To not understand how the dentist works? Can someone please explain?

[WannabeOT]

This probably sounds stupid but I just do not get how the dentist system works. We moved to this area 18 months ago and I still haven't registered us anywhere.

Firstly, none of the practices around here advertise on their websites whether they take NHS patients. I have no idea what I would need to pay for or how much. I would go as a private patient but I worry I'm going to get talked into something that costs ££. I'd get dental insurance but again no idea where to start.

I need 2 year old DD to have a check up. some of the dentist's around here say not taking children on their NHS page . I have contacted one place about joining and their website says a child check up is £32, do children not get NHS treatment as standard?

The prices on the various websites also vary massively. Standard checks up varying from 40-£80, they all seem to advertise Botox or cosmetic dentistry all over their home pages. I just want a normal family dentists, does that actually exist anymore?

In my area practices aren't taking on adult NHS patients at the moment, but some are taking on children. I found one for my son by calling and asking. The second one I rang was so I registered him and put myself on their waiting listing. He's just had his second bi annual appointment. It's not difficult, just a bit of pain if you have to ring more than one. But the call only takes a minute.

We’re with bupa, they take NHS patients and private patients and have something called ‘bupa essentials’ which is priced between nhs and private dental care.
My son is on the NHS with them and I have bupa essentials.
It cost around £60 last year to have my tooth out, my son has had 2 visits the last fortnight and another coming up next week and haven’t paid for him (he’s 7)

You'll have to ring around anyway if my area is representative of the country. Everywhere I called was taking patients but were booked up for months on end - the closest one until August. Took me ages to get an appointment within four weeks. That information isn't on their websites...

I have denplan. My children have private check ups for free. I assume they claim back through NHS.

I had to wait 18 months for my dc to get registered with an NHS dentist. And three more before they would register me.

I went privately. I contacted the dentist I wanted to use and asked about private cover, they directed me to sign up with denplan. I pay £20 a month and despite fillings and regular check ups I don’t pay anything extra - compared to the nhs price list they have on their waiting room wall it seems i actually save money my son (2) also gets seen by my dentist for free as my dependant which is great.

Wait, I don’t think my son gets seen for free under my insurance but under nhs even though my dentist is private I think. Honestly I don’t know but it’s all sorted without me having to pay or register him separately

The NHS website has a search function to look for dentists near your postcode. You then need to contact them to see if they are accepting new patients.

Children are free until they are 18 I think. The NHS website tells you the bands and costs for treatment for adults.

@WannabeOT

I don't want to ring around all the dental practices in the area, they should have adequate and clear information on their websites.

You don't need to, just search on the NHS website?

www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Just ring the practice down the road and ask? 'Do you take NHS patients, do you have any spaces' , 'do you know anywhere that does?' 'Do you have a pay monthly insurance scheme?

You act like this is a big problem, but actually haven't put much effort into solving it.

If your DC have private check ups for free the dentist won't get that back from the NHS. Its just a courtesy. They will only get it back from the NHS if they are NHS patients

I wanted to get a bit more understanding before ringing and sounding stupid, sorry!

Just call private dentists and ask if they are taking on children through the NHS they will say yes or no.
Our local private dentist do NHS for children but not adults.

We also have a NHS dentist locally for adults and children but have to keep trying to get on the list. Just keep calling.

I know it's a nuisance, but I don't think they make it clear as they seem to set a limit on how many they have on there books.

I feel for you OP, it's a nightmare trying to get an NHS dentist!

When I went to Uni in Wales, I found one easily -had a choice in fact!

When I returned to the North West, it took about 2 years to get an NHS dentist (couldn't afford private at the time). Stayed with them for a while and also registered DS there. Eventually though, I got fed up of them constantly cancelling appointments and changing dentists.

I've recently gone private- I pay £13.50 a month which covers all check ups for me and DS and some minor work for me. Maybe ring a few private dentists and ask about their fees?

I had a couple of bad experiences with NHS and decided to go private. The same practise sees my children under NHS though - I think that set up is quite common. An initial apt cost me £90 with x-rays however they were very good - other than recommending a hygienist appointment they actually discouraged me from other treatment I was considering! No hard sell at all and not at all rushed.

In contrast - you are highly highly unlikely to get a UK qualified dentist or native English speaker on the NHS. The combination of masks, rush to get you out the door as quickly as possible and a heavy foreign accent can make communication difficult. NHS dentists don't get enough money from the government or the patient - they want you in and out the door as quickly as possible. The building is likely to be cheap (one the lift was broken, one the parking situation was dangerous).

Unfortunately the system is just broken and has been for years so if you are at all nervous of dentists its well worth paying to go private. Any decent NHS dentists will have hugely long waiting lists and will bump you off their books for the slightest issue.

When we had to do it there was a secret number, to somewhere in the hospital. The person there had a good idea of which practices were taking on NHS patients. I think I got the secret number from one of the practices I rang on spec. There was only me initially, a few years later I had kids and they added them on.
Ring somewhere and if they say they aren't taking NHS, ask them for advice. The worst they can do is be unhelpful.

Do you want to say where abouts in the country you are, people might have a recommendation? My dentist is brilliant, NHS and building an extension, but not much use to you unless you happen to live near me!

I'd die for my nhs dentist, she is the best dentist I've ever had, so the snarky comments about nhs isn't necessarily true. They aren't restricted to patients in a certain area, unlike gps, so if you can travel a bit you should get some choice. I now live a 30 minute drive from mine but think I'd still go to her no matter where I lived.

It's also worth knowing that even if you get an NHS place, not everything will be NHS.

Dentists will not give you a scale and polish even if you need one, even though they're supposed to if it is clinically needed. You always have to pay for the hygienist to clean up your teeth.

White fillings are always private. So those are always expensive.

Basically, you're always going to have to pay more than you think.

Children are definitely free and should go for a check up every 6 months.
I would ask around your friends/neighbours for local recommendations for dentists. There is a huge difference between a really good dentist and a merely adequate one.
None of our dentists are accepting nhs patients and more, so I have to pay private. My previous dentist was nhs, and while the dentist checkups were cheaper than my current dentist, the hygienist was actually more expensive (London practise more expensive than rural). It’s very important to have regular hygienist appointments in addition to dental checkups.

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/how-to-find-an-nhs-dentist/

Here’s something for your understanding op. The number of patients that commissioners (nhs England) expect dentists to get through in a day is more than the number of patients dentists actually expect to get through in a day.

So when (some) dentists’ patient lists reach a certain number they like to stop taking on new patients. Only they won’t tell commissioners that because the commissioners are paying them to take on a higher number. So they subtly stop advertising. The information is buried as deep as a state secret underground and they hope you won’t notice. If you do ask, some might say they’re full. You wouldn’t know either way.

This is because commissioners (aka the government) expect people to do something for nothing. Whilst at the same time some dentists won’t get out of bed for less than 150k per year.

Where is the patient in all this? Well so much for patient centred care.

I wouldn’t ever go mentioning any of this to anyone as you’ll get a very bad reception. This is top secret. I hope that gives you some additional insight. Good luck with your search.

Ps. there are actually some very good, skilled, ethical dentists out there.

Maybe try MN local?

It differs massively.

Eg round here they're all private and often not taking NHS new patients.

You definitely need a local view IMO

My dentist is private but children are registered as NHS patients. There have both been referred for orthodontic treatment too which is also covered by NHS. It’s well worth getting DC’s registered on NHS for orthodontist alone.

www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Type in your postcode and this will give list of local NHS surgeries.