Did anyone else see a big difference between NHS and private dental care?

[deedee99]

I haven't had an NHS dentist for a while, but have had so many bad experiences. Rushed appointments, huge fillings that don't fit my teeth properly, pain during my NHS appointments but none in my recent private ones etc.

I appreciate I may have just been unlucky in the past and happen to have found a very good private dentist, and without a doubt there are some exceptional NHS dentists out there. However I've recently had my fillings changed and they are amazing, they not fit my teeth properly and they are so small. The scale and polish for the first time in my life didn't wreck my gums, they actually waited properly for the anaesthetic to kick in and the drilling wasn't painful (I always thought fillings were supposed to be painful as they always have been!). They said my fillings had been terribly done, and I can tell as I can actually bite my teeth together properly now.

I totally appreciate that when you're paying a lot of money for something, bedside manner may be slightly better as they want you to come back and spend more money, and of course they have funds to offer people drinks and a fancy waiting room, but I'm amazed at the difference in actual treatment.

No, my current NHS dentist is a lot better than my previous private one.

Our nhs dentist that we've attended regularly - which is relevant- has been shut for ages and DH had pain in his teeth. So we Rang round and could only get in a private dentist's without travelling a ridiculous distance to get the tooth treated . When the dentist saw inside of my DHs mouth he was astonished . He said it was tantamount to neglect to leave his teeth like that ! We kept saying we'd always gone every 6 months - obviously apart from covid ! I dont think he actually believe us ! So yes I agree with you . It's cost us a fortune to get it all sorted . Especially since its all been in the same year where normally it wouldve been spread out.

Massively. At my NHS dentist it was a different person every time. Varying quality. I eventually hit on a fab one and he left.

Now, at my private dentist, same one every time. MASSIVE hike in fees though. But he's very good.

Yes I agree op. I didn't realise how poor our NHS dentist was until I went to a private one when I had an ongoing problem.
He was horrified and I had to have lots of repair work done, which he said should have been obvious, even to a trainee. Even I could see what the issue was when I saw the xrays. He was also horrified that I had been given a course of antibiotics by the NHS dentist that I didn't need.

He was equally unimpressed when he saw my dc's teeth. I have now switched my whole family to the private dentist. We won't go back to the NHS.

It’s really down to the dentist themselves and if they are competent and scrupulous.

Family member was in the profession and did both private and nhs work.

They said the real skill is in your dexterity and how much you practice. Not so much practice on dental degrees these days. Family member passed all practical exams with flying colours. Another student, she had a photographic memory and got a first but was a terrible dentist. Struggled with the practical side.

Also, family member mentioned that the dental technician that serviced 30 dentists locally would only recommend 3 of the dentists he did work for (ie, making crowns, dentures etc). The rest he said the work would keep coming back over and over again, needing adjustments, to be remade etc.

So you have a hit rate of about one in 10!

The difference is whether the "private" dental practice is wholly private or whether they're still a hybrid of doing both NHS and private work. If the latter, I've not noticed any real difference at all - you're all waiting in the same waiting room, get the same dentist/nurse/hygienist, so basically all they're doing is offering the same standard of service as NHS (i.e. crap) but charging private prices.

The difference is stark if you go to a wholly private practice that do NO NHS work at all, not even the usual trick of putting private patients back on their NHS list if pregnant or OAP etc! You get a nicer waiting room, nicer receptionists, easier to make appointments, more time with the dentist/hygienist, better quality of dentist/hygienist, but the same price that a hybrid dentist would fleece you for NHS standard service.

I didn't realise the difference was so stark. I'd been paying private to see my old NHS dentist as he'd stopped doing NHS work for "paying" patients, but the service was the same. I needed a referral for root canal work as he didn't do it and he referred me to a wholly private practice in the next town. Wow, what a difference! Even had it's own car park for patients! I had the root canal work done, very accommodating making the several appointments needed, and was so happy, I stayed there for future check ups, fillings, etc. Same kind of pricing as the hybrid NHS/private practice, but far superior service in every way!

I’m not saying your new dentist is having you over, but what if there are unscrupulous ones out there who when you arrive as a new patient to them from the NHS, they think, ‘oooh pay day!? He’s denigrated your previous dentists work and sounds like he was a bit over the top with it, saying a trainee should have spotted the issues etc. Seems like he whipped the situation up, has done a load of work and has then handed you a big bill. You may well have needed the work, but why did he feel the need to make such a fuss? His demeanour sounds over the top.

Were you and your children living with dental pain for years prior to switching to private?

Lol you obviously didn't experience the NHS dentists in the 80s. They seemed to be forever finding stuff to do that wasn't necessary.

I understand the point you are making, but in my case the denigrating was entirely justified.

I have a dental implant. The implant had become extremely loose which was painful and made eating difficult. I could move it back and forth, similar to a child's tooth just before they fall out. My gum was extremely painful as the implant was also moving internally. My nhs dentist took an xray, and told me that I had an infection around the internal part of the implant which had caused the bone holding the implant to become soft. He advised strong antibiotics would clear the infection and the tissue would then firm up again, and the implant would then solidify.

