What do you do for dentistry?

[Rolson77]

Just received a letter to say that my dentist is going private. There is not one NHS dentist taking on new patients in the whole city. I work full time but am on universal credit and my son and I haven't been to the dentist for a very long time. Even when we had an NHS dentist they weren't able to offer an appointment as all their NHS dentists left. I can't afford any treatments under denplan. A filling alone is £120+. So wonder what the point would be in even going on denplan. So, is that it? We just don't go to the dentist? I have considered travelling further afield, but just feel like it'll be expensive and a nightmare. The nearest dentist to me taking NHS patients is in London, and the train there would cost at least £80/90 for me and my son.

Feeling deflated. What does everyone do for dentistry?

We are in the same boat and have been going to the private dentist for a while. It was OK up to around 3 yrs ago where it got much more expensive.

A couple of things help, a plan from simply dental online which covers some of the costs, and that they see the DC for free check ups until the age of 18. Oh, and the location

Pay lots of money that I don’t really have.

Fortunately I have an NHS dentist but if they went private I just wouldn't go to be honest. I haven't needed any work doing on my teeth for years anyway so I'm just paying for a scale and polish at my check up.

I have DenPlan and the cost includes two check ups and two hygienist appointments each year, plus x-rays.

I can also get emergency appointments if.l needed and don't pay extra for those. I've had two problematic wisdom teeth removed in recent years at no additional cost.

I don't know the individual cost as I'm on a multi-plan with my parents, so it's cheaper than if I was paying for my own if that makes sense.

Totally sympathise. My dentist went private and I had no option but to take out Denplan. After the first year they upped the already high monthly payment, not because of the condition of my teeth, but because of their overheads. Then the practice was sold to a chain and the emphasis seems to be more on glossy presentation rather than any patient care.

But because of the lack of alternative and my fear of not having a dentist at all I feel I have to stick with them. I find the money, very unwillingly, and have total sympathy for people who can't afford it .

I honestly just don't know what to do. My son is 5 and hasn't been to the dentist for 2.5 years. I don't even think I can afford denplan. I'm budgeted up to my eyeballs.

I have had to join Denplan.as after over 10 years, at my dentist he decided to go private! It works out about £11.00 pm for me and that covers 2 appointments per year .One dental check up and the hygienist a.s well. It is shit because you still have to pay on top for work carried out .I would defo get it though ,as you will need a dentist for your DC and there is very limited emergency care where we live (and probably other places!)

I was on Denplan for years (practice has now moved to another provider). The only thing I had to pay was lab fees when my crowns needed redoing. I’ve never paid for fillings or anything else as it was all included. Has this changed?

Every dentist I have spoken with will only let my son register if I pay over £100 to register privately. I just don't have it. It feels like a money making process because they know most people registering just to get their children seen will pay the £100, never bother going to the dentist and will then just move as soon as an NHS dentist becomes available. It's all so disheartening.

Might be worthwhile getting on the books of an NHS dentist even if they are a distance away.
Only mention it coz I hadnt been for decades then developed really bad toothache, you dont want to be rushing around trying to find money or a plac to go if you are in pain and at least NHS have fixed costs.
I was extremely lucky though, the first dentist I called was taking NHS patients....and was at the end of my street!

We travel out of area for a NHS dentist. It's about a 3 hour round trip!

Did go local and private for a while but it was too much money, as I need a lot of dental work

I have a private dentist. £40 for an appointment and £20 for under 18 and students. Hygienist is £60 and X-rays are about £15 but he doesn’t do them often. I have a feeling under 5’s are free. It’s not too bad

Is there a Bupa dentist near you?
I understand that they take children on under NHS dentistry. Doesn't help you (sorry) but would get your child seen

For your son, dentists are more likely to take children on NHS than adults. Ring or ask around and look online on the NHD website for dentists that are taking children as NHS patients.

You sound like you dont go to the dentist very often yourself. So weigh up the need for private dental insurance vs just putting some money aside to cover emergency private dental treatment. Also worth looking further affield for an NHS dentist if you're only having yearly checkups and emergencies well i'd open my search up to about an hours drive away. Link it in with annual leave/school holidays/weekends if they do them.

When my son moved back I went on the NHS 'find a dentist' site every single day for about five months until one came up - it's not that close but doable for him. If you don't want to go private it is worth a crack.

Before covid I went to the dentist every 6 months. Then the dentist I was with closed. There were no nhs dentists available so I went on a waiting list and finally got one. 3 months later they sent a letter saying their nhs dentists had all left and they were recruiting, so would hopefully have appointments soon. Cue this week getting a better saying they're going private. I'm on waiting lists with 3 other dentists, the shortest of which has over 700 people on it. I've been trying but it's exhausting. I have checked every dentist within my reach. If anyone can find a dentist for me in Norfolk/Suffolk... 😅

It's not that I don't want to go private I just can't afford it.

Denplan care, covers treatment too

My denplan is similar, 2 check ups and up to 3 hygienist appointments included. No charge for treatment unless lab work required. Alternatively try to set aside £10 pm to use as and when for private dentist. Some practices still take kids on nhs.

We just pay as we go - put £20 away each month. Then just have an appointment each year with a private dentist to check our teeth. Never had to have any treatment on top of that - I am really careful with dental care because I don’t want to have pay for anything!

I don’t have an nhs dentist as there aren’t any in my area …. I have just had to pay hundreds for emergency dental treatment at a private dentist . I couldn’t afford it either so had to put it on a credit card . No option as tooth was infected and needed removing !

This i might be able to help with.

Rumour on fb groups is churchyard in mildenhall have started taking NHS. Worth a call.

Bury St Edmunds Dental Practice say online they are.

Baxters in Newmarket are taking under 17's according to fb rumours.

Theres a couple in Thetford apparently taking on.

Further affield cambridge smile studio is runoured to be taking on NHS patients.

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Ask in local fb groups too as lot will take on for children in their area.

I had to register as a Private patient for our dentist to take the DC on as NHS.
Now I pay £40 pm for Denplan for 3 adults, which I think is pretty good but may not be affordable for everyone

The closest dentist to where we are who is accepting new NHS patients is a 3 hour drive away! Dh went private. I have been sitting with a broken tooth for 2 months now (as even a broken tooth doesn't get you an urgent appt apparently). My plan is to register with a dentist in London near my head office and make appts around my work travel days. I also need to get on a waiting list locally. It may take years and I doubt NHS dental care will even exist then, but people have got to start dying off eventually and giving up their places.