Is it impossible to get a NHS dentist in 2021?

[onlychildhamster]

I have to go private to get my teeth sorted. No dentists in my area seem to be taking on NHS patients. So I got quoted £460 for a root canal and £140 for a filling and also £595 for a porcelain crown.

What happens to people who can't afford it. It's quite different from 2018 when I managed to get a NHS dentist to see me on the same day, wasn't even registered beforehand!

My kids dentist went private, I have been paying them £7 per kid per month for years. Now my teenager needs a filing and I have to find £125. So what has my monthly payment been for?!

Have they not seen the dentist in all that time? Most monthly payment schemes cover the costs of check ups - not all the treatment they would ever need?

Look at dentists in your postcode, not necessarily close to you.
We have to travel 45 mins to our new dentist but they’re in our postcode do took us on.

Have they not seen the dentist in all that time? Most monthly payment schemes cover the costs of check ups - not all the treatment they would ever need?

They have had 6 monthly check ups so I guess thats where my money went.

Suspect so. If you think about it, each check up is less than you’d pay for a boiler check up! And no compulsory nurse, accompanying expensive equipment etc! (Not to disagree with the equally valuable work they do re heating checking etc!)

@Frenchrugby the main difference is that I do not expect the government to help me renovate my flat given that it was my decision to buy it and therefore my responsibility to maintain it. However, I do expect the government to help me maintain my health given that I pay taxes and we are supposed to be a welfare state. I do not mind paying but surely it should be affordable for all. There could be some middle ground rather than having no choice to go private.

Most monthly payment schemes cover the costs of check ups - not all the treatment they would ever need?

Depends I think some/most treatments are covered by dentplan - certainly I've had treatment and x-rays and they were covered.

I am very pleased with our current dentist - best I've ever had TBH - and he's equally through with the kids on NHS - but we do have to pay every month.

The government needs to invest more money in nhs dentistry, it's not nearly enough.

@clareykb

We all have an NHS dentist and they are still taking new patients DC have 6m check ups me and OH yearly, just had to get DD an urgent ish appointment and she was seen within 48hours and it wasn't urgent urgent so it is still good in some places. We are in the north east

Clareykb May I ask which town? We're in the NE and can't find anyone taking on.

@Hellocatshome

My kids dentist went private, I have been paying them £7 per kid per month for years. Now my teenager needs a filing and I have to find £125. So what has my monthly payment been for?!

£84 a year for check ups sounds very good. Obviously fillings will cost more.

@postitnot

The government needs to invest more money in nhs dentistry, it's not nearly enough.

I'm conflicted on this. I'm thinking the money needs to go towards other healthcare. Obviously teeth are very important but as it's not a limitless pot of money we have to prioritise.

*unlimited

In Scotland there doesn’t seem to be a problem but I haven’t been with dds post pandemic yet.

The government has to put more money in, or have less treatment available on the NHS. Maybe only silver fillings instead of white ones? Only extractions instead of root canals? But is that fair if you can't afford private options?

The most effective thing they could do is to put fluoride in the water. Prevention is better than cure!

Outrageous isn't it. No NHS spaces here either with waiting lists of years. Privatisation by the back door. It really does need raising with MP's or via a petition.

And as frustrating the onus for dental health has been put on early years practitioners, teachers, schools and parents as oral health has now been included in the Early Years reforms. Just how can oral health be improved when families can't access a dentist?

www.teachearlyyears.com/enabling-environments/view/tackling-tooth-decay-in-early-years

Yep - same situation here (SW). Our dentist announced in May half term that they were dropping all their NHS patients - must be 100s affected - you either have to go private; Denplan or leave.
After ringing lots & no joy finally heard a rumour about one dentist still taking on new NHS patients, called them & got our whole family on the books. However it's a 40min drive away; not accessible by public transport & means we're going to have to try & get our appointments in school holidays but at least we're covered for now.
I'm just hoping we can stay on till DC have left home in case they need any orthodontics etc.

Yes it is impossible. I have called literally every dentist I could physically get to (even some up to 3 hours drive each way) and NO ONE Weill help
I'm pregnant and have a abscess on one of my teeth and have been on 3 courses of antibiotics this pregnancy.

NO ONE WILL HELP

And I can NO way afford private with a baby on the way.
I've called 111 too and they weren't any help. I even called the number it says to call to report that no dentists are taking you on- they literally said "either pay private or don't have a dentist appointment? It's simple" 🤬🤬🤬

@Eorks

postitnot

The government needs to invest more money in nhs dentistry, it's not nearly enough.

I'm conflicted on this. I'm thinking the money needs to go towards other healthcare. Obviously teeth are very important but as it's not a limitless pot of money we have to prioritise.

Ok, let's unpick this a bit.
If we decide we can't afford to fund NHS dentistry, what's the alternative?
People have bad, painful teeth and oral healthcare problems are missed?
You might argue that we have to pay privately for our own dental care and that's the solution (except for the poor). That would still cost us money though so clearly we CAN afford to fund dental care.
Personally I think a solution would be for the NHS to take over dental care, build dental practices and employ dentists directly, paying them a salary. Of course training more dentists is also essential.

I expect NHS dentist care will continue to be allowed to wind down. See NHS dental charges as a warning as well (charges are linked upthread) posters often argue that we should have charges for doctor visits to help cover costs. NHS charges for dental treatment have done nothing to improve access to dentists and more and more dentists have gone completely private. Don't think this couldn't happen with medicine.

And even if I COULD pay private- they say I need to be knocked out to have my tooth removed for my safety.
But they want to do that in a dentist office- where no one can monitor my baby whilst I'm under!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬
If something went wrong they wouldn't know!!!
WHAT A JOKE!!!!!!!

@kendodd - the fees that patients pay do not go to the dentists. Those fees go to the government. The fees that dentists are paid by the government are separate and are based on their individual contracts with the government.

the fees that patients pay do not go to the dentists

I know. I never said they did go to the dentist.

The system is not working. There have been so many threads here about people in a lot of pain and nobody to help them with their teeth. It’s appalling.

I can't get my 5 year old in anywhere. Yet I'll be the one judged that she's not been to a dentist. Ridiculous.

@CayrolBaaaskin not sure whereabouts you are but my nhs dentist won't even see kids for checkups let alone adults. They haven't been seen since 2019. They keep fobbing me off with the fact they are only seeing emergency appointments. I am going to have to start ringing around again to find anywhere that will do checkups for kids.

I think it depends where you are. I recently registered my son (15 months) and husband at an nhs dentist round the corner. Have to wait a month for check up but no rush for a routine one. I have a different dentist a few miles away who aren't taking new patients at the moment but have started routine check ups again. South London.