To ask for your recent experiences with NHS dentists

[Butterflyfluff]

Moved areas about 5 years ago. My old NHS dentist was fabulous.

New area and it feels like extortion.

This dentist practice do NHS and private and it’s clear NHS get inferior treatment.

Everything is upsell and pressure

• That crown isn’t free on the NHS - it’ll be £600 if you don’t want it made out of tin foil
• We need a specialist for that extraction which will be another £600
• You can only have 1 X-ray every 2 years on the NHS so we can’t actually tell if you teeth are deteriorating
• You need more frequent hygiene appointments - at £70 for 30 minutes and they only actually do about 15 minutes work as they run late and finish early

Is it any better if you bite the bullet and go private?

Some dentists are like this and some aren't. My old NHS dentist was like this; snooty receptionists looking down their nose at you, NHS clearly second class citizens, upselling everything, made to sit in the waiting room for the anaesthetic to start working (actually so they could cram in as many as possible), horrible.

Our new NHS dentist (been there about 4 years) is completely different, much more modern surroundings and everyone is actually friendly and understanding and lovely. They've never tried to upsell me anything and this last time she even offered to clean a little bit of staining I had on a couple of my front teeth as part of the check up completely free! You could have knocked me down with a feather. She also takes her mask off and walks round to face you to talk to you first like a human being while the old one I never actually saw the bottom half of his face in 10 years, a completely different experience. I'm so glad we have this one, we managed to get them a few years ago by just ringing all the dentists we could feasibly travel to and actually this wasn't the only one that got back to us with spaces.

Joining the central list is a waste of time, most keep their own lists (there seems to be disagreement about whether this is "allowed" or not but it definitely happens all the same). It is worth putting the hours in ringing as when you get one the relief is immense, my OH woke up with a swollen face and terrible toothache just after we'd got this new dentist and he could get in straight away for antibiotics and then a filling in a few days.

I have been with the same practice for over 40 years
The changes in the last 10 years are clear to see.....
No scale and polish or cleaning at all, upselling and pushing of cosmetics
Last check up a few weeks ago I was in and out with my bum hardly touching the chair
All forms now have to be completed on line before the appointment with intimidating text reminders sent in quick sucession.
So sad to see

I still have an NHS dentist and go 6 monthly. It's mostly a private practice nowadays but they have a steady trickle of newly qualified dentists who come and do a 3-4year stint covering the NHS patients and then move on, so I've had 4-5 different people in the 14 years I've been registered. They're all very nice, as are the support staff. IMVHO the treatment with one dentist wasn;t the smoothest, but who knows?

I have an x-ray at every check up (my teeth are shocking though, so there's lots to look at IYSWIM. They are quick to arrange appointments if you are in pain. A few years back I had a crown replaced on the NHS at a cost of £300 or so, but when this failed my only remaining option was an implant (£2k private) or a hole.

I hadn't been to a dentist for 10 years. I thought it was about time to get a check up. Called the first dentist nearby and they signed me up as a NHS patient. An appointment 2 weeks later, which was during the first lockdown. Got check up, hygiene health clean and a removal of a wisdom tooth.

I guess my experience is pretty unique compared to others really.

I had a relatively minor dental problem. NHS surgery offered an appointment in 6 weeks, I asked if I could go private would it be sooner, no was the brief answer.

Mine's okay. No upselling at all and get a basic clean and polish. Had mouth issue, she saw me straightaway, booked to see a specialist at the hospital and I've now had the surgery I needed. All no charge. I booked a hygienist appointment for the first time ever recently, she could see me that week due to a cancellation and it was only £35.

I've been at the same dentist all my life and it has changed from NHS to private, and back again in that time. Due to capacity, I'm currently a private patient. I generally get on well with my dentist and they recently took on DCs as NHS patients which was a huge relief given the lack of prevision at the moment. Just happy we all have a dentist tbh. Many cant get access.

I have been using the same practice for over 20 years as an NHS patient, but with different dentists. The latest ones see me every 6 months, give a basic check up, but don't do any scaling. They have never had a hygienist, so nor have I. There are very few NHS dentists in our area so we have to be satisfied with what we have.

I had a check up yesterday, consisted of her counting my teeth (I have issues with some that I was told last check up need closely monitoring).

She then placed a temp filling in a tooth that on last occasion I was told couldn't be filled.

That pushed the price up to £65 from the check up price and the stuff added is no different to the dentek temporary filling.

I then had to book a clean, but they only do those privately.

So what should have been £23ish came to £110.

I fear that will be the last time I am able to use my nhs dentist before they privatise my treatment.

I had toothache last weekend. Rang at 9 am Monday morning. Offered an appointment at 11.30 am that day. Turned out was an infected wisdom tooth which as was straight she took out there and then. Cost £23.80. No complaints from me.

