To think the dentist receptionist was rude, or AIBU?

[lalalalalaaaaa]

I've been with my current dentist for just a year, and had a few NHS check-ups and some private treatment. I was supposed to have a check-up around a month ago, but on the morning of the appointment I woke up feeling unwell and did a lateral flow test which was positive (I know we're not supposed to test now but I have a whole box of tests so I thought I'd use one). I emailed straight away (as they were closed), and apologised for the late notice but I had just tested positive for COVID so needed to cancel my appointment. I asked if there were any charges I needed to pay and was told no, it was fine.

I rang up today to rebook my appointment and the receptionist said 'hmmph, there's a note on your file from the dentist that you keep cancelling appointments. Let's try and not cancel this one' in a sarcastic kind of tone. I just said ok as I was kind of taken aback.

I am under another NHS dentist for a wisdom tooth extraction, so I'm not sure if that comes up on my file? I've had to cancel that a few times due to work not allowing me to take time off as I'm in my 3 month notice period. I know it's rude but I can't really help it, and I have given plenty of notice each time.

I know IABU, but I just feel like I've been told off :(

If you’re having your wisdom tooth taken out in the dentist then it’s like a filling etc the recovery time. Only under general anaesthetic then it’s a longer recovery period.

I think it depends on how easy it is to remove, when I had mine they had to cut part of my jaw because of the angle and the drugs they put me on meant I needed to be chaperoned home and then my face was swollen massively and I was in a lot of pain so I needed about a week off.

If you have an impacted lower wisdom tooth then you probably will need a week off. I had this and needed stitches etc. and developed problems afterwards. Apparently the top wisdom teeth are much quicker to heal. I would definitely plan time off work afterwards if you are complicated enough to need this done in a hospital rather than at your dentist. Not all extractions are straightforward. It can be hard to find a "right" time to do it if you have other commitments. If you cancelled your other appointments giving more than 24 hours notice then that should be fine. It is their policy after all. And no a dentist does not want a covid positive patient in their chair and I wouldn't want to go in after you as a vulnerable person. So I think you did the right thing and people on this thread are being unnecessarily harsh because they can't access NHS dentistry.

I had my wisdom teeth out in hospital (under GA, as they were so badly impacted) and was back at work 3 days later - I really don't think you'll need a week off work! Could you try to book the appointment for a Friday, then at least you'll have the weekend to recover?

AFAIK dentists don't offer GA any more, only sedation, so if your teeth needed a very complicated removal presumably you would need a GA and that would be in hospital? You may want to check this with your dentist, perhaps if they explain it more to you then some of your worries would be resolved.

But yes, please don't take appointments you can't use, just check first before making them!

Not to put you off if you need it extracting but my face was swollen and the pain was terrible. I was unable to sleep for days and couldn't eat properly for about a week. I then developed something called dry socket so the pain increased and was worse than giving birth and I've had three inductions. Apparently dry socket is more common with lower impacted wisdom teeth. So I was on very strong painkillers and didn't work for over a week as I work with the public and needed to speak normally. Good luck

They do at my dentist!

Not required to test is not the same as not supposed to test. At all.

I think it rather depends on whether you have a complicated removal with say n impacted wisdom tooth. I don't think you'd be skipping off to work three hours after that.

I’m not sure if mine was impacted, I know it was infected and removed but part of the root was left. The pain I had originally had returned and I then had dry socket which the dentist denied, resulting in horrendous pain for five days until I saw a different dentist.
All whilst still going to work so maybe that’s why a week off seems excessive to me!

Wisdom tooth extraction varies massively. I had one out - fine by next day; had two out - fine by next day. Then the last one was impacted and had to come out under general anaesthetic. I was told to book a week off work; in fact it would have been 10 days if I hadn't been on holiday the next week anyway.

NEVER let anyone other than YOUR dentist advise you on how long you will need off.

