Free dental care when pregnant non existent due to Covid

[LuckyA]

AIBU that I didn’t get to use my free dental care when pregnant as dentists were shut in lockdown and I couldn’t get in when they opened as they were so busy? It’s still free for a year after birth but I don’t have childcare again in this lockdown to go and use it. Anyone else think it’s not fair and the government should extend the time we can use it? My gums bled in pregnancy but I never got it checked

All the dentists local to me have been open throughout (with precautions). Where in the UK are you?

And fwiw bleeding gums is a common short lived side effect of some pregnancies, I remember googling it myself when I was pregnant and mine bled.

I couldn't get into an NHS dentist anyway so had to pay when I needed a check up as my gums were in tatters. It's the most pointless exemption ever!

Really common for gums to bleed in pregnancy, likely nothing to be freaking out about but yeah it's annoying. I haven't been able to use my maternity exemption either but meh.

NHS dentistry has been on its knees/largely unavailable for at least a decade. YABU to think this is suddenly going to change because you are pregnant.

How self entitled are you people lost loved ones, livelihoods, jobs etc and youre on here moaning about youre free treatment and wanting it extending because you don't have childcare seriously get a grip. My poor auntie has been in hospital five weeks battling covid

This almost reads like you got pregnant to be able to use the dentist for free!
Anyway, yabu. Dentists can see less patients now because of covid, so I think it's absolutely right they are prioritising the most important cases.
Very few people have come out of covid 'winning'; this is definitely a lesser thing, so it is what it is.

If you can’t get childcare during the lockdown then go after lockdown. It’s not that hard to work that out!

YABU lots of people have lost things far more important than free dental treatment. Loved ones, jobs, children’s education, medical treatment such as for relief of long term pain Etc etc

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz Where are you? Many of us can't access dental care now, let alone through the lockdowns. We'd love to know where it has been available all along!

The North East of England. My dentist has been open throughout for those that need, and I've done a couple of calls where I've just had to check on a symptom or see if face to face was needed.

In my first pregnancy my teeth literally shattered, I need a lot of dental work and it was awful.
I’m now pregnancy again and already having similar issues and our dentists are also closed unless emergency.

Also, you don’t need child care to go do the dentist? Take them with you.

I remember taking my new baby with me to the dentist! The receptionists were fighting over who should be in charge of her when I went in for my appointment (practice where I had been going since childhood)

We’re also north east, and there’s not one near me open!

NHS dentists all running normally here in C London

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

The North East of England. My dentist has been open throughout for those that need, and I've done a couple of calls where I've just had to check on a symptom or see if face to face was needed.

I'm north east as well and we've got no chance of getting past those doors. Total agony only. We get an email lecture every now and then about prevention being better than cure though.

Who needs childcare to go to the dentist? Small babies are very portable, take him/her with you.

I think the free bit is a red herring.

One of our household had an abscess over summer and had issues getting seen (they did open up so they could in the end, but it still took me checking rules and querying it with them).
That was Scotland.

And we wouldn’t be allowed to take extra people in with us. Just on the childcare aspect.

I don't think you can complain if childcare is your issue.

I've been seen during pregnancy, if you need it they will treat you.

However they said they couldn't do a metal filling during pregnancy so I had to pay for a white one. So it cost more than normal, though the actual treatment charge was free!

YANBU at all. We are entitled to free dental care during pregnancy and for up to a year afterwards. I agree with you, if we've missed out on those first nine months why shouldn't it be extended?
I was vomitting so much during early pregnancy I called my dentist for advice and the receptionist actually laughed at me down the phone. Dentists should be adapting, they should be doing online and phone call appointments (maybe some are??) This doesn't replace check ups but seeing as you'd probably only have 1-2 check ups during those nine months, why not have those afterwards?
The government stipulates all pregnant women have access to free dental care for good reasons.

Of course I know there are more important issues going on right now, thank you to those of you pointing that out. That doesn’t mean we are not allowed to have concerns about anything else at all.

I’m in Cornwall. Fat chance of getting a NHS dentist before Covid anyway here and it’s 10x worse now. Btw my dentist practice said no babies can be brought in with me due to Covid, I have to go alone. My parents are vulnerable so can’t do childcare.

My practice will only see me in an emergency but won’t do a checkup. I’m just a bit miffed that it’s a government policy that I should be able to have a checkup for free but in reality I can’t

My parents are vulnerable so can’t do childcare

How about the baby's father?

So because people are dying, OP isn’t allowed to moan about dental care? Right.

Yep. I’ve literally got a tooth cracked and fallen out after birth. I haven’t been able to get a dentist appointment as of yet and it runs out this month. I’ll have to pay.
Don’t have any childcare during lockdowns and they were too busy in the summer to see me as apparently there were other people with higher need - although I suspect they meant there’s people willing to pay private.