You can now only see dentist every 1-2 years

[ChinBristles]

Hello

I was lucky enough to be at my long-standing NHS dentist last week (I'm in Scotland). She tells me that just recently Nicola Sturgeon has changed it so that you only get a check-up once a year, not twice a year anymore.

I'm just reading online that in England they might be changing it to a free check up with the NHS just every 2 years.

Apparently the issue is money, of course:

1. it's not cost efficient to have frequent check-ups especially if you have healthy teeth, it's cheaper just to treat the issues as and when they arise (presumably more painful tho!)
2. dentists aren't been paid enough for NHS work so are moving abroad/doing private work.

Personally, i'd much rather pay more tax but know that I can have a dentist (and doctor!) when I need one and indeed have regular preventative check-ups. Why aren't we spending more tax money on having dentists? It's surely a sad indictment on a supposedly civilised country if we are walking around with black teeth and/or pulling our own teeth out with pliers?!

Would you pay more tax to fund dentists?

@LilacPoppy Not on the NHS you don't unless you have a condition that needs monitoring (and even then you might not get one)

I love going to the dentist and getting my check up, clean and polish. I think it's an absolute bargain for £12! I'd go every 3 months if they would let me!

Of course you get an annual medical check up. Are there many people who don't bother?

This has never been a thing on the NHS.
I would actually love to be able to book a 'check up' with my GP now (combination of reasons) but it is really difficult to get an appointment for an actual concern and even when you are in pain. You have no chance of such a luxury on the NHS.

£12 !!!!

I wish !

Scottish dentist here. The OHIP ( oral
Health improvement plan) has been placed on back burner, due to Covid. Yes, it's true that it has been suggested in the proposals that examinations might only be needed every 12 months instead of 6 for low risk individuals, but absolutely nothing has been set in stone yet. In fact there is opposition to those plans, especially as less checkups could mean missing oral cancer diagnoses...

At present, as an NHS patient in Scotland you can have 6 monthly examinations, and currently there IS funding for this.

Here is the link to the Scottish Dental Remuneration guide. Item 1f(1). I can't see any restrictions as yet, but correct me if I'm wrong ;

www.scottishdental.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SDR-Amendment-No.-157-Allowances-9-May-2022-FINAL-updated-21-June-2022.pdf

I’ve had private dentists for over 20 years as couldn’t get NHS ones. Both of them have said my teeth are very healthy so after going for a couple of years every 6 months I only now go once a year, the dentist I have at the moment is very expensive so I’m quite pleased!

So I don’t hink there’s anything wrong with the NHS doing it he same with low risk individuals.

I absolutely agree. Teeth are so important for those who are disregarding what OP is saying do you actually have a decent set of teeth yourself?
Tbh I always notice people's teeth and they tend to be not that great condition wise.

Going to the dentist every 2 years will lead to a small problem that could of been of rectified but instead it with become a huge problem.

Gum disease/issues can even lead to heart problems like endocarditis!

We don't get free check ups in England so not sure where you're getting that from.

It's £23

No it's not. That's because we used to have shit teeth. We have better dental health than the US now.

I don't know anyone who has ever had an annual check up.

@oranmore thanks for this. I feel like my dentist doesn't really want to see me too often as I never need anything done! She's very nice about it but at the end of the day she's a business. So I would feel bad insisting on my "statutory right" of 6 monthly checks when she clearly only wants to see me annually going forward.

@Sweatingmytiitsoff totally agree. There's a girl I used to work with who everyone said was really attractive. I never thought she was and could never put my finger on why... until I realised...teeth. (plus the fact she was a brat) But as you say, it's not about cosmetics, it's about general health eg heart disease prevention/spotting oral cancer at an early stage.

In fact, I seem to recall the optician tells me eye checks can find all sorts of issues including brain tumours.

I go every 2 ish years.

Never had a cavity. Straight white teeth, no chips, no problems whatsoever. Much of it is genetic. Dentist tells me I don't even need to see the hygienist most times.

@TheWayoftheLeaf sorry, when I say "free", I should have said "heavily subsidised" (in Scotland the charge is just £12!)

