Dentist appointment

[Mariets]

I've just rang the dentist as I have a loose tooth that causing some pain and they can't fit me in before February 2027 unless I go private which is £126 just for a checkup, never mind the cost of the extraction.

I think if you ring 111 they can get you an emergency appointment

Ring around! My appointments cost me about £70 for a check up!

It seems access to NHS dentistry is a postcode lottery.

It is shocking that many people aren't able to access a dentist.

I'll have a rethink tomorrow. The pain isn't bad, just annoying as it moves around when I'm eating. It'll probably have fallen out by February

Yes but you'll still have to pay the 'going rate', they don't determine prices.

No but they should get you an nhs appointment

That seems a lot for a checkup. I’m a private patient and my checkups are thirty quid. Maybe try another dentist?

111 can only tell you what dentists are in your area and if there are any other dental clinics - some areas have commissioned emergency clinics, others have not. They will often get a dental nurse to call you back to assess you though and offer advice.

Emergency clinics are prioritised to those with more serious symptoms than the OP is describing though.

Poster above is correct though - they can't guarantee NHS (dependent on area and availability) and they don't control pricing.

Dentistry in this country is an abomination. Some places have almost no NHS service at all. And if they do they are not taking anyone new on. Why they should be able to turn anyone away I do not know.
Dual private NHS surgeries do not work either. Conflict of interest. I went to one once. Horrible for NHS. When I said okay to being private, behaviours were so different. I left entirely.