Disgusted By Dentists Behaviour!!!

[Windchangeface]

We moved home week before the pandemic and then non of the dentists were taking on patients.

This made me very nervous, I kept an eye out to jump as soon as they opened up.

Well...as of a few weeks ago 3/5 practises within a 15 mile radius of us put up notices on their websites ‘taking on new patients’ great I rang to register me, DH and small DS. But oh no, they aren’t taking on any NHS patients only private or Denplan! (Would cost us a minimum of £50 per month and I’m currently pregnant so should be free anyway). The receptionists at all 3 massively tried to sell me Denplan and actually made me feel like a total sponge for asking about NHS.

‘Most families prefer Denplan’ erm sorry Shannon but I highly doubt ‘most’ families prefer to spend £50+ per month on something that should be £20 a visit for them and free for their kids!

One of the receptionists even told me (in a very snooty tone) ‘no we aren’t taking NHS patients we’ve got enough of those) another stated ‘we’ve met our quota for NHS so are only taking paying patients’.

Given DH is a Dr who spends all day looking after hospital patients free of charge I’m at a loss to understand why dentists feel they’re above the NHS.

Horrible, elitist attitude excluding people who can’t afford to pay from adequate healthcare and forcing those who can to pay high premiums they shouldn’t have to!

Who is 'Shannon'?

If your dh is a doctor surely you can afford to pay? Always assume we have to pay for dental work don’t think the state can stretch to paying for the entire nations dental care.

Yes I was thinking that too. The NHS isn't a never ending source of money OP.

I dont think NHS dentist will be a ‘thing’ for very long tbh.

Well this is weird

We moved to a largish village 2.5 yrs ago. There are 2 dentists neither were or are taking nhs patients. I got the same response!
Luckily we only moved about 30 minutes away so we stayed on at our old dentist.

@MsTSwift

I’m not sure you comprehend a young family trying to survive in a pricey area on a junior dr wage (and pt income from me due to childcare). You’re obviously thinking about senior/consultant dr wages the daily Mail love to report. Junior drs earn pretty average wages.

We pay for cover thank god as I needed £2k worth of treatment a few years ago. You need to get out of the nhs mindset it’s a different system with teeth.

There's such a thing as reverse snobbery too.
And you sound like the kind of person who screeches "don't you know who we are!" when perceiving affront.

OP I agree with you. DM can’t get one either. Never goes, dentist phobia but her dentures have broken it’ll cost her thousands to get new ones. If it’s just a check up you need it shouldn’t cost too much? To be honest I think it’s an excuse because they know people are desperate.

The NHS is overstretched and underfunded and that includes dentistry. It's not like they're saying they don't take NHS patients at all – they've just reached the limit they can take in terms of their business. Dentists get a very small amount for each NHS patient, so they have to make up the money through private work, otherwise they'd go under. It's not the insult or the scam you're making it out to be, OP.

I know family are doctors but you are not on benefits - I assume paid for dental work is for people on very low income or universal credit.

What has happened to NHS dentistry is a disgrace, yes. I am not surprised by this, theoretically you can get an NHS dentist, in reality they are hard to find. We pay but it does pissme off and I'm worried this issue is only going to worsen in a country very happy to vote conservative and let them wreck services.

Yeah dentists have been terrible for nhs patients this pandemic. Had an appointment scheduled and cancelled last March and haven't heard anything since, they only care if you pay private fees (I have to pay nhs prices but can't afford private). DD has never seen a dentist march appointment was going to be her first visit

It's the same up and down the country. We have to travel miles for an NHS dentist. I haven't seen one in years. We found one who will take on kids but not adults. I suspect that the nhs funding for dentists is woefully iinadequate. But dental care is for the well off, not the poor

I've never understood why necessary (as in, required to relieve pain or otherwise improve quality of life, not just cosmetic) healthcare that happens to involve the teeth should be separate from the rest of healthcare tbh.

I don’t think the NHS is a never ending source of money but what are people who can’t afford private dental supposed to do? Shouldn’t at least children be guaranteed care?

I feel like if it were hospitals acting this way ‘yes you do need the operation but we’ve met our quota of free operations so you’ll either have to pay for it or go away’ then people would be having a fit! I’m unsure why dentists are the service that it’s ‘ok’ to do this with.

@MsTSwift

I know family are doctors but you are not on benefits - I assume paid for dental work is for people on very low income or universal credit.

No, access to an NHS dentist is not means tested. We are all still entitled to an NHS dentist, just those on benefits and children receive the treatment itself free.

This is different to only having access to private dental care.

Omg such Tory capitalist bullshit.

Dentists are free for children. They should be free for children. And NHS dentistry is a thing so why should OP get out of this 'mindset'?

I'm with you OP, it is disgusting.

NHS dentists are definitely something that only really exist in theory these days. But people just accepting that is part of the problem.

We could easily pay for NHS dentists if we weren't spending ridiculous money on increasing our supply of nuclear weapons...

What’s wrong with wanting an NHS dentist? It’s frustrating when you can’t find one but I don’t think you can accuse people of sponging off the NHS by wanting an NHS dentist. You could say the same for all healthcare as all healthcare can be obtained privately.

@StepOutOfLine

no I just grew up in a very low income struggling family and therefore feel social injustices like stopping ‘poor people’ having access to dental care is horrible and should be highlighted!

I haven’t seen a dentist taking on NHS patients for 25 years. Also as a professional person, I accept that I need to pay for dental care and I am happy to leave the very limited NHS slots for children and those that cannot afford to pay, not for doctors’ wives.

OP call 111 and ask them ?

This has been a problem for years.
I really dislike dentists. They make shell of a lot of money out of these plans.
I had the equivalent to Denplan for years and was absolutely sick of paying every month and then paying again for treatment so I found an NHS dentist.
Great you’d think?
No. As an NHS patient I was rushed in, rushed out. No care at all.
This is just my experience obviously but I can win.