After weeks of antibiotics to clear the infection and multiple appointments, I was no better. Things were getting worse. My dentist said I needed to be patient as the infection would take time to clear.
I eventually lost faith and decided to get a second opinion with a different dentist. The new dentist took another xray which clearly showed that the abutment on my implant had loosened and needed to be screwed back on. It was clear as day on the xray, even to me. There was no softened bone tissue, and no infection. The private dentist resolved the issue the same day. I then needed a skin graft to repair the damage to my gum from the implant being loose for such a long time.

Other issues were also found, but I won't detail the rest of the work I needed as I dont want to derail the thread.

I have since received an apology from my old dentist.

I had/have a massive fear of the dentist. I also have something where my teeth decay more easily. I can't remember what its called current dentist told me though.

Nhs I found they would say they were good with nervous patients but then I found them to lecture and come across as rude.speaking down to me. And just made me feel shit. This happend with different dentist on several occasions. This led to me not returning. And putting myself through horrific pain .

The pain had included the area of the problem tooth. Traveling through my ear. And every tiny sound even the rustling of paper or someone taping or low level taling would send sharp shooting pains throgh my ear and tooth. I woukd also have pain behinde my ear. I used to litetly rock in pain. My teeth crumbled to the pulp it was awful.

Private: I now go to a private dentist. Its completely different the way they talk to me is totally different. The tone of voice is kind he explains everything clearly. He doesn't make me feel shit . I think that has made a massive difference to me . And I have managed to have lots of treatment and have always felt I can go back.

I moved to a private dentist 2 years ago. The service has been excellent and my teeth are now stable and in the best condition they've been for a decade.
My previous NHS dentist was taken over by a company who seemed to be intent on running it into the ground - or at least driving out NHS patients. Although why anyone would pay privately for their substandard service I don't know.
Examples of what made me leave: constantly cancelled appointments often at the very last minute, dentist was late on the few occasions my appointment wasn't cancelled (not running late but actually didn't turn up for hours after the appointment), despite getting her supervisor involved failed on 3 occasions to fit a crown which they eventually gave up on and did a 'temporary' fix which they then tried to ignore at future appointments. Refused to see me when my tooth cracked vertically - they acknowledged it was an emergency but said they didn't know what to do about it.
When the cracked tooth fiasco occurred I was in pain and in desperation rang the local private dentst. They saw me straight away and it was dealt with then and there. I liked them. They are professional and caring. I know I pay for it but it's worth the cost. Not only have they sorted my teeth but they've pretty much cured my dental phobia brought on by the previous poor treatment on the NHS.

Yes my teeth are much better looked after with my private dentist, than they ever were with an NHS dentist.

I tried our local NHS dentist when he opened up his list. The consultation was so quick, I actually said "Is that it", he looked a bit offended. But honestly I might as well have not bothered. I am sticking with my private dentist who is great. He's German and absolutely brilliant.

I had a tooth out private a few years ago. It cost £250 with xrays and shit, but it was all done within a few days of finishing my antibiotics as I had an abcess. A few years later I had another tooth break (a wisdom tooth) and i managed to get an NHS "dental therapist " who can't fo extraction but could refer me. I had to have an xray at hospital where with private they had an xray at the practice. I was expecting a bit of a wait but I got an appointment through within 2 weeks but had to go to a town 10 miles away to get the tooth out. My experience with the actual extraction was different as the first time my tooth was very broken and decayed and it took ages for the anaesthetic to work, then my tooth broke so the dentist had to surgically remove it and it hurt for ages after. With the nhs extraction it literally took a few minutes. That due to my tooth not being as bad

My teeth are the product of 1960s dentistry. Fillings and posts in all the back teeth.
I've been with the same dental practice for nearly 50 years though it's changed hands a few times. They don't take new NHS patients but existing ones are kept on.
I feel like they do a good job. I take osteoporosis drugs and because of that they see me every 4 months. Occasionally I pay for a private hygienist appointment which I don't mind at all.

My NHS dentist was ok. I never had problems getting an appointment and they were nice enough.

I switched over to a private dentist about 10 years ago because I wasn't happy with the work I was receiving and it's so much better. They take more care with their work as it isn't rushed. They also have fit me in the same day to do complicated emergency work which is always appreciated.

I am a private dentist. I currently have a six-month waiting list, so it’s not as though we are “looking” for work. I have worked in both the NHS and private sectors. I receive around 20 referrals a week from NHS dentists who are unable to treat the types of problems I handle.

There is a huge difference between a basic NHS service and a highly skilled private dentist with multiple postgraduate qualifications. That said, I have colleagues who provide NHS treatment to a very high standard, and I have also seen very expensive private treatment carried out to a poor standard.

Private dentistry also involves differences in materials. Dental materials can range from inexpensive to very costly. Often, the more expensive materials perform better — but if they are used incorrectly, they may still fail prematurely. I use expensive laboratories for
a very skilled ceramist for cosmetic work, which costs more and hence increased fees. The practices I work at have better quality instruments along with better scanners etc.

There is a degree of varying expectations with patients also. The list goes on and on