To not book a dental appt in school time?

[PurplePotatoes]

Took DD and DS for a dental check up yesterday. No treatment needed and I went to reception to book the next check up in 6 months. The receptionist offered me a time of 11.00am on a school day. (Its very hard to get an appointment at this dentist, I had to wait 6 months for a filling until my next check up). I explained that DD is starting reception in Sept and I don't know what the school policy is on appointments like this so could we please have an out of school hours appt time.

She then huffed and puffed and told me it wouldn't be in 6 months then and "this really annoys me as some will take them out, some won't but parents should value their children's teeth as much as their education". She then slapped a ticket in my hand for an appt in 8 months time.

So who was BU, is it the norm to take kids out of school every 6 months just for a check up ??

Ha ha! Getting disturbing dental image ads now!

Unfortunately school class times and term dates will account for most of a dentist's opening hours.
So unless your dentist opens on a Saturday rather than a week day or does a late night one day a week then there is going to be a big clash between appointment availability and class times.
Unless people take time off work/school then the only people who would be going to the dentist in normal office hours would be the retired and unemployed.

Generally not accepted as valid reason to have time of school for dentist general check ups. However, orthodontist appointments are commonly in school hours as less flexibility and of course emergency treatment as accepted as a reasonable reason.

Ours always give an after school or holidays for routine appointment.

Well obvious there aren't going to be enough afternoon appointments so it's unsurprising there's a wait but that woman does sound rude.

well it is hardly only children that see the dentist.

Some parents at schools I’ve worked at have a dental appointment for their child every time they’re in detention.

It's quite hard to get a dentist appointment at our surgery for out of school hours or during school holidays - if I don't manage to bag one of those elusive slots, I go for an early one - 8.30am / 8.45am for minimal disruption to school.

If you are forced to take a school hours one, best to do an afternoon one if you can. First because the PM register will be taken so it won’t affect attendance and second because morning lessons tend to cover more.

I don't understand why they don't have the dentists in school any more.
Check up done in school time then refer on if needed.

Orthodontists is a whole different ball game and your have to pick from the 3 they have available that week

We try for after school or holidays for normal routine dental appointments. DS1 also has to see community paediatric dentist and dental therapist, and they're really good at sending afternoon appointments. Orthodontist only ever offers 10am Monday morning though, but because he's not had treatment yet he's only missed one morning in primary school and one last year early in term. Next one coming in October so hopefully school won't mind too much.

My dentist receptionist automatically starts looking for out of school appointments for kids and confirms which school they are at so she knows if it is one where they can get to the dentist at 3.30 or if it needs to be later. Regular check ups definitely an out of school thing. Hospital clinics etc where you can't really choose are acceptable in school time imo.

I’d try and get an out of school appointment if it was just for a check up but if it wasn’t possible or meant their appointment would be really delayed I’d take them out.
If it was an option I’d be switching dental surgeries in your position to avoid the rude receptionist but I realise people often can’t choose. I would definitely be giving the surgery some feedback regarding how you were spoken to.

25 years ago now we had a mobile dentist who came to where I worked. it was fab. Work let us go for check-ups in 'their' time as the whole process took max 15 minutes out of the working day.

Ds has all his appointments in school holidays where possible. My own dentist (private) doesn't do free child individual dental appointments after school.

My DD is in the middle of orthodontic treatment and she has had no choice but to have them during school. The orthodontist only works on a certain day and time and we try and go for appointments first thing or late in the day. It’s a nightmare but we have no other option. Only a few months left of the treatment now thank goodness. With the dentist I book them in advance when the DC are on holiday.

Orthodentic treatment is different, especially as teens must make up a very large % of the customers. We take along the timetable and make appointments for during PE or French.