Getting an NHS dentist

[HeraInTheHereAndNow]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me where all the NHS dentists have gone? Have moved area for work and need to register.

I’m baffled that there are literally no practices within a 20 mile radius unless it’s an emergency. Are we going to go back to grotty teeth by the time we’re 30 because we don’t get regular checks and hygienist treatments?

I phoned around and they’re ALL either Denplan or MyDentist or “payment terms available”. I think you need to be desperate now, ie. decay and tooth/gum damage, teeth dropping out to get basic dental care.

I just don’t understand. Don’t we, as a nation, train dentists anymore?

NHS does dentists. Not surprising that younger people/people who haven't really needed treatment don't prioritize private/payment plans.

Family of 4 here. Only ever needed check ups. So what, £50 approx a year for us all on NHS rates? How does paying £12 EACH per month balance that out.

Sadly our dentist closed completely. The one we then managed to get is now cutting hours to Mon, Weds Fri 10am - 2pm. Nearest NHS dentist is 1 1/2 hours away. Nearest dentist of any sort with spaces is an hour. MP has raised issue of geographical dentistry deprivation in Parliament and got nowhere. It's shocking.

Lancrelady80 You don’t pay for the children, only adults. Appreciate that’s still more than what you paid with NHS

That’s the case at my dental practise at least, so worth checking.

@AlrightTreacle... I see. How odd. In that case, I agree.

If you’re struggling financially, Denplan for the whole family is right out, that’s my point. And so, those people might suffer the consequences of poor health (not just teeth) through no fault of their own.

My son, has never needed any treatment of any description, not even a filling. He’s 21 in a few months. He’s lucky in that he’s inherited good teeth and has a decent diet. No fizzy drinks, just water by choice, all his life. No tea/coffee. Rarely eats sweet stuff. If he needed treatment now for something minor, he either pays or goes without, it seems. This has to be wrong. Needing urgent dental intervention isn’t good because it may mean the rest of the mouth is compromised by poor dental health and people either have to wait until it becomes unbearable or if they can find one see a “private” dentist.

Will write to my MP.

We have been under NHS dentist all our lives and now our dentist has decided to stop NHS and just do private @ £15 adults and £5 per child each month. Tried to get in at another NHS on but they are all 2 year waiting lists. It’s rubbish 😔

I'm lucky enough to still be on nhs but I have seen my mum pay into denplan for years to then still have to shell out thousands when things go wrong. I wouldn't mind £12 a month but that's just for the check ups. I just can't afford big bills.

Oh and I still haven't got my daughter registered as nowhere nearby is taking new patients at all, let alone nhs. I'm worried now.

Zelda, yes, I was meaning the adults only. Wasn't sure about kids, just vaguely assumed there would be some kind of family plan and was going off pp's figures. But as you say, it's still significantly more.

It's insurance at the end of the day, isn't it? And if you've got good teeth and other things to spend £ on, esp if you haven't really thought about and just assume NHS dentistry works the same way as GPs, then it's likely you're going to take your chances and save cash.

The real issue locally is actual dentist provision of any sort though. Two big practices simply shutting up shop meant the remaining dentists are maxed out.

YANBU.

But it's not training. It's the NHS contract, the current model was introduced by Labour actually, that makes NHS work unprofitable or barely profitable for dentists. I believe all the good dentists got driven away from NHS work by this. The NHS is left with dentists who take on NHS patients as a marketing tool and often lie about what the NHS covers to sell private treatments, and dentists that are too crap to make it as private.

So even though I earn about 9 grand a year, I have to save and borrow money to pay for private treatment. And I've needed a lot because bad dentists, both NHS and el-cheapo private, left me with a decade-long dental phobia.

Don't know where you are in country but when I moved I had no trouble finding a new NHS dentist, I could choose which one I wanted. But where I am isn't a particularly affluent area so perhaps there is no point in them going private.

@ufucoffee, it’s a mixed area, like most towns. But, dare I say it, I’ve tried the less affluent area ten miles away... nothing.

@safariboot... I feel your dental fear. I’m a child of the 60’s when dentists were paid for the work they notched up ie. per extraction or filling. I haven’t needed a filling since I was a kid, which tells me everything.

