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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Last time you had an appointment with a dentist?

135 replies

fingersdoublecrossed · 27/02/2022 21:22

Just wondering really.
For us, it was before Covid. Not too bothered for the adults in the family, but I'm worried for my child. Her last routine appointment was June 2019, when she was told she would most likely need braces in the future.
Should I be pushing for an appointment or are we still in 'place' where it's just emergencies that get seen?

OP posts:
grannyjacob · 27/02/2022 22:18

Scotland here, had an extraction on Wednesday just past, filled tooth had cracked and a bit had broken off. My check up appointment isn’t until the end of April, as they’re trying to work through a huge backlog. But dental nurse did say to phone if I had any problems before that, and they’d fit me in somewhere.

Kite22 · 27/02/2022 22:18

I last went in January, but that was my 2nd 'normal check up' after they started back after COVID - my 3rd appt in all.

Notreallyhappy · 27/02/2022 22:18

Last week...seen mine every 6 months during covid too.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 27/02/2022 22:18

I had a dental check up and hygienist appointment in December and I have another booked for June.

RuthW · 27/02/2022 22:18

Last Thursday. I've had three appointments since they opened up again after lockdown.

thatsnotabadger · 27/02/2022 22:24

April 2019. DDs and I have been on the waiting list for a check up (DD2 has never seen a dentist as she didn't have teeth pre covid) since August 2020. I gave up on August 2021 and moved practice. We are being seen at the beginning of May. I don't know what the fuck dentists are doing. Family members have had plenty of private appointments funnily enough.

notacooldad · 27/02/2022 22:31

Thursday, I got called in for my check up. I had a clean and polish while I was there.
Before that was January when I had an emergency appointment.

BobbinHood · 27/02/2022 22:33

I haven’t been for years but DH has been for treatment recently and DD is back on 6 monthly routine check ups.

kgirl83 · 27/02/2022 22:38

We have had normal checkups and hygienist appointments since August 2020

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 27/02/2022 22:43

we all had routine checkups in late 2020, 21, and last week. I had some NHS treatment in 2020 lockdown proper. they've been fab throughout.

louderthan · 27/02/2022 23:01

2002 😂

PortalooSunset · 27/02/2022 23:06

A month ago, me and ds2. Dh a week later (we're with the same practice but different dentists, and dh's had covid when original appointment was scheduled).

DockOTheBay · 27/02/2022 23:07

I've had normal check ups throughout - October 2020 and July 2021. Brought my kids along and had them checked too.

My husband had a checkup this Autumn followed by 3 appointments for fillings etc.

There's absolutely no reason why a dentist should only be seeing emergencies now.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 27/02/2022 23:22

I went in July 2020 to get impressions for a new night guard, then back to regular checkups ever since. NHS, Scotland.

PurpleFlower1983 · 27/02/2022 23:26

We’re back in April for our 6 monthly check up, been regularly since February 2021.

PurpleFlower1983 · 27/02/2022 23:28

Actually I just checked and it was since July 2020. You really should have seen them before now!

BitOutOfPractice · 27/02/2022 23:29

My dentist has been back to normal since august 2020.

mumda · 27/02/2022 23:30

Odd isn't it that the dental system works to give people with good teeth a regular check up, but GPs struggle to see sick people.

APurpleSquirrel · 27/02/2022 23:35

We finally managed to get appointments at our dentist in Feb 2021 after being robbed off loads (they reopened to non-emergency appointments in Sept 2020). I had to have some work done & then out of the blue the surgery announced it was dropping all of its NHS patients & you'd either have to go private or pay for a plan.
We were very lucky & found another NHS dentist willing to take us on as a family (4) but it's a 40min car journey away. We had our first appointment with them in Aug 2021 & had our 6 monthly check up this week.

RB68 · 27/02/2022 23:36

we had brace appts sfter abt a yr after first lock down. Normal dentist we are back to normal - ble to get emergency appts and book for work like broken teth etc. I would chace them especially for a child

silverspiral · 27/02/2022 23:39

October 2019. They’ve just started doing check ups but the waiting time for an appointment is 12 months - we’re booked in for next January. I’m worried for the DC, who used to go every 6 months prior to covid.

silverspiral · 27/02/2022 23:41

Also in Wales and ours has been seeing emergencies only up until now too, which explains the long wait for check ups.

Pyewhacket · 27/02/2022 23:42

Not since Covid outbreak but I need to book a check-up. No NHS dentist near me so it’s starting to get expensive.

YerAWizardHarry · 27/02/2022 23:44

My son and i both have checkups November 2021, not expecting to be seen again in April though I’d imagine it’ll be a longer wait

Linnet · 27/02/2022 23:47

We’re in Scotland, Our dentist reopened in July 2020 and we went along in the August for our routine check up and have been going regularly since then.

I’ve had a filling, a tooth fixed, my teeth cleaned twice and another filling and we’re due back in April for our next check up. Our dentist has since left but I’m hoping that they’ve got a replacement and that whoever they are they don’t want to do as much work as the last one did. I’ve never had as much treatment in such a short space of time in my life.

My brother and his son on the other hand can’t get into their dentist, which is along the street from mine. My brother has been seen as he had an infection and then needed treatment but his son hasn’t been seen as they aren’t doing routine appointments. My colleague at work hasn’t been to her dentist since before the start of the pandemic.

It’s all really strange and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it.

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