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!

Yeah, my DH is a doctor as well, OP. Half his wages go on taxes so that our nation can offer education, welfare, and healthcare to EVERYONE. That includes us! So, you're welcome, people, who are dependent on everyone paying their fair share of taxes so that we can have some sort of shitty healthcare system. I'll pay my shedload of taxes AND have my NHS healthcare/state education system that I pay towards, thank you very much.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow
I completely agree, never let the facts obscure your opinion 😳
Perhaps your dentist will be reading this and remove you from their list to spare you more unreasonable behaviour.

I think a lot of people on this thread should be directing their anger at the people who have underfunded the NHS for years and stealthily privatized areas of the system, rather than at a middle-income family who quite understandably question why NHS dentistry should not be widely available on a par with other areas of healthcare.

As someone else said, you can go private without Denplan.

We do use Denplan and for £12 per month each we get 2 'free' check-ups, including x-rays etc, and hygienist visits each year.

It's not that much more than doing similar via the NHS and the bonus is you can go to a completely private dentist with pleasant, quiet waiting rooms, the very latest equipment, etc.

@WinstonsWeirdVole

I think a lot of people on this thread should be directing their anger at the people who have underfunded the NHS for years and stealthily privatized areas of the system, rather than at a middle-income family who quite understandably question why NHS dentistry should not be widely available on a par with other areas of healthcare.

'Underfunded the NHS...'

Until our entire GDP goes down that particular money pit a lot of people won't be happy.

The NHS dentistry system has operated as it does for decades upon decades, regardless of any recent government's actions.

I'm in Scotland where I think things are a bit different. I am an NHS patient in a mixed surgery, which means I can dip in and out of private care if I want something a bit "fancier", still with my normal dentist.

I disagree with PP saying if you are a professional person you should pay privately to free up the slots. I really like my dentist and if the only option to see her was as a private patient I wouldn't switch, but I am completely comfortable with receiving NHS care.

@WinstonsWeirdVole

I think a lot of people on this thread should be directing their anger at the people who have underfunded the NHS for years and stealthily privatized areas of the system, rather than at a middle-income family who quite understandably question why NHS dentistry should not be widely available on a par with other areas of healthcare.

That's not what the OP is doing though, is it? Her OP isn't about NHS under-funding or the fact that dentistry should be free at the point of access. It's slagging off a particular dentist for not treating her family on the NHS, without bothering to understand why the dentist can't do so.

It's the OP who is misdirecting blame, not the posters responding to her.

I'm shocked at some of the responses on here. There is a report out today about inequalities in dental care and how some children are not getting the dental care they should. I would never have considered anything but an NHS dentist for my children and I thought everyone else was the same. Our NHS dentist is fantastic but maybe we're just lucky.

This is now the state of the UK
Has been for a while
Varies massively by area
And we still worship our NHS like a cult!

I believe dentists operate on a contract basis. They may have an NHS contract for kids not adults. My kids have NHS dental care 1 mile from here but the place has no NHS contract for adults so cannot provide NHS care even if you’re pregnant/entitled to it. So me and dh are still registered 35 miles away, in a place where I lived 23 years ago. Poor climate - people should just be able to get NHS dentists nearby.

Ring round all the dentists and try to get your ds registered. Many have child only NHS patients. Then ask around the people in your area about what dentist they use for themselves. It’s possible to find NHS, it’s just a bit of a battle!

It’s no wonder people are pulling their own fucking teeth and going without dental care.

@carcarbinks

I'm shocked at some of the responses on here. There is a report out today about inequalities in dental care and how some children are not getting the dental care they should. I would never have considered anything but an NHS dentist for my children and I thought everyone else was the same. Our NHS dentist is fantastic but maybe we're just lucky.

Well, you are. We (our whole family) were taken off the NHS listing a few years ago due to lack of funding and told we could continue to use the surgery if we chose, but as private patients only. No other dentists in the area were taking on NHS patients 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hi Op.

Some dentists aren't taking on adult NHS patients but are still taking on under 18s for NHS treatment, that's how I got a space for my DS who was born last year. (I live in Wales however so not sure if it's different in England).

Might be worth asking about if you ring up elsewhere.

I think it’s the ‘disgusted by the dentists behaviour’ bit that’s put backs up. What has the dentist done wrong? They’ve done the training and are working within the same hybrid nhs/private health system that all doctors and dentists do. I’ve never come across a dentist that doesn’t do their best for their patients, indeed it’s in their legal and moral code of practise to do so. The dentist has no more influence over the charging system than the op (assuming they’re not an mp of course).