(I saw a case where a teacher was told to book a week off. Her school told her not to be silly and she only needed two days. She was in no way fit to go back after two days, and then they complained she hadn't set enough cover work.)

Not really relevant but I would consider asking for a prescription for antibiotics if you are having a tricky removal. Infections seem to happen quite often afterwards and it wouldn’t hurt to have a prescription on standby. Or at least ask what the follow up will be if you have pain or an infection?

She was a bit off yes, but understandably. You cancelled 2 appointments because they weren't convenient even though you accepted them, then you were unwell and cancelled again. It's taken you a month to re-book. You'll probably get struck off for non attendance.
Incidently how did your new employer react when you had to have time of sick due to your covid infection?

Receptionists either GP's or Dentist are always rude as fuck. I had it with my dentist, they've cancelled and rearranged on me 4 times but when I had to rearrange I basically got a bollocking and threats to be removed. Piss take! Same with GP, I've waited 1.5 hours in the waiting room before but if your 3 minutes late, you can get to fuck! Piss take

But how do you know when to book off? I could book leave for 12th May, so I know I'm free that day, phone the dentist and they have no appointments then and can only see me on 17th May, which I book - then work says no.

You have got 2 NHS dentists ?

First off, I'm still in my old job in my notice period so haven't started with my new employer yet. Secondly, I worked from home throughout having COVID

I have one dentist who I am registered as an NHS patient with, but often pay to have private treatment. They x-rayed me and told me I need to have my lower, right impacted wisdom tooth taken out, and referred me to the hospital. I went to the hospital to have a 3d x-ray of my teeth and jaw, and then received an appointment to a random dentist practice 30 minutes away to have the tooth out - I'm not sure why.

Do you know who I could ask for this - would it be my GP or dentist? I asked my regular dentist as I have a health condition that means I was supposed to have antibiotics for any dental procedures, and they said it's no longer recommended

To be fair, the first one I didn't accept I just received a random email one day from a dental practice I'd never heard of with an appointment. As soon as I got the email I rang to ask to rearrange it. I said on the phone I couldn't do an appointment until May, and thought they had gave me an appointment for the 28th May, but when I got the email I saw they had actually given me an appointment for 28th April.

Also it is a lower wisdom tooth which is impacted :(

It grew in around 10 years ago and I've never had any problems with it, it's only when I had an x-ray they realised it has been damaging my molar and needs to come out. My previous dentist never x-rayed me, and said it was fine to keep an impacted wisdom tooth in as long as it wasn't causing any pain.

For treatment that needs specialist input but not a hospital visit you have been referred to a tier two provider. This is a dental surgery that will do minor oral surgery with a dentist with a special interest and post graduate qualifications. It keeps hospital appointments for the most difficult/complex cases and allows for quicker treatment for cases that are too complex for general practice.

No dentist will prescribe antibiotics unless there is a good reason for them . Antibiotic resistance is the next big health crisis which will make covid look like a walk in the park. Dentists are audited on antibiotic prescribing and can only prescribe in quite defined circumstances.

In the past many people with eg heart murmurs used to have antibiotic cover before dental proceedures that might cause bleeding. However guidance now is there is a higher risk from an allergic reaction to the high dosage of antibiotics than there is of infection from a dental proceedure.

To those giving the OP a hard time. She tested positive for COVID!! What is she supposed to do? Say nothing and still go?? 🤦‍♀️🙄

Wow some judgmental people on here!! If you had covid then you should definitely not be going - of the dentist gets it that’s them out of work and far more missed appointments. It’s not ideal to have to rearrange but we’ve all had to do it -not everyone’s work is flexible - works both ways though. My dentist is private and they are always cancelling or moving
my appointment because they are now on holiday! They should get a strike on their record too 😂

I think you needed telling too. It sounds like fair comment, you are lucky not to have been deregistered with that track record.

My private dentist charges £30 if we miss a booked appt (with < 24 hours notice). Simple sarky telling off would be lovely instead.