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Original poster

Has anyone had a dental check up since covid 19?

105 replies

Ghostlyglow · 14/10/2020 09:52

I've had an appointment postponed, then the postponed appointment cancelled. The practice says they have no plans at all to start routine check ups again and will only try to see emergencies. Just wondering if this is the same for everyone and everywhere.

OP posts:
QueenOfLabradors · 14/10/2020 11:21

I had my routine check that should have been in April with my NHS dentist last week. Our local practice seems to be catching up with routine quite nicely now. However I'm aware that two market towns away in our south western rural area it's still emergencies only.

doctorhamster · 14/10/2020 11:23

No. April check ups were cancelled and we've been rebooked for next July. Don't even get me started on the orthodontist Angry

tortoiseshell1985 · 14/10/2020 11:25

Yes, private dentist working relatively normally routine and emergencies.

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Covid-19 Dental health General health
BogRollBOGOF · 14/10/2020 11:26

I was fortunate that my huge filling collapsed in March and I managed to get it repaired on 20th March. He did a routine check and clean then as I was due within a few weeks anyway. Lockdown was looking imminent and we cancelled and rebooked the DCs for Oct H/T. Last week that got moved to Feb H/T. They were last seen last October and are at the age where umpteen new teeth have come in since then...

Fifthtimelucky · 14/10/2020 11:29

I had a check up cancelled in April and was quite surprised to be invited to reschedule in July, which I did.

Private dentist. Couldn't get an NHS one in this are.

Xiaoxiong · 14/10/2020 11:36

A few weeks ago I read a similar thread and rang the dentist rather nervously to schedule the hygienist and checkups expecting to be told they were doing emergencies only but the dentist booked us in no problems. Private though.

I then read the thread about flu jabs running out and called the GP to schedule mine, expecting to be turned away, and was invited down to the GP's surgery to have one the next day, and also the nurse booked me in for my mirena to be replaced next week, no problems there either. Seems v patchy between different areas of the country.

Violetroselily · 14/10/2020 11:37

I had a routine check up in September (NHS), reorganised after it was cancelled in June. Also been to the hygienist since.

Rudolphian · 14/10/2020 11:38

Yes, but a privately. My kids NHS dentist just goes straight to a message asking to only ring a specific number if its and emergency.

Funkypolar · 14/10/2020 11:39

NHS dentist - check up last month.

Bazookapie · 14/10/2020 11:44

NHS, check ups due in April were cancelled. Dentist called 3 weeks ago to rebook and had them last Friday, DH has been booked for a filling in a couple of weeks.
Also no problem with flu jabs round here, either free or paid for.

Xenia · 14/10/2020 11:46

I did wonder if our NHS one offered 3 check ups on 23 Dec hoping we might be away (but instead we jumped at the chance although even I would be stretching it to call it an early Christmas present!)

Suzi888 · 14/10/2020 11:48

Yes, me and my daughter. Ours is a mixture of private & NHS. So I have check ups on NHS but have paid for treatment too.

MrsFlump · 14/10/2020 11:51

Yes. Had an appointment booked just as we went into lockdown so that was cancelled. They rang me in July and booked another which I attended and this morning saw the hygienist and have an appointment to see both the dentist and hygienist in 3 months time. I am private though.

HildaOgdensLipstick · 14/10/2020 11:52

NHS check up in July and have a non emergency appointment today for some treatment. Have had a hygienist appointment too but they aren’t doing the water jet scaling so it’s only the old fashioned scraping thing. They’ve reduced the number of appointments to allow for all the cleaning but I’ve another check up and hygienist appointment booked for early next year. You also need to wait outside as waiting room is still closed.

