What are dentists doing exactly?

[musicalfrog]

Genuine question as I don't think non urgent dental care is available (still). Nobody can get check ups which surely is bread and butter work for dentists. What are they doing with their time, and aren't they worried about losing their regular income?

I have no idea how the system works but there must be an imbalance of some sort at play here.

I’ve had my regular check up and during lockdown when my DS chipped a tooth he had a filling. Maybe if you can’t get a check up they are busy seeing people with dental issues.

Well I got a check up (private dentist) 2 weeks ago. In fact they phoned me to say I was due one! I was quite surprised. Lots of masks and sanitising procedures in place so I felt quite safe. They are doing work there, not just checkups, but not aerosol procedures, I think. The hygienist was also working, but again, not using aerosol procedures.

My DS had check ups over the summer.
My mother yesterday - dentist said thry could not scale and polish though.
Both NHS.

Mine have just sent me a reminder for a checkup for my kids and I'm due too. I don't know if they are doing anything invasive but routine services are available.

I've had all my check ups cancelled as they said it was emergency only, but when does normal stuff start up, I know aerosal is out but we all need a check up here.

I've got a dentist appointment tomorrow. Checkup.

Interesting! I couldn't even get through to mine. Im relieved that check ups are now happening again, I hadn't heard otherwise so thought it was all off still.

I finally managed to get through to ds's community dentist today.

He is supposed to have frequent trips due to his genetic condition, but hasn't been seen since Febuary when he had oral surgery.

He is now complaining about a pain in his tooth, and I'm really worried.

They say they still aren't seeing anyone, but they are phoning tomorrow.

@musicalfrog

Interesting! I couldn't even get through to mine. Im relieved that check ups are now happening again, I hadn't heard otherwise so thought it was all off still.

Don't get too excited - had an email from mine today saying that they were still only seeing emergencies. No indication as to when check-ups might begin but oh yes, they might be able to accommodate us as private patients. Funny that 🙄

My check up and hygienist appointments were cancelled in February, then lockdown happened.
No appointments since. Oh well, I thought. That's the pandemic.
I now find out from friends that they have had check ups and hygienist appointments in the last month. They pay privately as they go. I am on Denplan so have continued to pay now for well over a year with no dental attention at all.
Not very happy.

I have no idea either??? I realise that cleaning is taking longer between patients, plus putting on extra PPE takes an extra minute, but I asked a similar question too.

Last week I chipped either tooth or filling off. Its cutting into my tongue causing blood and aches. A week later, DH started getting awful pain in his molar and is taking nurofen throughout the day to cope. Both of us dont have appointments for nearly a month!!! I asked about paying private, but they said the wait was still the same. I have no idea how long an emergency would be seen in, or what would constitute a dental emergency more than pain and bleeding?

I went today and had a filing done on a broken tooth. Whilst I waited outside, there were 5 other patients. I'm also booked in to see the hygienist on friday.

*Filling not filing

Nothing much round here

Mine (well, receptionist) phoned to cancel my families final attampt at an appointment this YEAR last Friday. She told me that government guidelines say they cannot do checkups. I said that wasnt true. And she got very defensive.

All check ups have been cancelled at ours until at least the middle of October. But the dentist down the road is seeing routine patients again...

Our whole family have had check ups.

Me and the kids had check ups last week with our NHS dentist

No idea, we have been waiting a year for my daughter to have a tumour (which they think is benign but need to biopsy) from her gum. And they've cancelled her last two dental appointments.

Me and my kids have all had a check up. I’ve seen the hygienist and one of mine has had an orthodontist appt too

I went for my checkup as usual last week. My surgery have extended their opening hours and seem to be clearing their backlog pretty quickly.

@Scarby9

My check up and hygienist appointments were cancelled in February, then lockdown happened. No appointments since. Oh well, I thought. That's the pandemic. I now find out from friends that they have had check ups and hygienist appointments in the last month. They pay privately as they go. I am on Denplan so have continued to pay now for well over a year with no dental attention at all. Not very happy.

My dad has denplan and when the Receptionist tried to cancel him he firmly asked what he was paying for as he hadnt seen the dentist this year and needed a filling. She managed to make him an appointment . He has now cancelled the denplan and moved over the nhs.

It's massively shit, that there is no consistency of treatment.

The specialist community dentist we see, is patchy enough at the best of times...but now it's ridiculous.

I've just booked a dental check up and hygienist appointment for me and DP at our dentist for next week. All seems to be open abs operating as normal thankfully.

I’ve had a crown done.
My dentist has postponed some routine check ups to catch up with urgent stuff from over lockdown. I feel like there’s a lot of unwarranted nastiness towards dentists on mumsnet.