise simply go without that essential treatment.

Would have to keep trying for an nhs dentist then, perhaps have to travel further. If left dental problems will just escalate, I would dread losing my teeth, and the thought of dentures is horrible. Perhaps get a loan as a last resort.

Yup! In desperate need of a crown on one tooth as having a lot of issues and a couple more need them but not currently causing me any problems. Since my dentist went private a crown has trippled from £250 (which was bad enough) to £750 each. Keep getting flack from my dentist and keep telling him when his prices are affordable again I might be able to have them done until then im more concerned with trying to pay my ever increasing electric/fuel/food/council tax bills, I'll suck up suffering with my teeth till I either win the lottery or I get the pliers out of my tool bag 🤷🏼‍♀️

And if holidays and new clothes are already a luxury that you could never hope to afford?

Oh, wow, thanks - I didn't know that! Even more disgraceful.

Agreed. Check up here is £80 ish and hygienist similar.

I stupidly lost my NHS dentist by not going for years then one of my teeth broke. I ended up with a really bad infection and tried the NHS emergency dentist but they don't do extractions. It cos £400 to have the tooth out. If I'd have left it any longer I'd probably have got sepsis

Costly here too Dublin. Between wisdoms cleaning etc you up at 600/700. Crazy. Important yes but adds up quick.

As a dentist who works in private practice - that is incredibly expensive!

If your teeth are problematic it’s hard-and expensive - to get a dental plan. Save up yourself for any future treatment . It’s not a luxury

No - dental treatment is an essential and trumps holidays, new clothes etc.

Dental treatment is only free for older people if they are on benefits such as pension credits!

I’m not a Reform supporter (wouldn’t vote for any of them currently!) but an insurance based system works well in many European countries. The NHS is pretty good in an emergency, although some hospitals are better than others, as we all know from reading some of the posts on here, but when it comes to general healthcare it’s pretty poor. An eighteen month wait for surgery is pretty common, and if you’re in constant pain that’s a long time to wait. A member of my family in a Scandinavian country had the surgery they needed in four weeks, you’d been waiting in excess of two years over here for a similar procedure. They pay around €70 a month insurance and around €15 - €20 for a doctor. Children are free. We don’t have to follow the US system, look at France, Germany and The Netherlands.