How do ordinary working people afford major dental treatment costs?

[Heereforagoodtime]

My husband has just called, having been to the dentist, and he needs a back tooth to either be worked on and crowned or removed. The cost of the work is going to be over £1k. I don't know about the cost of the removal but, if he had it taken out, it would mean he'd be without two consecutive teeth on one side. I've just had a look at implants and they are so expensive.

I have a feeling this won't be the last of his issues, either. His teeth are terrible.

How do ordinary working people, who don't get any assistance, afford dental care?!

We choose an NHS dentist

I agree with @tenpints and I’m not a dentist or know anyone personally who is a dentist. The last time I went to the dentist he was explaining to me that the government haven’t given enough financial support to NHS dentists for many years. Dental practices are businesses not charities and they have to make enough money to pay overheads and staff. Their training takes at least 8 years but my dentist feels that people don’t respect their skills. People will happily pay for mobile phone contracts, tv subscriptions, having hair/nails done but begrudge paying for denplan which cover the price of keeping most people’s teeth healthy.

Travel about 80 miles to an NHS dentist. Had my wisdom tooth removed which cost me nothing other than the check up fee (it was emergency treatment) the hygienist is expensive though, at £90 and not included in NHS treatment, but otherwise I feel very lucky to have this dentist and will keep it as long as I can.

I have an NHS dentist, a crown is still around £350 for a horrible black one. If you want white it will be classed as private and cost over £1000, I know as I have 2!
@Heereforagoodtime an extraction on the nhs is just under £50, I have one booked for 10 days time as a very old crown cannot be repaired. The cost of teeth suck!

Hope all goes well for you. xx

It’s hideously expensive. I had to have some teeth out (and more to come) but they want £330 for a set of dentures. It’s not that I can’t afford it, but I resent paying that much money for something cosmetic. My front teeth are probably next so I’m in for an interesting conversation with the dentist.

A denture isn’t really cosmetic. If you have lost, or are losing several posterior teeth, replacing them makes sense. It will help to spread the load, therefore protect your existing teeth ( so you arent putting too much strain on them).
It will help your remaining teeth from drifting into the extra spaces, it will help prevent occlusal
issues. It will help you eat food better.
hardly cosmetic 🤷🏼‍♀️
plus if you were to lose further teeth in the future you can add individual teeth on to an existing denture ( within reason) without having to remake the whole thing.

it’s not hideously expensive either by the way. It’s just the cost involved in the work… The vast majority of that fee will be the lab bills. A denture can be technically challenging. In fact I’m not sure they’d even have any profit from a set of dentures costing that. You certainly won’t find one cheaper

I have BUPA healthcare which now covers a free check up and £300 worth of treatment.

Before that just paid full cost. Our NHS dentist was such a horrible place to go that I preferred to pay more to get away from there.

OP, dentures are cheaper than implants.

I find treating it like an essential bill helps - like water or electric. I put money specifically aside for this purpose and have often had to do without other things to do so. Health and dentistry (if you want any kind of quality) has to be seen as essential and prioritised over other things. I've had extensive dentistry work done due to many years of NHS negligence, my private dentist is very expensive but has almost completely fixed me. The work cost 8k (so far) and is largely the reason I cannot afford a holiday this year.

I’m not saying it’s a rip off. I understand why it costs that. But most of my back/middle teeth are gone anyway so I’m used to not being able to eat as easily as I could before I lost them.

Only of course if you can afford to put money aside. Sone people can't and are left with nothing once bills are paid. They can't afford a holiday even without dentist bills

In Somerset the NHS provision is non existent. I had a check up, X rays and hygienist appointment last week and it was £234. No treatment.
DH goes to a dentist in Spain, we plan it around our holiday. Madness, but half the cost.

Not everyone even has money for their electricity bill or other essentials, yet alone the money to put aside for a potential dental bill.

On the NHS the average practice will lose around £46 on a denture https://www.bda.org/media-centre/nhs-dentistry-treasury-now-no1-roadblock-to-saving-service/

it would be cheaper for them to give you £20 to go elsewhere .

Private dentistry costs are extremely high, my teeth aren’t great and I’ve looked into treatment privately but cannot afford it. My nhs dentist is lovely but I’m concerned about the treatment I’m receiving, at my practice the hygienist is private she picked up issue with my gums - saw the dentist the week before who said my gums were fine. I have big gaps between a few teeth so food gets stuck I try to clean them but it’s difficult. Quite often get toothache in this area - dentist implied all ok and I just have to live with it. I’m convinced that’s not the case but cannot afford the private dentist.

I said they were expensive, I didn’t say it was profiteering. I’m sure it’s value for money but I’m reluctant to spend that!

No NHS dentist here in Mid Sussex. My teeth literally fall out. 12 now. Cant afford private. I go without.

I'm in a similar dilemma in that i am still registered at an NHS dentist but I am currently being treated for gum disease at a private dentist as I was unhappy with the treatment I was getting at the NHS clinic.

As far as I know, you can be registered at an NHS dentist and get private treatment. The cost of three monthly hygienist treatments is the same in the NHS as the private dentist but the costs to have my two front crowns were eye wateringly different.