To ask who has an NHS dentist etc?

[girlfriend44]

I am Lucky to have a dentist?
Would be really worried otherwise. Reports that nobody is taking anyone on NHS?
If you haven't got a dentist? Are you worrying about it?
What are people doing ?

I don't have an NHS dentist but I do have private dental cover as a work benefit.

Which I don't use enough of. I really should go more often.

I had a very expensive private dentist for years. Forked out £££

I'm grateful that when I moved, I found a great NHS dentist 10 minutes down the road.

Mine was NHS, then let me know it was no longer doing NHS work. So, I found a private dentist.

Last month they phoned to say they were going back to NHS for previous patients.

But, I’m getting a much better service from the private dentist, so I’m sticking with that.🙂

My nhs dentist became private only after Covid. I had a phone call a couple of months ago to ask if I would like my nhs place back and offered me to make an appointment.

I now have one after almost a decade of not having. 350 miles away.

I’ve just found one for my children but it’s a dental therapist, not a dentist. She can do straightforward stuff, but if it’s anything complicated they’d have to see one of the private dentists.

Yes, just been today. I had the same dentist for about 35 years, and always got the scale/polish and then a clean afterwards, but since he's retired the clean doesn't happen anymore (I guess I'd have to make an appointment with the hygienist?)
I do have a medical benefit with work for dental but I don't think it would fully cover private costs.
It must be such a lottery with finding and keeping NHS dentists.

All of the good NHS dentists go private in my experience.

I have an nhs dentist, was there today and could hear them telling people on the phone that the waiting list would take years. The nearest private dentist is over two hours drive away, so for a lot of people I would imagine that means they don’t have one, I’ve been considering moving to the private one even though it’s far away but had no response when I tried a year ago.

I’ve got one but he’s next to useless so I have a private one as well for the work I actually want done

I have an NHS dentist and also private dental cover thro work

we don’t have an nhs dentist so we have private through my work for the whole family

Haven’t had one since I was about 16 (I’m 44), none in our area for years.

I agree with points a better service so happy to stick with it rather than move to nhs.

I can’t get one so haven’t been to the dentist in probably 8 or 9 years. Children are all private through some discounted scheme but still a fortune when they go!

Thankfully I've had the same dentist for nearly 14 years, both my adult children use him too. I really feel for people that have trouble being seen now, I would very uneasy having no dentist.
At my last check up he saw something in my cheek and wants me to get tests and I'm at the hospital next week. He thinks it's Oral Lichen Planus, which can lead to mouth cancer and needs extra monitoring at check ups. This wouldn't happen if I only had access to emergency appointments. Something really needs to be done about this.

I go to a private dentist, have done for years. Not sure if any nhs ones are available

Haha, no NHS dentist here, I'm in one of the worse places for a dentist. My kids no longer have an NHS dentist either. I did ask the NHS to find me one and they couldn't even if I was willing to travel.

I do but I've been with the same practice for about 30 years.

I have a NHS dentist - I feel a bit guilty about it as I am a high earner and could afford to pay for private care. But I’ve been registered with them since I was a teenager so have never wanted to give that up! My teeth are good so for now it’s generally just a check up every 6 months, I’ve had a handful of fillings which I paid for privately because I wanted white ones.

If I ever need anything more serious doing I’ll probably go private because I don’t think the NHS service is great.

Nope. Been on a list for about 7 years now. I go private when I am in pain.

I did have one that worked in an otherwise private practice. He left and they haven't managed to recruit another.

I have an NHS dentist, they also do private and if it’s cheaper for a specific treatment to be done privately (often retainers) then they’ll charge you the cheaper option

Yes I do and feel very lucky and grateful.

Same.