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?

Agreed. We are not registered with an NHS doctor nor an NHS dentist, despite living in the UK for a year now. Not through lack of trying. Every surgery is “not taking new patients”. I’m always a bit astonished when people say the the NHS is free - there’s a huge difference between free treatment and no treatment. Sure, nothing has been paid in both instances, but it’s conflating two very different issues.

Luckily my private dentist is about £45 for a check up. I do worry about needing further treatment though. They see DD for free. There's no NHS dentists taking patients here.

No.
Not a thing at my GP practice, and I am lucky enough to be at a Practice that always comes out really high for patient satisfaction in any survey and also in general conversation with people.
I have genuinely never heard of this.

I asked our (NHS) dentist this morning (in England) and was told a check up is £28.50 here.

(having just paid him £65 for 8 mins work )

But you can do your own BP & weight though, why does that need an appointment? A full blood count isn’t going to show a huge amount tbh, if it does then you’d likely already be feeling ropey if you had say neutropenia, anaemia, low platelets etc & if you have medical concerns you book and discuss them anyway.

the NHS health check between ages 40-74 is every 5 years but Lloyds chemist do the same ones if you qualify. Over 75’s can have an over 75 check annually. There aren’t enough HCP appointments to give every healthy person a health check each year, people with various health conditions eg hypertension, diabetes already have an annual blood test/weight/BP check.

I would definitely pay more tax for universal dental provision, an annual preventative check for an adult with uncomplicated dental health. Six monthly for kids and adults with gum disease.

@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.

My mum has this because,she has underlying conditions. I had to do it all fir her last 2,times because of covid - except blood count! Discussing concerns - nurse said she didn't have time (fir any of that makarkey)!!

Anyone who is pre-diabetic, for example, gets the same done.

I see my NHS dentist every 6 months for a check up. I'm a bit paranoid when it comes to teeth so during Covid I was ringing every couple of weeks to see if they were open and booking appointments again yet after all the cancellations. I havent had any issues getting appointments since. They probably think I'm a total nuisance though!

I had annual check up with my NHS dentist for years, but now she has changed it is 6 monthly.

It should be up to the dentist to decide how often you need a check up.

I go once a year, but it's £20 something, not free. Don't see the need to go any more often as I was out of the UK for over 20 years and went twice in that time without any issues. I'd go six monthly if required to keep my NHS dentist, but not otherwise, nothing wrong with my teeth! DS goes six monthly as it's free.

Instead of a fully qualified dentist they'll be done by fully qualified therapist.
Dental therapists are trained in dental hospitals often alongside the undergrad dentists. They have been around for many years but sadly very much under used in general practice but you will see them working in dental hospital much more.

Allowing therapists to use their full set of skills could help practices see many more nhs patients. Therapists have been trying for years to get their skills used more. Trust me a therapist trained at King's college London will be able to do your filling the same as a dentist trained at King's college London.

They won't however be doing crowns. Therapists only do (most) adult fillings and all children's dentistry. They cannot do crowns, bridges, implants or extractions on adults.

So where a dentist trains for 5 years and covers all of these, therapists train for 3 and focus on periodontology (gum disease) and adult fillings and children's dentistry.

I've been going to the dentist every 2 years for about 15years now. I have very healthy teeth. 6 monthly check ups simply aren't necessary.

If you don't visit an nhs dentist here for 2 years you would be struck of their list. So if you can only visit ever two years it would be easy to fall off.
It happened to loads of people round me joining covid. Supposedly to make room for new patients only the practices aren't excepting any on nhs 😬
I am entitled to free dental care ... if I could get it. Instead paid hundreds for a few minutes of v expenses private work

I've been going to the dentist every 2 years for about 15years now. I have very healthy teeth. 6 monthly check ups simply aren't necessary.

I agree with this. I should go every couple of years, but I tend only to go when there is a problem - 15 years between my last two visits, and all I had was one filling done. Six monthly seems silly to me, annual is surely sufficient.