Can anyone else not afford the dentist anymore?

[ithinkiveseenthisfilm]

Just looked into my dentists pricing as I’m well overdue a check up.

A check up is £250, with 4 x-rays once a year charged at £60 each. That makes it £490 for a check up.

A hygienist appointment (which you must book together) is a further £120 for half an hour.

I think I need a filling, I was told that would be a minimum of £600. So one visit could end up costing me well over £1,000.

All of the NHS dentists within a 100 mile radius are closed to new patients. I check regularly but what the NHS website says is very different to the actual reality.

It’s an absolute travesty. When did something as basic as dental care become a sheer luxury?

I think if someone is in that position they would be entitled to benefits, which would then entitle them to free dental treatment.

You know you can get on a train and go to another town right?

What pisses me off is that my teeth are very healthy, but I'm prone to gum disease, and a scale and polish is now no longer included in a basic check up. I'm overdue a hygienist's appointment, but can't scrape together the £70 right now.

Sure, they'd be entitled to free dental care from a NHS dentist. All they'd have to do is find one 🙄

Only if they can get an nhs dentist. Which is the whole point.

Yes, but some dentists are still taking on NHS patients, and calling 111 is an option in an emergency. Not ideal though. Given how important dental heath is and how it affects the whole body, far more importance should be given. The government needs to work out a new contract with NH dentists, which rewards them for their time and work. Then there will be better quality treatments , including root canal, rather than just extraction , which happens now.

I didn't go to the dentist for several years and we didn't even have one in my town. Luckily am NHS dentist opened up and I managed to get registered.

@Allseeingallknowing there are no NHS dentists and free treatment for benefit claimants is only available on the NHS.

I know that free treatment is only available to benefits claimants on the NHS- sorry if I didn’t make that clear. Dentists in some regions are still taking on NHS patients , though there are not many- that’s why the Government needs to take action with the contracts.