Nhs Dental care is abysmal?

[pumpkinsweetie]

So here we are a family of 7, no vechile and cannot get an nhs dentist anywhere in our are.
We cannot afford to go private as it is extortion. So me and dh have what we think is an abscess each and we cannot get anyone in the area to accept new nhs patients and dentaline are always to busy to offer us an appointment

So tonight dh is screaming in agony and I phoned dentaline Again, only to be told they are too busy again, so I tried 111 who are basically useless as a chalk in a swimming pool, and tried to refer him back to dentaline, of course we explained no appointments were available, so half hour later a clinician phoned us back and again useless, cannot help him in any way, just the useless info of trying all the painkillers he has already tried and failed
as he has previously mentioned.
He asked whether the hospital would help him, apparently no he mustn't go there. He is now rocking back and forth and screaming and nothing is working.

When did our Nhs dentistry get so useless, that someone has to sit and suffer in extreme agony possibly with an abscess without any help??
Disgusting, aibu to be extremely peeved, and anyone any advice what to do with extreme dental pain? tia

[maddening]

There are weekend walk in surgeries where you don't have to be registered - the dentists in an area go on a rota to cover this (my dad is a dentist and does this )

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I hope you manage to get this sorted (both of you). The pain from an abscess is hideous and all-consuming. However, I have to disagree aboiut private dentists 'latching on" to you; if this has been the reason for not seeking treatment in the past, (aside from cost), you've been misguided.
A private dentist (at a regular checkup) will assess you and tell you the treatment you need. You usually then get a print- out detailing costs,and it's up to you whether you make the subsequent appointments or not - you can leave things until you can afford them, or(as I've done in the past) decide that they're trying to maximise profits from you and get another opinion, or simply not go back.

[maddening]

What area are you in?

[fififolle]

Not always true at all

[OOAOML]

For those worried about private dentists - I once broke a tooth, and as I couldn't be seen in a reasonably time by my NHS dentist they sent me to a private surgery. He patched me up enough to get me through to an appointment at my own dentist. Didn't try and do any other work, and I can't remember how much it was but I remember thinking it wasn't much.

I'm lucky that I live in a city where there are plenty dentists, good bus routes, and I think one of the hospitals has a dental emergency clinic. I can see that the provision where OP is isn't great, but I don't see that means all NHS dentistry is shit as some are saying. I've had a couple of NHS dentists that haven't been brilliant, but my current one is wonderful.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

Yea I should have said that ournhs dentist is amazing - I say that after having been private for the last 20 years or so, using a good half dozen dentists in different areas.

[fififolle]

I am totally confused by your argument Fairy the link that you posted describes how a max fax SHO is a qualified dentist who is part way through her medical degree. It also goes on to describe how you need to be dually qualified.


Oral and maxillofacial surgery is widely recognized as one of the specialties of dentistry. In the UK however, maxillofacial surgery is a medical specialty requiring both medical and dental degrees, culminating in an appropriate qualification (e.g. Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, FRCS, in the UK). All oral and maxillofacial surgeons however must obtain a university degree in dentistry before beginning residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

[Mrsmorton]

Max fax shos are usually junior dentists one or two years out of training. You don't need so much as an extra certificate to be an SHO. Lots of hospitals share this on call with ENT and even more have no cover at all.

What you need OP is to stop blaming the NHS and get a dentist for regular check ups for you, your husband and your children.

YABU

[rumbleinthrjungle]

What you need OP is to stop blaming the NHS and get a dentist for regular check ups for you, your husband and your children

OP has clearly stated she's been unable to locate a local one for two years?

[Mrsmorton]

I wonder what everyone else in the area does for dental care? I'm surprised the children haven't been seen for so long as well.

[Iseesheep]

It doesn't help you now but, OP, in the 2 years you've been searching for an NHS dentist have you asked to be put on their waiting list? I move on average every 18 months to all sorts of weird and wonderful parts of the UK. The longest time I've had to wait is 2 months, admittedly I may have just been very lucky.

[pumpkinsweetie]

I suppose this is what I get for using the Aibu thread and I guess I worded the title wrongly.
I actually blame the government & previous Government, not the actual people that work for the NHS, just to clear things up.

And no we haven't been able to get an appointment at all today after over 100 attempts to dentaline and finally being told all the appointments were gone. I started phoning from 8:30am as it said on the website right up until just before 10 before they finally told me that they were fully booked. I blame the system.

I have since ringed around all the private ones I can find within 15 miles and either they are closed or they will not take us on.

So dh is now in unbearable pain with no where to turn until Dentaline open again at 8:30 tomorrow and that's only if we even manage to get through, let alone actually get to see someone.

There is no point going back to a & e as they will not do anything as they know nothing about teeth and will not prescribe him antibiotics. So not only is he in pain, but my kids and I are having a miserable weekend because of it.


My children did have a dentist until just before 2 years ago, but they went private and have since gone back to NHS But will only accept 1 of my daugyters on their books.
To get my kids all seen, it would have to be private, and to do that me and dh will be ripped off for our own teeth.

[pumpkinsweetie]

Oh to those of you who think it's so easy, I'm in Thanet, so maybe you should try for me. If you want to be clever..

I asked to be put on a waiting list for one surgery 6 months ago and bang private they went!

[pumpkinsweetie]

Just found out there was a catastrophic phone line problem affecting the dentaline number's and others , it was on BBC News

[DidoTheDodo]

OP, I live in west kent, so not a million miles from Thanet, and our local NHS dentist has vacancies. It would involve a bit of a train ride but may be worth it. Do pm me if that sounds any use.

[drbonnieblossman]

Yabu to think NHS dentistry is substandard, yes.

You have waited until an absolute emergency to acknowledge no dentist.

You have no car. Dentist fault?

Dentists can only deal with what they can deal with. They are overrun with patients. Their fault?

Private dentists aren't much more expensive than NHS. You need to look into it.

[Mrsmorton]

Why do you keep saying you will be ripped off?

As many posters on here will testify, private charges for simple treatment (fillings and extractions) is not much more than NHS prices and in some cases it's cheaper. You're hung up on this getting ripped off thing. Try finding out the facts, you might be surprised.

[Methe]

I'd probably go back to a&e and refuse to move untill he has received some antibiotics and some better pain relief.

[PacificDogwood]

Phone NHS24/111.

[Methe]

Afaik 111 no longer have dental nurses.

[pumpkinsweetie]

Tried 111, referred me back to dentaline Zzzz
No private dentists open it's Saturday.
Nhs dental care is a postcode lottery, caused by the government cutting funding..

We literally are real short of money at the moment, bills and Christmas, cannot afford private treatment. Nhs care should be accessible by people from all walks of life, and in each area, but it isn't.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I think there's a fair few folk not understanding how dentistry is working for some people.

I've just been kicked out by my nhs dentist for not making 'compulsory' appointments - I could afford it for the first couple of years but not now. It consisted of 2 compulsory check ups a year plus 2 compulsory hygiene appointments - I don't have £200 so I decided to wait until I needed to go to the dentist.

So they kicked me off their list, Dh too (same reason)

[mdpis3]

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1776.aspx

Clearly says to go to a&e if in extreme pain. Print this off. Go. And don't move. Also, most hospitals have some type of on-call maxi/dental/ortho type, so they absolutely could help you. In the very least they should be giving him adequate pain relief and if infection is suspected, px for antibiotics.

[PacificDogwood]

I'd've thought 111 would be able to advise when Dentaline was not accessible?

Yy to rocking up at A+E again and staying put until somebody competent has looked at him/you.