To be annoyed with dentist upselling

[GingerBeverage]

Private dentist (no NHS in area). And I didn’t ask to be his patient, I just got told the old dentist was trimming his books and I was being moved.
Fine, I said.
So next time I needed the dentist they duly charged me the full new patient fee with a whole new set of x-rays. Even though they’re in the same damn building.
And now every time I see this guy he is UPSELLING UPSELLING UPSELLING.
Today I had booked a check and polish.
He casually mentions that it’s better to do an air polish and it’s only £39 more.
I DO NOT SAY YES. I don’t think I even said anything.
Then he spends the rest of the time hinting I need braces, I need xrays, I need another filling next year.
The bill arrives, fucking £39 extra for air polishing on it.
That’s it, I’m moving dentists but what a shag.
Old dentist never did this, he just sighed and complained about his back.
*And another thing, registered DC because they made a big deal about “we’re private but we can do kids on NHS” and then with no warning at the next appointment charged full private. “Oh, no we don’t do kids on NHS anymore.”
Please tell me most dentists don’t do this?

My NHS dentist told me this week that unless I cough up for one hour long hygenist appointments every three months, in ten years I will start losing teeth.

I am 60. The prospect of starting to lose teeth due to receding gums in my seventies isn’t exactly shocking.

I already see hygenist every four months but might see what she says. It’s a worry because you should be able to trust them.

To be fair, I could technically get in trouble for not offering you the full range of options for missing teeth/another clinical issue. Also it isn't for the dentist to know whether the implants are in your budget or not- plenty of very well off patients have NHS dental check ups.

I am 60. The prospect of starting to lose teeth due to receding gums in my seventies isn’t exactly shocking.

I’m 71 and find the prospect extremely shocking. I have quarterly hygienist appointments for that very reason. I want to hold on to my 30 teeth for as long as possible.

Worth getting a second opinion on that, surely.

I get this from my NHS dentist!! "You might need a crown, here's the Private price and it will look nicer..."

My GP has an app (in addition to the proper NHS one that they refuse to use) that is full of adverts for private healthcare.

Utterly disgraceful. Consumer culture everywhere, shit public health service, and we wonder why we have a mental illness epidemic.

My dentist is private but completely the opposite , I have regular hygienist and check ups because I need them and every time I ask about whitening or cosmetic options he shuts me down oh next time next time we'll discuss . It's good in one way that he doesn't have the hard sell but I want stuff done and would appreciate a conversation.

My hygienist charges £84 a time. Two appointments a year are covered on the plan, but she wants me to have four.

The dentist took out a tooth and I had a small plate fitted. It’s t the back so not obvious. Each time I go, she tells that it would look so much better with an implant. Each time, I tell her that I don’t have the £6,500 to pay for it. The monthly fee, which keeps on rising, is supposed to knock 10% of the price of treatment. Haven’t noticed that happening either.

Its all a rip off.

I came away crying years ago when mine first went private. New dentist. She said I'd need thousands of pounds of work, when I was just starting as a trainee and the lowest pay bracket. By the time I had got home, I had planned our how many extra shifts I'd have to pick up to be able to get it done by next year (which would basically mean working 7 days a week and missing out on half a night's sleep).

My parents talked sense into me and now my teeth are fine - without all that work.

Is there no code of ethics for dentists!?!? Awful, using their position of expertise to rip off vulnerable, trusting people!!

Checked the google reviews for mine and all the one-stars mention heavy upselling and extras added to the bill, so at least I’m not alone!

My dentists' surgery is ex NHS, but there is no upselling as far as DH and myself have noticed. Their website is very nice and the reception and waiting room recently refurbished but seeing the dentist is exactly like it was under the NHS.
I must just be lucky.
The main dentist isn't there much these days, she is busy with other things (being a real housewife. She's as lovely in real life as on tv).

Mine's a private dentist too. Charged me £260 to pull out a tooth - 10 minutes work - and then tried to sell me an implant for said space where tooth was for £6k. Told me the roots of one set of teeth were horizontal and needed another implant put in to help straighten them - another £6k. I had to give a very firm no or he'd have been there all day trying to tell me how awful my, frankly lovely and very good teeth, are.

Mine tried to tell me I have “crowding” and “silvery stains” and asked “Do you eat a lot of chia seeds?”
No I do fucking not*, you scrounging charlatan.

*I eat exactly the right amount of chia seeds, which is one overpriced Gail’s pot every 2 months.

Tbf I've been with two private dentists and they've not been like this. In fact, they've saved me money where NHS recommended a treatment at every single appointment.

Think you just needed to a. Get a new private dentist and b. Say "No thank you" when offered a treatment you don't want

But it wasn't £260 for 10 minutes work. The fee reflects his lengthy training, experience and skills.