AFireInJuly · 14/10/2020 11:55

Yes, my private dentist has been providing normal service since they were allowed to reopen in June. I have had a check up and a filling replaced. My husband has had a hygienist appointment (same dentist). Awful to hear of people being left untreated and in pain. Unfortunately it seems that if you want adequate dental care now you have to go private.

kutess · 14/10/2020 12:10

Dentist here! It's a difficult situation. I would say it's practice dependent just now, with restrictions very much still in place due to Covid19.
It depends where abouts in the country you are, whether your practice is private, NHS, mixed, what the size of it is,whether it is run by a corporate or not, whether the practice is struggling financially.
Very difficult times. Loads of issues, including sourcing and funding the enhanced PPE required, observing fallow times ( in surgeries with open windows we must leave the room for a full hour before we can clean it and use again.
There are also issues due to a very much reduced capacity, as need to social distance and avoid crowded waiting rooms.
Here in Scotland we have up to now only been permitted to do urgent care on the NHS. We did however see that the SG had leaked a story to the press earlier in the week suggesting that we should return to normal. However I don't personally see this being possible due to the increase in virus cases, and the very distinct lack of money.
Please don't cancel your Denplan. Call your practice and they will see you, or possibly could arrange a payment break, but for some practices, the Denplan income has been the only money coming into a practice!
There will be a full team at reception generally, answering any questions. If you have worries, I would like to think that your registered dentist would try and reassure you at the least.
I'm trying to get through the backlog of patients, but I had 800 that called me during lockdown, so it's a massive logistical problem all round, and a likely massive dental crisis looming in the future...

percheron67 · 14/10/2020 12:12

Yes, I saw the dentist and hygienist last week.

InsaneProbably · 14/10/2020 12:16

I've had a check up and some emergency-ish treatment, and DH had a check up, a hygienist and some routine stuff done. Both with a private dentist. They were sporting some very impressive PPE!

Vinorosso74 · 14/10/2020 12:16

There's been a few threads on this and it seems to vary according to practice.
DD and I had a check up just before lockdown. We booked 6 months ahead for mid September and had check up ok but the dentist did say they had both started doing check ups that week as they were catching up with patients who needed treatment. We're NHS patients.
Just had a hygienist appointment this morning.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 14/10/2020 12:21

Kutess thanks for that.

We are Denplan and when my routine appointment comes round mine says OnThe must attend whereas everyone else's says hey it's time for your routine check up. We joined Denplan when I needed two tiny fillings that I didn't even need numbing for.

We had a check up on Monday, not like a normal check up, far less invasive just a quick look in the mouth and a 1,2 thing for the gums. Booking into hygienist too, which I assume will be a manual scrape rather than a jet wash thing.

I wasn't sure if we were booked in due to being in Denplan and needing to be seen under the terms of the policy, especially me for those 2 tiny fillings 10 years ago.

Starlight39 · 14/10/2020 12:24

DS and I had routine check ups (free for both as he's a child and I'm pregnant) at our NHS dentist at the end of July. He had a small filling replaced in a milk tooth. It was so well organised, you had to ring from outside to say you were there, wait in the street (wide pavement with bench available) then they asked you questions about symptoms, hand sanitised you and took your temp at the door and took you straight up to the dentist (no waiting room).

It's really awful that there's such a difference in service depending on the dentist/area. They're going to end up with a lot more emergency treatments to do! And a lot more patients suffering or even losing teeth that could have been saved if issues were picked up at checkups.

kowari · 14/10/2020 12:25

Does anyone know at what age I should be worried if my child doesn't have 12 year old molars yet? DS is 14, the dentist wasn't concerned a year ago.

Paperyfish · 14/10/2020 12:29

Yes - has nhs check up with scale and polish and filling replaced. Filing didn’t need drilling though, was just refilling the hole. She said she’d get in all done in one appointment “ as who know’s what’ll happen” and didn’t want me waiting for another appointment. Was pretty impressed tbh.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 14/10/2020 12:33

No. We were all cancelled in August. Rang last week, they have no date when dentist check ups can start. I was able to book hygienist for November.

RoseDog · 14/10/2020 12:39

My ds had a tooth extraction this morning, for his braces, and dp asked if they'd been busy and it was a no, they've not been allowed to do NHS check ups but should be able to start in November, we are in Scotland. It's only been emergency treatment he's been doing!