To think that free NHS dentistry should be available to all children and especially ones with disabilities.

[Gtsr443]

My disabled child is in receipt of DLA. He cannot get to see an NHS dentist because there are no NHS spaces in our county at all. None.
There is a surgery in the next county 2 hours away who might consider him but they will only take him on if I sign up to Denplan.
Surely this is extortion?

Read the fucking room.
I am the parent of a disabled child who needs help. I don't need lectures from some random Tory who can Google.

Thank you to everyone who has offered me practical help about the community team. I am very grateful and am off to see if they can help my son.

DS is seen by the specialist community dentist. Unfortunately they are also suffering from lack of staff and ds recent check up was 3.5 years since the last because they were not offering routine appointments. DS cannot go to any other dentist.

Except that’s not true. Those of us that had young children under the Labour government had exactly the same problems.

I’m not a huge Tory supporter, but you’re kidding yourself if you think this problem will go away under Labour.

Why should disabled kids get priority over other kids?

Any idea how long the wait is, due to an appalling dentist I'm left with a traumatised child who has been referred to the specialist dental team and still waiting for an appointment.

The Tory answer to everything.

I wish people would not vote for them and give another party a chance. Not saying you did OP but too many people vote Tory and then moan when they are corrupt, cut back everything, waste billions of pounds and give contracts to their mates who make huge profits.... Tory voters are the problem with this country. Try another way.

Not in general however some children with disabilities are more prone to life threatening infections and complications due to poor dental health.

Because they have a disability and so are already at a disadvantage with many things. You know the sign of a decent society is looking after the most vulnerable first.

We never had any problems getting a NHS dentist under the last Labour government!

The NHS was properly funded under the last Labour government. A senior consultant speaking on TV a few weeks ago said the last time the NHS was great was under a Labour government. He said it has gradually been run into the ground since the Tory party came to power.

Unfortunately if they don’t have the places, they don’t have the places. It isn’t about compassion or there could be exceptions for most people.

The fact is the vast majority of the country have a problem getting a NHS dentist! Well done you that you still have one. Many people don't. Ignore the problem until your NHS dentist moves into private practice then.

OP your school nurse or GP should be able to refer your child to the local Community Dental Service.

Depending on area anything from 6 months to three years. Even if in pain .

I often feel guilty at having an NHS dentist when friends and family don't. In fact, I went earlier this week and as I'm pregnant I got all my treatment for free. There was a private pregnant woman next to me at reception and she asked if she got any free treatments as a private patient and the answer was of course 'no'. It is very unfair.

I can't give up the place though as I'm a SAHM and there is no way I could afford private treatment right now.

I hope you're able to get your DS on a few different wait list and snag a place soon.

The last , failed contract was 2006 put in under a Labour government and deemed not fit for purpose within a few months . That resulted in the first exodus of dentists.
No government has had the courage to say we cannot afford to provide all dental care for everyone.
If you ask dentists most feel the way forward is a core service for everyone , simple treatment only to relieve pain and infection. Invest in services for elderly, vulnerable and children .
Cut most ortodontics (braces) out of NHS. In our area 53% of children's dental budget is spent on braces. This where if I refer a three year old in pain for general anaesthetic removal of teeth it will take 2 to 3 years for them to be treated.

I agree it's a disgrace. However have you looked at plans for children at private dentists'? We pay around £110 per year and this includes 2 checkups per year as well as any treatments.

DH and I registered with a private dentist and our DC are seen by her as NHS patients, she said to DS a couple of months ago that he could come on his own post 16. We do have big bills though as adults so I spent £230 last time with check up and Hygienist. My Mum's hygienest in the Midlands is private but £35 cheaper than me in South east.

No NHS dentists in our area. Even getting a private one was a challenge. We were on the waiting list for every practice in the town for several months until one eventually got a new dentist who was taking only private patients.

Also my kids had a dental check at school (Scotland). We were told it wasn’t to replace a regular check up, but would be added to their nhs dental record if they had one. I got a letter afterwards saying they saw no cause for concern, so I assume it would tell you to take your child to a dentist if they saw something that needed attending to. My DD also brushes her teeth at school (she’s p1) and did at nursery too. The toothbrushes and paste are provided. DS in p3 doesn’t though.

It is unrealistic to expect everybody to have free dental care. It doesn't matter which party is in power. I have lived all over the world and the UK is the only place where dental work was on the NHS. In general we paid more in tax abroad too. Orthodontist work for our children was extortionate. There needs to be a shake up in the UK. Adults need to pay but children should be a priority for free dental work, including braces. The younger years are the most important.

Did you really ask that?!! Seriously?!!

@Gtsr443 you don’t need to be referred by a regular dentist to the specialist hospital dental service in all areas. I know many areas where various other health professionals can make a referral. That’s definitely worth investigating. I hope this helps and best of luck.

I had a similar reply from mine!! Along the lines of "dental care should be considered essential so cutting down on unessential spending is how you can afford private dentistry". After austerity, inflation, rising bills, stagnating wages etc there's nothing left to cut down on, nothing I spend money on is "unessential"!

I do agree it's not sustainable to have dentistry free at point of use, or even just nominal charges. It's going that way with primary care services too, not sure of the answer though. Labour haven't given anything convincing about how they'll fix it besides some ideas that will make primary care so much worse (if that's even possible). I think it's hard to stomach as we are used to the NHS but it's inevitable more and more things are charged for, dentistry has slowly been going that way for years and I really doubt anything will be done to change it; it would cost too much at this point. I feel sad for children whose parents can't afford their check ups though and they don't get NHS apps, it's not their fault and bad teeth can lead to big problems.

Do you have a paediatrician managing your DC's care? Both of my disabled DS were referred to the specialist community dentist and they have been brilliant. Might be worth asking.

I had extractions and fillings from our school dentist. I was sent home early after an extraction as it wouldn't stop bleeding.

Didn't NHS services have the highest ever satisfaction rating 15 years ago?

I can remember Tony Blair getting a hard time in Parliament because sometimes in some areas people were waiting 9 weeks for treatment or two days to see a GP.

Those were the days, eh?

It WILL take the next government time to fix the mess the Tories have made of everything.

But I hope we can get back most of what the Tories have taken away from us.

And our children.