To ask how on earth anyone gets access to an NHS dentist anymore

[Burnt0utMum]

I need an NHS dentist for me, DH and 2 kids. We can't afford private even through my work benefits. I've been searching and calling and literally cannot find a single dentist accepting NHS patients within a 50 mile radius. I'm willing to travel if necessary but would prefer not to. It's just ridiculous that there's nowhere offering the service. I know I have mild gum disease but I'm priced our of getting it treated. How does anyone get dental treatment without high costs these days?

Another one dumped over covid because I hadn't visited. They were CLOSED!

Luckily they kept the kids on but I am now without a visit since then. Simply cannot afford the private ones near me.

Hmm weird this seems the be the consensus. I'm in London and I've moved dentists 3 times in the last three years and easily got an NHS dentist each time.. and I've a choice of options too. Are no private practices taking on nhs patients either?

I’m lucky enough to be with one. It’s in a big city in a nice but densely populated area. They are one and half dentists short. Despite being in a nice area in a big city they can’t find anyone.

DS put his name down at the start of Covid and has just been offered a place.

I complained to my MP who’s lovely. Dd was referred for a brace age 11. Finally got seen at 15 1/2. So only a 4 1/2 year wait.

My Mp agreed it was crap, brought it up in HoC. Made no difference to anything.

None around here but I joined a private dentist and they see DD for free. It's about £50 for a check up which is fine, but I dread the day i need any treatment

I'm near Manchester if that makes any difference. Can easily access Liverpool and any other surrounding areas. I wouldn't mind just paying for a check up but I know I'll need follow up treatment and that's the part I can't afford.

It’s a pain in the ass. I haven’t found one yet.

I had one before covid but he died during covid and his wife was the practice manager and shut up shop (understandable).

Iv only found private since.

Me and our two children are under an NHS dentist - my son is only 8 months old but last time I went I asked what I'd do about him as I knew they weren't taking on new NHS patients. The receptionist has worked there for years and I've been a patient there since I was a child so she sneakily added him onto the system but basically told me to keep quiet! He doesn't even have teeth yet has an appointment for next month - I dare not cancel it though.
DH on the other hand can't get in at any NHS dentist so is having to go private.

Map showing how bad it is :-(

Our NHS dentist closed completely. All their patients left with nowhere to go as even local (if you count within 25 miles as local) private dentists won't take on new patients.

MP has raised dentistry drought in parliament but got nowhere.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62253893.amp

Forgot to add the map!

I’m lucky that I enrolled both DD and myself with a local NHS practice when she was a baby, so we’ve been with them around 8 years.

On Monday, I got a text from them saying that DD has an appointment for a check-up next week. I thought it was odd, because I didn’t think she’d been that long ago. I gave them a call and the receptionist said that the dentist has put all children on 3-month intervals for check-ups! I was absolutely gobsmacked, because I’m also in Manchester and I know it’s impossible to find an NHS dentist around here. Why would they do this when there’s such a shortage of dentists and they really don’t need to go more often than every 6 months? (And it was definitely ALL children, not just DD, I made sure of this.)

Frankly, the whole situation is shite and nonsense like this is hardly going to help

I gave up trying to find an NHS Dentist and went private a few years ago. Always liked my dentist, bit eccentric, but who cares. However, all my family have found since Covid, he is short tempered with his patients and costs have sky rocketed. For example a check up is £55 but you always end up paying around £140. If you mention any discomfort, he takes numerous x-rays(5 last time) at a cost of £12.50 each. I am mentally adding it up and cringing. Then he will make a minor adjustment for say, £25.

I dont get it as previously a filling would be around £75-£120 or so. But we are now all dreading going. I paid over £450 for my two grandson's check ups and three fillings. Then my dentist asked why I had not been six monthly and I told him that my budget had been blown on my grandchildrens' treatments. He just doesnt seem to get how people struggle.

Most people I know now use their private dentist for emergency only I am afraid.

The same happened to us, taken off the list because we hadn't been, because they cancelled our march 2020 appt and 2 years from the previous appt ran out before they were seeing routine patients.

Both me and DD now don't have a dentist. There are none anywhere within 50 miles of us taking on NHS patients.

I've redone my own filling a few months ago when one of mine fell out and 5yo DD has never had a dentist look at her teeth because the one time we went before covid she wouldn't open her mouth.

I've recently found out she should have been having fluoride put on her teeth and I've no idea what to do. We can't afford private - it's just not possible for us.

I travel 54 miles (each way) for me and DD to see our NHS dentist. I've got friends who are travelling 20 miles to the only private one they could find that was registering new patients. It's a mess.

I think it must just be luck and where you live. I just registered with the NHS dentist nearest to me.

@GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut how on earth did you do your own filling?

I cracked a tooth today, and on phoning my (NHS) dentist I found out I'd been kicked off their list! It took a lot of phoning round to find any dentist that would take new patients at all. I eventually found one that's part of the private 'My Dentist' chain/scheme. There are lots of them in my area, it turns out. It's £39 for a standard check-up. Yo my astonishment they said you can come tomorrow morning! When I said I was surprised they do appointments in Saturdays, the receptionist said 'We do for private patients!'

I got dh and ds in to an nhs dentist recently. I know someone who works there who tipped me off they were accepting a handful of nhs patients. I was on the phone faster than a rat up a drainpipe, in fact the receptionist hadn’t been told and had to go ask! Very lucky!

My son and I also got kicked off the patients list for no reason at all, it was actually quite upsetting. Took me ages to find a new one. I only go for checkups though and try to delay any dental work needed for when I travel to my home country as private dentists there are significantly less expensive but still excellent.

I have an nhs dentist and no private plan. There are quite a few nhs dentists here that advertise as taking on new customers.

I am a rare beast with nhs dentist. They do open their books every so often. My dentist chain may be worth a try we have seen them I other towns too.they do private and nhs work as well

one surgery i tried said to call back in a few months.

We had an nhs dentist until quite recently - my girls both had teeth out ready for braces during lockdown.

I rang to make check up appointments in January to be told emergency only and call again in July. Which I did. Only to then be told it was now private only. Our dentist had left and we were no longer on their books and that was why we had not been informed.

Went to another dentist in town who I know are nhs and asked about places there and the receptionist practically laughed in my face and she had been receiving hundreds of calls each week asking the same.

that is appalling @mizu
so they have teeth out for nothign!
cant they go to an orthodontist?
or children's dentist?

I don't think you can. Been on the wait list 5 year or so now.

The girls have had their braces through an orthodontist- phew. That is separate and through the hospital. And their appointment there are literally 5 mins to tighten etc.

But they still need regular check ups. None of us have seen a dentist since before lockdown.

We asked about prices and I thought ok, the girls can have a check up cheaper as they are u def 18 but no! DD1 is 17 abc has to pay adult prices. So if me and her go for a check up, that is £80!!!! Who can afford that?