@carcarbinks

I'm shocked at some of the responses on here. There is a report out today about inequalities in dental care and how some children are not getting the dental care they should. I would never have considered anything but an NHS dentist for my children and I thought everyone else was the same. Our NHS dentist is fantastic but maybe we're just lucky.

They aren't "nhs dentists" though as they are not employed by the NHS. They are private businesses who have chosen to have a contract with the NHS to provide some care. How much they choose to provide will often depend on the area.

You do know you can stay with your old dentist don’t you? Unless you’ve moved mikes away that could be your solution.

I'm with you OP, it's appalling and if the family of a highly valuable and trained professional cannot comfortably afford it, imagine what it must be like for families that are really struggling. One of DD's friends ended up needing a root canal because there was no where available for a filling, and she couldn't afford to go private (student).

It's just the way of the world.

I struggled to get my 12 year old into a dentist as an nhs patient.
He's with an nhs dentist but as a private patient. i have a monthly plan set up.
It's not ideal as a single parent/ carer to disabled child, but there was no other option. Obviously he can't be without a dnetist.

NHS dental care is a right in the same way other NHS treatment is.

With rights comes responsibilities.

The vast majority of dental disease is preventable. Got “crumbly” teeth etc etc etc? Even more important to follow preventative diet and hygiene advice.

GreyhoundG1rl same for us, half the town lost their dental care provisions, and there were literally no space anywhere that wasn't private unless you traveled 30+ miles.

The dental industry is on its knees at the moment. They were shut for so long and their running costs have rocketed.
I’ve got a feeling you wouldn’t be impressed with how little time an NHS check up would take compared to private.

I think the reason many people prefer denplan is because certain treatments, such as white fillings for example, are not available on the NHS. To be honest (and I am a massive advocate of the NHS) I feel that if one can possibly afford it, then one ought to pay for dental care, and alleviate that burden from the NHS so that it can treat those with life threatening illnesses. It’s a little like optical care - when I was young all optical care was also free on the NHS but I am more than happy to pay for it now.

I also enjoy having a choice of treatments, rather than just the basics, when it comes to my teeth so I am happy to put money into an affordable private dental plan. That’s just me though.

I think it’s the ‘disgusted by the dentists behaviour’ bit that’s put backs up.

As well as the insinuation that her darling husband is much more selfless and giving than those greedy dentists.

And also the insistence that he only makes an average wage, though being extremely hazy on the actual figure and then tellingly suggesting £50k is not a high enough salary to pay for dental treatment...

I really don't like the flak the OP is getting. I think NHS dental services should be available to and accessed by all - similarly GPs, state education and SureStart Centres. Higher rate taxpayers pay additional contributions, and NHS dental and prescription charges, so it's not like they are getting stuff for free. I also think that the standard of social provision rises if the middle class are users of it, as they are more likely to have the confidence and clout to demand a good service - services for poor people tend to be poor services. And we might not all have the same income, but it helps build a cohesive society if we are all, at some point in our lives, in the same nurseries, schools and hospitals.

@ekidmxcl

This is now the state of the UK Has been for a while Varies massively by area And we still worship our NHS like a cult!

I believe dentists operate on a contract basis. They may have an NHS contract for kids not adults. My kids have NHS dental care 1 mile from here but the place has no NHS contract for adults so cannot provide NHS care even if you’re pregnant/entitled to it. So me and dh are still registered 35 miles away, in a place where I lived 23 years ago. Poor climate - people should just be able to get NHS dentists nearby.

Ring round all the dentists and try to get your ds registered. Many have child only NHS patients. Then ask around the people in your area about what dentist they use for themselves. It’s possible to find NHS, it’s just a bit of a battle!

It’s no wonder people are pulling their own fucking teeth and going without dental care.

What would prefer to do? Would you prefer to get rid of the NHS so that ALL health care is privatised?

Dentistry work very differently to hospital doctors. They are effectively contactors and will only receive set funding from the NHS. This is not the individual dentist's fault Would you husband work for free OP?
Honestly I wouldn't rush to recommend NHS dentistry anyway. I agree with @Airyfairymarybeary on the difference in check up times, our previous NHS dentist completely missed a hole in my DHs tooth, despite my DH pointing it out to her, and they refused to refer my daughter for orthodonture despite an 11mm overbite. We went private and they referred her instantly (back to the NHS ortho, I might add, before anyone accuses them of only being after my money) and fixed my DH's tooth straight away.
I say all this, again, not to criticise individual dentists but to point out the constraints on time and funding that working for the NHS places on dentists and the extremely difficult position this puts them in. I wouldn't want the hassle, frankly, if that was what I was doing for a living.