We should all contact our MPs. We’ll be a nation of toothless adults if something isn’t done. It’s like going back to before the poverty of the First World War.

In south London there are loads of NHS dentists available,they all seem to have banners up saying this.
But where my parents live (town in Somerset) there are no NHS dentists at all 🤷‍♀️

@MilkLady02

There is very little government funding for NHS dentistry. A dentist can only work as an NHS dentist if they have a contract with the NHS to do so. There are a limited number of contracts available, therefore a limited number of dentists/practices can offer NHS treatment. It’s not to to with how many dentists there are, but how much government funding is available to provide the service.

This and the fact they don't just rock up and say hello I'd like to work for the NHS please.

I work along some brilliant dentists with years and years experience and even have certificates in certain areas of dentistry but if they want to practice as an NHS dentist they firstly need to wait for a number to come through, which can take months and be mentored by someone who is willing to mentor them.

Truth be told. Dentist struggle and it doesn't help the backlash they receive for low funding which is out of our control.

Also, the way they have to work to UDA's is ridiculous and over works them. They're already stretched enough.

@RachelRavenR0th

A friend still has her entirely private dentist and was seen three times last year as normal and also saw her hygienist. Funny that

That'd be because NHS actually stopped patients being seen by dentists. There are no such rules on private dentistry. Wasn't the dentist who decided those rules .

That'd be because NHS actually stopped patients being seen by dentists. There are no such rules on private dentistry.
Wasn't the dentist who decided those rules grin.
Im pretty sure all dentists are now allowed to see patients.

@RachelRavenR0th

A friend still has her entirely private dentist and was seen three times last year as normal and also saw her hygienist. Funny that

They are out there and they are seeing people. I've had nine NHS dentist appointments in the last two months (bit of a project you might say!) including a hygienist. I don't know about new patients though.

OP can you find one near your work or can you travel back to your current one for six monthly check ups? I don't think you need to live in a particular catchment area.

Our NHS dentist can't see as many patients as they have to disinfect the room. So what was 4 appointments an hour is now 1 an hour.

@RachelRavenR0th

*That'd be because NHS actually stopped patients being seen by dentists. There are no such rules on private dentistry. Wasn't the dentist who decided those rules grin.* Im pretty sure all dentists are now allowed to see patients.

Yes still some restrictions but you said your friend saw a dentist 3 times last year. You weren't talking about now.

I have a dentist. Will register next week. Will have to go with Denplan though as no NHS treatment for adults over 19yrs 😐

At least I have one 😥

Dentists have very high overheads. Equipment is expensive. Professional indemnity insurance is expensive eg £20k pa (as an aside all costs they had to pay during lockdown. I wouldn’t be surprised if quite a few dentists shut down over the next year or two)

The NHS situation has been like this for 20+ years. They can’t make enough money on it.

I also don’t understand why people in the UK won’t spend money on dentistry (well I do it’s because of the historic NHS dentistry). The same people don’t have issues paying money for cosmetic treatments. I even know someone who is on £90k a year who won’t pay for dentistry. if he has an emergency he goes and waits at the NHS dental hospital.

Of course if someone is on very low income or benefits they should be supported.

I haven't had NHS dentistry since I was a child. Around here it's all private. My dentist sees my kids as NHS and we only got them on the list as we are private patients there. I have insurance through work but I can't really see the point of it. If I need treatment it only pays back the NHS banding cost and I still have to pay the rest.

None of us have been able to get a check up / scale & polish since Covid.

@Jarstastic... I’m not talking about people earning a very good wage, spending on botox and cosmetic treatments and then begrudging paying £20 on Denplan. They sound absolutely ridiculous, to me. I’m talking people who genuinely don’t have the cash to factor into their budget for private health care/checkups.

Am I right in thinking most nhs dentists aren't really seeing patients still? We had an appointment due March last year and then cancelled when lock down happened and haven't heard from them since.

They’ve opened up now.

@TheGoogleMum

Am I right in thinking most nhs dentists aren't really seeing patients still? We had an appointment due March last year and then cancelled when lock down happened and haven't heard from them since.

I had root canal treatment in August last year, then saw the hygienist in October. I have check up and hygienist appointments next week - I’m an NHS patient (hygienist is private, I know). Some dental practices have been much better organised than others.