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Original poster

What do you do if there are no NHS dentists?

69 replies

CakeCrumbs44 · 03/12/2022 22:41

Evening all
This may be a stupid question but none of the NHS dentists in my area are taking on new patients. What do I do? I need a dentist for myself and my two kids, just for regular check ups. If we go private, do I have to have some sort of dental insurance or do you just pay as you go?

OP posts:
Willmafrockfit · 04/12/2022 08:16

go further afield
go on a waiting list

hattie43 · 04/12/2022 08:16

Pay as we go private . No choice . We've lived in the area 14 yrs and never found an NHS dentist

Undertheoldlindentree · 04/12/2022 08:37

My DC have been with same NHS dentist surgery for 10 years. However no appointments available for last 18 months as a dentist moved away and they don't have enough dentists left to cover. I've had several letters saying that my DC were both listed with the dentist who left and now have to wait until they recruit another dentist, but it could be a very long time. If I move them, we'll never find another NHS dentist surgery to register with.

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Dental health
Rubyupbeat · 04/12/2022 08:39

@Plmoknijbuhv
Wow, where do you live to get such a Bargain.
My 6 monthly check up and hygenist is 155.00.
Mind you I've been going for 25 years and wouldn't change, as he took my dental fear away.

ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 04/12/2022 08:45

Our dentist is about £40 per checkup payg and the kids of private patients can sign up as NHS patients. I don't have any dental problems so just go for an annual checkup. It's myDentist if you have one of those near you.

pluckie · 04/12/2022 08:46

I had an nhs dentist for years but during covid she left the practise and hasn't been replaced. They are now private only.

Had no choice but to see the private dentist, I paid £55 for the initial appointment for the check up, X-rays etc. then went on to have two fillings, one costing £120 and one £140.

A couple of weeks ago I developed excruciating tooth pain so went to the dentist and was given a prescription for anti biotics, was charged £35 for this. I panicked as I was given a private prescription and I thought that I would be charged loads at the chemist but I only paid the £9 odd nhs prescription charge.

I managed to put myself on a nhs dentist waiting list last week, was told the wait time is roughly 6 months. I must have phoned 30 dentists and only one offered to put me on the list.

usernotfound0000 · 04/12/2022 08:49

Our NHS dentist has just turned private. We pay £16 a month per adult and that gets 1 child seen on the NHS (so both DDs get seen as me and DH both pay). For that we get 2 check ups a year and 2 hygienist visits. I did feel like we didn't have an option, we were already going to one a bit of a distance away anyway, all the local ones have a minimum of 2 year waiting lists. Luckily we can afford it, I really feel for those that can't.

AnnaMagnani · 04/12/2022 08:56

Private dentist - if your teeth are generally fine pay as you go.

For DH, whose teeth are always fine, it's £100 a year for 2 checkups.

Even for me, who usually ends up needing something, pay as you go is better most years than insurance.

LimeCheesecake · 04/12/2022 09:05

Our dentist left and the new owners of ghe practice went private only.

calling round, I asked if we joined privately as adults could the kids be seen on the NHS and found one that would do that until the kids turn 18. Am also on the waiting list for another NHS dentist for us all. We priced up insurance but unless we were going to be having a couple of fillings a year, it was cheaper to pay as you go and hope nothing expensive is needed.

do write to your MP. The NHS contracts for dentists is pretty shit, that’s why so many have gone completely private recently. I don’t understand why the NHS only provides services via private suppliers for dentistry.

MINTYTULIP · 04/12/2022 09:44

The last time I saw an NHS dentist she barely scraped my teeth and then started trying up upsell me treatments while I was in the chair. Horrible.

We are registering with a private dentist so at least we are on their books as they seem to charge a lot more for emergency treatment for non members.

munnytrin · 04/12/2022 09:50

When people say ' pay as I go' is that a monthly set price payment plan or literally paying in full, for whichever necessary treatment, each time?

munnytrin · 04/12/2022 09:52

LidlCinnamonBun · 04/12/2022 07:55

I thing people will die - from infections they can’t afford to treat or from mouth cancers. It’s SO scary.

They will.

TomTraubertsBlues · 04/12/2022 09:54

munnytrin · 04/12/2022 09:50

When people say ' pay as I go' is that a monthly set price payment plan or literally paying in full, for whichever necessary treatment, each time?

I pay in full when I need treatment

TheOtherHotstepper · 04/12/2022 10:00

I haven't been able to get an NHS dentist round here since 2004.

I pay £12 a month for six monthly check,ups and two hygienist visits per year. £12 equates to three pints of beer at local prices or how many take away coffees?

Any other treatment I pay for on top.Extraction recently was about £75, but because I go regularly, I find I need less unscheduled treatment.

However, I didn't pay for the phone call and advice on Boxing Day a couple of years ago and emergency appointments have always been on the same day.

My dentist tells me that NHS work is just not viable any more.

thelobsterquadrille · 04/12/2022 10:01

We're private and pay monthly with DenPlan. It gives two check ups and two hygienist appointments a year, plus 20% off any treatment.

Terracottage · 04/12/2022 10:32

I pay private, can't afford to but can't afford not to.

pimlicoanna · 04/12/2022 10:39

I haven't been able to fond a dentist that would even add my children to the nhs waiting list since they were born. They are now 5. So we have always paid privately for check ups. It's about £30-£40 for a check up I think.

pluckie · 04/12/2022 11:02

Terracottage · 04/12/2022 10:32

I pay private, can't afford to but can't afford not to.

I'm in the same position. I took out a zero percent credit card to have work done recently. It's not right though.

GG1986 · 04/12/2022 11:02

CornishGem1975 · 03/12/2022 22:46

Pay as you go private. I've actually found just for regular check-ups etc private was no more expensive.

My private dentist used to cost me £50 every 6 months - that was a checkup, any x-rays, and a good scrape and polish - used to be in there a good 30 mins or more. Now NHS I have to pay to see the dentist for about 5 minutes, pay for any x-rays and if I want my teeth cleaned I then have to pay to see the hygienist at a separate appointment and it works out more. Have to say after switching to NHS I felt a bit conned!

Where it pays off is when you need loads of treatments, but private dentists have payment plans that you can use.

You shouldn't be paying for xrays? They are included in the nhs band 1 fee.

ThirdColdSinceSeptember · 04/12/2022 11:04

I recently called 22 dentists to find an NHS one - I finally did in the end but my goodness what a ridiculous situation

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 04/12/2022 11:05

I did pay as you go for root canal with a private dentist who was on the cheaper side and that was only because my NHS dentist doesn’t do root canals and luckily I’ve stuck with my NHS dentist for normal dentistry work, again pay as you go.

middleager · 04/12/2022 11:12

I pay or don't go. My teeth are ok, but my gums are not. The hygenist wants me there every six weeks at a cost of around £100 a time. So I cancelled the last two, and then this makes the situation worse.

I never seem to hear about this crisis on the news or when politicians are seeking votes. Yes, we hear about the NHS crisis in hospitals and GPs, but dentistry? It's not mentioned, yet as pp said, people will die because of it.

RobinHumphries · 04/12/2022 11:21

GG1986 · 04/12/2022 11:02

You shouldn't be paying for xrays? They are included in the nhs band 1 fee.

Show quote history

Only in England, the poster could be from Scotland….

Violinist64 · 04/12/2022 12:09

@RobinHumphries l am fortunate enough to have an NHS dentist and the x-rays are included in the price of the checkup. I generally go once a year and rarely need treatment beyond this.

HollyJollyNovember · 04/12/2022 12:12

If anyone is in or near Chester I know one that is taking on nhs adult and child patients