Difference is that most issues you'd see the GP have easily spotted symptoms and relatively easily treated, eg getting sinusitis is unlikely to lead to losing your sinuses, or nose.

The more serious/silent issues do have screening offered at relevant intervals to the risk, eg if you have a high number of sexual partners you could be STI tested frequently but someone confident in their long term monogamous relationship would be wasting everyone's time to go that much. Dental check ups need to be frequent because the symptoms are not quickly obvious, you can't just get a tooth back to 100% fitness and the chance of actual permanent damage/loss is high. It's the same as diabetic checks being frequent to avoid someone losing a toe.

Only children can get NHS dental appointments in my region. I’m lucky I can afford a dentist appointment and a hygienist appointment once a year each. Hygienist appointment was £70 this week

@Kite22 i mean just the regular annual check full blood count, weight , blood pressure, chat about any concerns. This is nhs you just book may be with the practice nurses in some areas maybe? Mine is GP anyway.

You don't go to your GP for a yearly "check up", you go when you have a medical issue. Why shouldn't the dentist be the same?

I do go for a yearly health check up, but I'm in the US so its different I suppose. By the time you feel pain with your teeth though, things are generally quite advanced. So regular check ups are important to catch any issues as they arise. I grew up with only going to the dentist when in pain and I've had to have crowns etc since moving here. It's no wonder brits and Irish have a reputation for bad teeth (myself included, but now I have straight white teeth thanks to US dentistry lol)

I'm a bit confused over this. I've seen an nhs dentist all my life. It was always an annual check up. I never went twice a year. My present dentist who I've been with for 20 years, though, has always seen me in 6mths or 9mths or 12mths, according to what happening with my teeth and gums. Whether I go Ionce a year or twice a year, it's still the same check up fee. It's not just once a year abd you're done.
Is that not the same for everyone?

No I wouldn’t. I already don’t receive the dental care I’m paying tax for as it is.

Like many I’ve been forced to go private as I moved house to a new area and have been on a waiting list for an NHS dentist for over 4 years. There are no spaces available.

I've pretty much been forced to go private as my normal nhs dentist has only 1 dentist left in the surgery. I got told by the receptionist there's a national shortage so unless I'm in unbearable pain I can't get an appointment.
Private it's £50 for a check up, £60 for a scale and polish and £120 per filling 🙈🙈 so I'm hoping I don't need any fillings!! I'm definitely over due a check up though. I feel fortunate to have savings to pay for it but it's supposed to be for a mortgage. Highly doubt I will be moving now in this economy it's a joke.

Can't get an NHS dentist round here. Private dentists will see kids on the NHS if one of the parents are a patient. Dentists also won't clean and polish and instead insist you book an appointment with the hygienist at £50 a pop.

You don't go to your GP for a yearly "check up

I actually do think this should be a thing though. There are many health conditions that could be caught early.

Of course you get an annual medical check up. Are there many people who don't bother

I have been NHS all my life and have never had one. Ever. I didn't even think this was something you could request? "just check me over?"

@TheWayoftheLeaf I'm the same as you it's genetics I agree that play a big part. Teeth are a big deal because people notice them. I watched a documentary about kids having fillings and apparently some parts of the UK have lots of kids resulting in needing dental hospital I was shocked! Little kids having teeth removed.
You only get one set of teeth!

I have a hygiene appointment with dentist every six months, he checks them then. It’s £40 and leaves my mouth feeling really clean as he removes any plaque build up. My kids have their check up with same dentist for free every 6 months. We are in the Jorth West.

Just read up thread about the finite pot of NHS money. We pay for the NHS ! Its not free, it’s just very badly managed with a few companies leeching an awful lot of money off it. I used to go for regular b12 injections when I lived abroad. It cost me EURO 25 a pop by a nurse at my gynaecologist (who also checked me over once a year). I’m back in the uk, no gynaecologist unless referred by GP (so no preventative care) and that same b12 jab costs £225, it’s the exact same injection. We should be rioting in this country.