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!

Just seem your last post, I grew up in a very poor struggling family, I do not feel, that this now entitles me to free dental care as somebody earning a professional income.

@Aprilx

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.

Like the op's children then, who can't get a space

Don't understand why people are happy with NHS privatisation.

The NHS pays them peanuts to see a patient

They can only see a few patients now, so they need to be private patients so they can try to stay open & not close down

Unlike hospitals their rent, electric, taxes etc are not funded by the NHS.

You can't compare the two.

Junior Doctors might not be paid brilliantly, but they're still better paid than many & obviously more than those on benefits.

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

This is exactly how NHS hospitals work though? I have two relatives who have been waiting for surgery which they can’t get because of funding cuts. One of them is in constant pain.

I have to travel from Somerset to Sussex for dental care. There is nobody taking on any patients here where I live so I have to visit my old dentist for treatment. My old dentist is private but keeps costs down to a minimum.
Obviously not during lockdown, but its a four hour drive.

@Windchangeface

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.

That kind of does happen, plenty of things aren't available on the NHS in hospitals that you can pay for privately.

I only mentioned DH being a Dr to point out we are a ‘pro nhs’ family who do understand the issues the nhs face and aren’t entitled.

I’m surprised at the volume who hear Dr and think ‘you earn loads of money’ erm no, we don’t. Junior dr wages are very average. We are an average income young family in a pricey area (stuck here for work). We can’t afford £50+ a month on dental care without feeling that significantly and I’m not apologetic about that!

[quote Windchangeface]@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![/quote]
But you aren't now 'poor people', but you'd happily use an NHS dentist, taking away provision that someone far less able to pay could use???

Not sure where in the country you are OP but I’m in Scotland and have had no issue at all registering with dentist as NHS patient.
I see no issue with wanting to register as NHS, the price difference is obscene. £15 for filling on NHS or £200 private. Hope you can get something sorted.

@Windchangeface

I grew up in a free school meal/single parent household.

And I'll fight for injustice till the day I die.

Nobody should be forced to go private, definitely. But the wife of a doctor, junior or otherwise, pleading poverty, is rather unpleasant. What job do you do?

@Whenthesunshines

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.

Same experience, I have developed a real (probably unfair) dislike too. Back to private, just been quoted £175 plus £25 PPE for a back filling. Hygienist was £125 for 45 min plus £25 PPE.

Please educate yourself on how NHS dentistry works.
Dentists with an NHS contract (not all have one and they haven’t been giving out new ones or much extra funding in recent years) have a set amount of funding to do a set amount of work. Once that funding is used you don’t get more until the next financial year. They don’t work for nothing so patients have to pay privately instead.

I am always shocked at how low paid doctors are. I don’t know I just assume dentistry isn’t on the nhs anymore as in reality it isnt. Surprised you are surprised! They are private businesses and have to pay their costs (friends are dentists).

Op it doesn’t matter what your Dh does- let’s face it we can all make anything up on the internet anyway, so it’s not relevant. I agree that everyone should have access to a good NHS dentist, regardless.

@Alfaix

Please educate yourself on how NHS dentistry works. Dentists with an NHS contract (not all have one and they haven’t been giving out new ones or much extra funding in recent years) have a set amount of funding to do a set amount of work. Once that funding is used you don’t get more until the next financial year. They don’t work for nothing so patients have to pay privately instead.

That's illuminating, thank you.

If you phone your health authority they should be able to give you a list of local dentists who ARE taking NHS patients. Plenty round here don't, but I found a lovely one who I've been with for years now.
As you say with small kids and being pregnant, you are 100% entitled to it, so don't feel guilty. Amazed at some of the attitudes on here!

Junior doctors don't make that much, probably similar amount to me (sadly I have no scope to earn consultant money money my future). If its the main family income I can easily see how it would be tight to afford private dentistry, I know I can't afford it! I not a free patient but even the banded prices can be a stretch as an unexpected expense some months. OP is entitled to nhs dentistry and I dont think there's anything wrong with wanting to use it. If she was that desperate to go and could afford it I'm sure she would pay it, the problem is what about those who can't afford it (whether OP can or not only she knows)

@Alfaix

Please educate yourself on how NHS dentistry works. Dentists with an NHS contract (not all have one and they haven’t been giving out new ones or much extra funding in recent years) have a set amount of funding to do a set amount of work. Once that funding is used you don’t get more until the next financial year. They don’t work for nothing so patients have to pay privately instead.

Understanding it doesn't make it right. I understand, I am private, I think it is wrong.

Many low income families are unable to access dental care in the UK.

@Logoff

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

This is exactly how NHS hospitals work though? I have two relatives who have been waiting for surgery which they can’t get because of funding cuts. One of them is in constant pain.

Exactly! My dad needs a hip replacement and is in excruciating pain. He's facing a two-year wait, probably longer now thanks to Covid, or he can go private. Hospitals are already doing this.

But there's no point getting angry with dentists – get angry with the succession of governments who've underfunded the NHS to the point its on its knees.

I’m with you OP. When I was military and posted back to UK I couldn’t find a dentist that would take DD (then 5) on as a patient without taking an adult (me) too, which wasn’t an option. DD didn’t go to the dentist in UK until she was 8.

Where I live now there are 8 or 9 dental practices. Only one was taking on NHS patients. We couldn’t afford to go private or a dental plan. We’ve been with this practice for years now, but over lockdown they’ve had some changes and no longer have an NHS hygienist. I had a regular 3 monthly appt at NHS cost previously. Now if I want to see her the price has doubled . It pisses me off.

I have a tooth that needed a tiny filling last year and now it is about to snap off and another tooth that is chipped right at the front.

Apparently not an emergency

@RachelRoth

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

This sadly.

Scale and polish with a check up has been refused for years in various dentists I have used in london.

My DH urgently needed wisdom teeth removed this year. (Part of a tooth fell out )

An nhs appointmemt was 8 eeeks out so i insisted he go for a privare one. He was seen the next day...
His dentist wait on the nhs was 18 months just for a referral to see a specialist. Private referral app was 3 days layer and surgery 4 weeks later.
This really shocked me as we don't need public services (nhs dentist) often.
We were discussing wtf people who can't find 2.5k spare do

I also do think the nhs is unfortunately going to go the same way

I agree OP. I haven't been able to find a NHS accepting dentist practice in years but I thought children would be different. Tried to register my baby and it's a 4 year waiting list. I guess NHS dentistry just isn't really a thing anymore, I was surprised as assumed it was like an NHS GP practice.

@AmelieTaylor

Ah yes, let’s focus on my selfish pregnant entitlement to free dental care (which I am supposedly entitled to) and totally ignore that children are being turned away from access to free care! My post was about my family but also significantly about the overall situation.

I have an NHS dentist but even a check up isn't free. Bit confused now. Thought free at the point of delivery dentistry was only applicable in certain circs. It's more like a subsidised service?