I've been going to the same NHS dentist for 20+ years. He took on the dc when they were born. I've had extraction, fillings, crowns and bridges within the published NHS price bands. Had a Maryland bridge last year - £250 ish?

NHS dentistry (where it exists) doesn't cover everything. Nothing really cosmetic (although I got a white crown when I was pregnant) and no hygienist work.

I saw my NHS dentist 3 weeks ago. X-rays, checkup, cleaning all under the band 1 NHS price. She is lovely and quoted me for a band 3 treatment but did reccomend a private treatment not available on the NHS that would be more beneficial and appropriate.

Same day appointments for emergencies, NHS and private, are available based on an assessment over the phone. NHS checkups have to be booked at least 5 weeks ahead as there are no spots. Private 2 weeks.

I will be seeing her next week with my three girls.

Mine is brilliant. I went for my 6 month check up yesterday. I see the hygienist separately.

Tbf the nhs doesn’t cover any treatment of white crowns anymore- you need to get a metal one in order to have the treatment at nhs rates. It’s still a perfectly sturdy crown tho- just doesn’t look good

My NHS dentist is great. No upselling at all. I haven't needed much done, got my first ever filling last week at the age of 54 and have had all my wisdom teeth taken out but that's it. They were also happy to refer DD2 to NHS orthodontics when she needed it.

We've been NHS patients with our local dental practice for over eight years now. Our main issue is that the staff only seem to stay for a year or two before moving off into full-time private practice. Both DH and I are nervous patients and would prefer the consistency of seeing the same dentist for more than two or three visits, so that we get to know them and they get to know us. But they have never tried to upsell a treatment, or suggested additional hygienist visits.

I haven't been able to go to the dentist for nearly 2 years. I had an appointment, but had to cancel it when I got Covid. I rebooked it, the surgery cancelled that one, and the next one, and the next one. They had to cancel as they hardly have any dentists working there and many thousands of patients. I have another appt booked for January so fingers crossed I actually get seen this time!
This surgery also does private work but I can never afford it so I don't know how soon that gets you in to be seen.

Commiserations to you, @JengaNonConfirming I came on to say that yesterday I had to book an emergency appointment with my dentist about a very sensitive tooth as I worried I had an absess and she did an XRay and tests to determine I don't have an infection but will need root canal quite soon. She recommended I get the RC done privately for speed and she would do the crown which I think will be c£100. We are BUPA and admittedly the Welsh system is much more affordable. Bricking it re RC treatment and I might try to get some valium to knock me out aghhhh.

OP no upselling involved just very informative and giving advice based on vfm and speed. Wales is much better IMHO re health care and dentistry. My dentist deserves a sainthood dealing with a pita like me

Good luck with your rc @daisychain01 Mine was very inflamed, so had to be packed twice with antibiotics. I was very nervous but my dentist was so kind and patient with me, I hope yours is too 🤞

There is not enough money in nhs dentistry unfortunately. Dentists make very little to anything from nhs patients.

my dentist was nhs then went fully private booting everyone off nhs giving them the option to stay private or leave...

I decided to stay, much to my frustration but I knew I wouldn't get another nhs dentist.

the service offered by private dentistry is better but I wouldn't say it's amazing at my surgery. They seem to find issues and things I need doing to make extra £££ extra from my usual check ups, stuff that was never mentioned just a year or two ago when on nhs. Nhs check ups were always rushed!

I am on a payment plan to cover check ups, x rays and one hygienist app a year. I couldn't afford private treatment, so I'm hoping I won't need anything else done.

Of course it is. A dental surgery would not be economically viable if they just relied on nhs patients. The ones that do take nhs need to treat them as quickly as possible.

Good treatment for me and my family (so far). And I've needed a fair amount doing.

Thank you @JengaNonConfirming thats lovely of you, I've been really quite stressed about it due to the pain, not knowing what was going on, and also the prospect of the treatment. I'm very pleased for you that you had a good experience with a kind and compassionate dentist. Mine is worthy of a damehood, not least of all suggesting that she can help with the crown, to be more affordable and she said she was confident to do it in our local surgery, and recommend a private dentist to do RC in 2 weeks, so I know the end is in sight.

I've been to Boots today and discovered the joy of clove oil. It's a natural anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory and as far as I could find out, no aftereffects or contraindications. £2.90 of liquid gold 😊 rubbed it around the gum and tooth and almost instant relief.

We have an NHS dentist who also does private patients. In fact we were private patients at one point and asked to go NHS (which happened after 12 months on a waiting list). We've all had 3 check ups since the total Covid lockdown. Our dentist is lovely and when offering treatment such as fillings will be honest about the NHS and private options (grey versus white) but with no pressure either way. So I don't feel she's trying to rip me off just because she can get more doing private work.

I had a wonderful dentist from Portugal called Nuno. He was amazing. He left the practice and now the dentist that took over is horrible and rude. I would move cities for having a dentist like Nuno again!