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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No not understand how our NHS dentist can say our whole family of 5 are now not NHS and must pay private monthly fees to stay

207 replies

P3ff3r · 10/02/2022 21:34

Said monthly plan doesn’t even cost of treatment.

We were NHS, how can we not now be and who can afford private x5 at the drop of a hat like that?

OP posts:
SilverontheTree · 11/02/2022 06:51

NHS dentistry is in a big mess now. It all stems back to the 2006 contract brought in by Blair but the Covid rules have made it 10 times worse.
I know many dentists who are planning a private conversion from April too. Older ones are retiring, it isn’t worth the hassle. Younger ones don’t want NHS jobs.
I don’t have an answer except to say that I work privately and wouldn’t do NHS now. It isn’t an ethical way to work imo.
Accept that dentistry is going to be like optical from now on. Most people will have to pay privately. If you go regularly, look after your dental health and join an insurance it shouldn’t be too financially onerous.

onthinice · 11/02/2022 06:53

Because I'm on tax credits due to low income, I'm actually entitled to free dentistry. However there are NO NHS dentists taking on patients in my area. The one I was with closed for 2 years during covid so I had to find alternative provision. I now pay around £40 every 6 months for my check up. I keep my fingers crossed every time that I won't need treatment! Luckily my private dentist sees my kids for free.

Camdenish · 11/02/2022 07:01

My dentist went private years ago, I decided to stay with them as they’ve been brilliant. When I was pregnant and had free dental treatment I took a break from them and went to NHS dentists. I went to a few and I was really shocked at the poor quality of dentistry and the unethical tricks! I was told I needed 30 fillings and also told I had to pay! Pay for what? Well they didn’t tell me that the hygienist aspect was private. I hadn’t actually got the money to pay which was awkward.

I’ve since gone back to my private dentist in an insurance plan and I’ve had no fillings and they see my children for free, but I’d pay for treatment.

longwayoff · 11/02/2022 07:10

My dentist's practice has been bought by BUPA. They are still seeing their NHS patients but I suspect this won't last. I'm entitled to NHS treatment but should I get some insurance in preparation? I really don't want to be left without a dentist and this one is handy, ten minutes walk away. Dental practice and pricing has always been a mystery to most of us, it's like a secret society with details known only to members.

Ridingthegravytrain · 11/02/2022 07:11

I had a chat with my dentist a few times during covid. They are under immense pressure from the government to hit targets in order to receive funding for nhs patients and covid restrictions were not taken into account. The other dentist in his practise left to go private and he isn’t now struggling to cover the overheads alone. Another huge issue is appointment no shows. They now have to take deposits for hygienist as it was getting ridiculous. I won’t blame him if he goes private it’s a joke

lborgia · 11/02/2022 07:16

@SilverontheTree - “shouldn’t be too financially onerous” Hmm

You do know there are quite a lot of people who don’t have any money… and still have teeth? It’s financially onerous if you can’t afford your weekly food, or heating, or electricity. Where are the insurance premiums supposed to magically be paid from? The pot at the end of the rainbow?

I can understand, if you spend 200 a week at Waitrose, you could find ways to cut down/pay for dental insurance, but if you’re already trying to feed 4 people on 45 a week at Aldi, which is the reality for many people, then it’s just not possible.

It’s difficult to understand if you have been comfortable for a long time/your whole life.

AwkwardSquad · 11/02/2022 07:17

@longwayoff

My dentist's practice has been bought by BUPA. They are still seeing their NHS patients but I suspect this won't last. I'm entitled to NHS treatment but should I get some insurance in preparation? I really don't want to be left without a dentist and this one is handy, ten minutes walk away. Dental practice and pricing has always been a mystery to most of us, it's like a secret society with details known only to members.
I’m with a BUPA practice as an NHS patient. My experience so far has been very positive - had one dentist that I didn’t rate when my usual dentist was away, but just made sure I didn’t go to him again. I’ve been with them now for quite a few years.
Canaloha · 11/02/2022 07:17

In our area, children of registers private adult patients are tested in NHS while in full time education. Thereafter, they’re private

Yeah same, I have to have x appointments over a year for my 5 year old to be seen Hmm. For me I can afford it, for others they can't and it's the children who are missing out, I think it's outrageous that there are strings attached to enable a child to be seen. There isn't an option to pay just for the child either.

lumpofcomfort · 11/02/2022 07:19

I was reading the other day (in the Daily Mail but probably still true!) that there are fears that 50% of existing NHS dentists will turn private this year as there is such a shortfall in NHS funding they can't afford to stay open otherwise. There are going to be many places where it is simply impossible to find an NHS dentist.

MrsMigginsCat · 11/02/2022 07:21

@P3ff3r sounds very like the NHS dentist I am, or rather was, seeing. Fancied it all up, kicked a few patients off the NHS list and then had a final full at the end of last year and got rid of all their NHS list. We are now faced with paying at least £10 a month each as NHS dentists where I am are non-existent. Our MP makes all the right noises, but he's a useless Tory, so ultimately nothing will change.

olympicsrock · 11/02/2022 07:23

You’ve had free orthodontist treatment!!! That costs a bomb. This is why the nhs is broken. It can’t afford to do this for free….

