To think maybe they need to make NHS dentist places means tested?

[dameofdilemma]

Reading about the shortage of NHS places and having seen it in real life….is the Govt going to do anything at all about it?

I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford treatment as a private patient but what about those who can’t? Dp is registered as an NHS patient and is even thinking of giving up his place and registering privately (if he knew if would go to someone who needed it).

I’ve had two dentist appointments recently, both times while waiting, a string of people were coming in to ask about NHS places. The local FB pages are full of desperate posts as no one can find an NHS place. They’re facing long, long waits for treatment at hospitals.
Having had agonising tooth pain recently, its debilitating, it effected my ability to sleep, eat and work properly. This isn’t a ‘nice to have’ treatment, its essential.

So maybe the NHS places should be reserved for those on the lowest (or no) incomes? It can’t make any practical sense to offer places to higher earners, if places are so scarce, if all that happens is people are then having to rely on (already overloaded) hospitals or being unable to work etc.

I know we don’t want as two tier system or a shift to private healthcare etc but reading some of the stories of people unable to eat and passing out from dehydration, the status quo clearly isn’t working either.

I think it could be costly to administer and as always the people just over the threshold suffer. But one way of doing it could make the threshold receiving free prescriptions or being under 21 (so that students/apprentices etc are covered).

To be honest though, I don't think NHS treatment is that cheap either!

Surely a better answer is to properly fund NHS places? I appreciate this has to be paid for via taxes, but it should be.

It means tested, the more you earn the more NI you pay.

So unreasonable. It would be the middle earners that suffer, as usual. Why not go the whole hog and make the NHS means tested.

You could means test it all you liked round here and there’d still not be any places - all three dentists in this town have stopped doing NHS work except for children.

It would be a very slippery slope, what next, optician, GP?

We either fund a decent health service and welfare state or we don't.

No, I totally disagree

We can’t afford a private dentist

i haven’t seen a dentist in over 15 years

I have two children who are 9 and 7 who have never seen a dentist either because there is no space for them anywhere

Could start with children first. I can't get an NHS dentist closer than 1.5 hour away for my children. I've had it confirmed that SS would be on at me if they didn't see a dentist and got bad teeth. So I drive them and hour and half away to see the dentist twice a year. I really hope we can get somewhere closer before they need braces or anything doing.

No, absolutely not.

I’ve got teeth like chalk despite looking after them. I’m sick of paying the very high dental fees we already have. They wipe me out as l have to have so much treatment.

l would prefer a properly funded NHS and free dentist fees. Fees were introduced as Britain was involved in the Korean War and needed to fund it. However, they weren’t as high as the fees now relatively.

nope. Not while the NHS contribution is funded by universal payment. And i say this as someone who pays privately for their dentistry.

Surely the optician is already means tested? I’ve paid for my glasses all my life, and the NHS voucher for complex prescriptions is so small as to make very little difference.

Difficult to administer and serious erosion of free (or for dentistry, standard charge) for ALL at point of use.

I'm dead against it.

I'd rather see expansion of NHS dentistry.

Optician is not means tested.

Like dentistry, it has standard charges which are not means tested.

Definitely not. As pp mentioned it'd be the middle earners who are just over the threshold that suffer.
And to be honest, if I was told that I earnt too high to have access to an NHS dentist then I would wonder why I pay so much tax.
I'm a low earner but even I can see the pitfalls of this.
The nhs needs to be properly funded imo otherwise where do you draw the line?

Nope, it needs to be funded properly (from training throughso that EVERYONE who wants one can access an NHS dentist.
Messing about round the edges doesn't change the fundamental problem.

Seeings as a ‘high earning household’ is considered £60k in the eyes of student finance, where the kids of these households get minimum loans and parents need to make up the shortfall- absolutely not.

The middle earners would end up being completely shafted, again. Then what would happen? A means tested NHS?

all of my rich friends use private dentists because it is more accessible and they can afford it. £150k households taking an nhs dentistry place is not why it’s hard to get an appointment.

I pay a lot for glasses anyway so not on NHS

So you want people who pay higher rates of NI and income tax not to be able to use the services they're contributing a higher proportion for???

Although to be fair most people who can, do pay for private healthcare and dentistry so paying double whammy already!!

Dentistry should be available for everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

It's not so bad if all you need is a couple of fillings occasionally, but once you start needing crowns etc, it can cost thousands. It's no wonder people just don't go.

The NHS should fund dentistry but it's going the same way as doctors' services, slowly being privatised.

I would hate the UK to finish up with a system like America's.

Our private dentist used to be nhs but then we all got a letter to say they were now private, that was it! Too late now but there should have been strict legislation in place so dentists couldn't do this. All private dentists should have had to maintain nhs places.

I don't think nhs dentists should be means tested but this situation we have is ridiculous and needs immediate attention. Why don't they appoint a 'tzar' like they do with other problems.

I have never had an nhs dentist. My children have, but we have always paid for our own dental treatment. The only time I had anything in nhs for myself was a dental check up on maternity leave but had not been told the hygienist was not part of this and very much had difficulty paying that bill.

i very much think it being free for children is important. All children. Then there really is no excuse not to have dental care for children. Get them set up at an early age to have good oral hygiene.

thereafter, a co pay may be useful, similar to prescriptions. But for everyone. This to help stop wasted appointments perhaps also an incentive to care for our teeth too. Invest a little ourselves in our own care.

It has standard charges for an eye test, but unless you are on means-tested benefits the cost of glasses is market rate. The NHS voucher for complex lenses is £14.90. If you have complex lenses you will know that they are not available online, so you have to pay high street prices.

It is means tested, as some people can apply for free dental treatment.

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-dental-costs/free-nhs-dental-treatment