Original poster
P3ff3r · 11/02/2022 07:25

Orthodontics can have a medical need.
Should non rich kids not have orthodontics? What else should they not have under the NHS?

OP posts:
Imyourvenus · 11/02/2022 07:28

That is so shit

Skyeheather · 11/02/2022 07:30

At my dentist, if you don't attend for a year (so missing two 6 months check ups) you get removed from the NHS list and your place is given to someone on the waiting list.

It might be because you waited to be called up because of Covid that you were removed from the list - when my Dentist reopened after lockdown they didn't call anyone to make an appointment, patients had to call the Dentist themselves to book in, they just put up on their Facebook page that people had to call themselves because they didn't have to staff to do the calling.

Original poster
P3ff3r · 11/02/2022 07:32

Nope it said all kids at the practise,that dentistry is changing , new facilities are better etc.

How is it we’re going to be paying more tax and now get no nhs dentistry.

OP posts:
Howshouldibehave · 11/02/2022 07:36

It’s not that you are ‘no longer NHS’ but there is a lack of NHS dentists.

Spiderysummer · 11/02/2022 07:36

My NHS dentist changed us to private despite seeing them every 6 months. I reluctantly accepted this until I noticed on social media that they were accepting nhs patients. I phoned them up and was told that they can only accept limited numbers and they would put me on a waiting list! I never got to the top of that list so I left. Felt like it was a ruse to get new patients and then transfer them off the NHS list.

Oblomov22 · 11/02/2022 07:37

I never knew the points Lizzy mentioned.

notthemum · 11/02/2022 07:37

[quote lborgia]@SilverontheTree - “shouldn’t be too financially onerous” Hmm

You do know there are quite a lot of people who don’t have any money… and still have teeth? It’s financially onerous if you can’t afford your weekly food, or heating, or electricity. Where are the insurance premiums supposed to magically be paid from? The pot at the end of the rainbow?

I can understand, if you spend 200 a week at Waitrose, you could find ways to cut down/pay for dental insurance, but if you’re already trying to feed 4 people on 45 a week at Aldi, which is the reality for many people, then it’s just not possible.

It’s difficult to understand if you have been comfortable for a long time/your whole life.[/quote]
This.

CandyLeBonBon · 11/02/2022 07:37

@P3ff3r

Yes kept up with all appointments. Children under orthodontist too. Kept every single appointment although not been called up for a while due to Covid.

Simply had a letter saying even if my children want to just stay on list we have to pay £10 a month plan to just sit on it and it will only give 20% discount for treatment. We’d need private insurance if that was the case.

How is this legal?Who can afford private without warning for a family of 5? So my kids now don’t get dentist treatment. We have never missed an appointment or call up, ever. Have been NHS with them for 20 years. Said letter also said the surgery had recently been modernised and was a nicer place to be in.🤔

I'm in the same position op. Exactly the same. Regular visits plus hygienist etc. they are stopping nhs dentistry and expecting us all to pay for private plans.

I'm a single parent, adult son (20) is in pip and has limited capability for work - will cost me £27, plus my other two kids at £9 each, plus me at £27. Out of the blue.

Not sure how we're supposed to do that on top of all the other fuel rides/additional NI/rising food costs etc.

It feels really unfair.

Blueberry40 · 11/02/2022 07:43

Out dentist has just done exactly that. Now having to find an extra £60 a month just to cover basic checks and dental care for myself and my son as there are literally no other dentists in the area accepting NHS patients Angry

lumpofcomfort · 11/02/2022 07:46

Everyone needs to contact their MPs about the issue. There are already several campaign groups running.

Mollysocks · 11/02/2022 07:50

Several years ago I needed a wisdom tooth out. I went to my usual nhs dentist where I’d had yearly check ups and was told, after the consultation that I needed to pay £50 and then if I wanted it out a further £80. Obviously I couldn’t not go through with it at that point. I was in pain.

I was so confused to why I was suddenly no longer nhs. The whole industry is such a con. I mean needing regular check ups for teeth? We don’t do that regularly for any other part of the body, we don’t all have our heart checked, or anything else that actually keeps us alive, every year ugh, I’m just ranting now.
It’s such a con to sell you needless treatments like polishing and waxing and other rubbish.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 11/02/2022 07:51

@Stevenage689

It's absolutely outrageous if they're sticking to removing people from nhs lists after a year. I've not been because there's been a pandemic. Decided that it wasn't worth the risk to the dentist and assumed theyd be backlogged. I did the same with non-urgent things with my doctor - they're not going to remove me, thankfully.
I agree with this, especially as they were closed for so long too.

But in this case it just sounds like they've given up doing NHS work and there's much the OP can do about that.

OP there are private dentists who will do children on the NHS if the parents are private - it might be worth investigating other local dentists to find one.

muddyford · 11/02/2022 07:51

This is a nationwide problem. The same happened to us.