Page 3 | What are dentists doing exactly?

musicalfrog · 2020-09-29T21:45:14+00:00

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.

DamitJanet · 30/09/2020 06:20

Ours are just doing emergency procedures, patients in severe pain etc. Things like replacement fillings etc you’re added to the waiting list that they’re slowly moving through and asked to use a temporary kit at home in the meantime.

WhentheDealGoesDown1 · 30/09/2020 06:22

I had a checkup and dentist did a clean in July (hygienist not working then) and have an hygienist appointment in November, by the look of the website and a couple of reviews they seem to be doing all the usual dentistry things, this is private though that costs me about £20 a month for checkups and hygienist appointments and paying on top for other work

Heatherjayne1972 · 30/09/2020 06:28

What are dentists doing?

We’re working 100% normally. While abiding with the restrictions imposed on us .

caoraich · 30/09/2020 06:30

*Singinginshower

But how are dentist living?
Their income won't be completely replaced by government funding will it? I hope they have some kind of income protection insurance*

My sister is an NHS dentist in Scotland. Her hours have been reduced to 2 days a week from full time even though she now has excellent full PPE available. She is very depressed and worried about her patients and is in financial hardship. She took a 3 month mortgage holiday earlier in the pandemic and has picked up work as an amazon delivery driver on days off (!) but I'm now paying her mortgage as her income protection insurance doesn't cover this scenario. And as she is not furloughed the govt scheme doesn't cover her. She is looking for private dentistry jobs now. It's going to be awful for NHS dentistry if these rules continue, and I say that as an NHS worker.

Boozysoozy1 · 30/09/2020 06:31

We had check ups in March just before lockdown and then our September check up was cancelled. I asked when they would be contacting us with new ones and was told I should call back in a few months. Like you, I’m puzzled why they can’t do a routine check up as it involves no aerosol procedures

JellyBert · 30/09/2020 06:31

Nhs. Cancelled mine & the kids check ups in September and no idea when we can book them again, it’s really shit!

Notabadger · 30/09/2020 06:34

Am shocked people still not able to see a dentist for urgent stuff/broken teeth. What has happened to the idea of dental 'hubs' seeing urgent cases?

Firstimer703 · 30/09/2020 06:38

I had a text reminder for DS but when I called they said they are not seeing children still. Don't know when he can go.

FippertyGibbett · 30/09/2020 06:42

My dentist is doing children’s check ups and any necessary adult work.

Nikki078 · 30/09/2020 06:42

My usual NHS dentist only does emergency procedures on very reduced hours. The private practice I've seen instead works close to normal minus the Covid safety measures.

NeedingCoffee · 30/09/2020 06:44

Our lovely dentist is open as usual; kids and I have all have check ups including xrays for me and he’s made my daughter’s hockey mouth guard. The hygienist is working and they are completely confident they have all measures in place. We haven’t needed fillings but I don’t doubt they’re doing them. Orthodontist also open; more draconian measures in place (only the patient in the building, only using one of 2 rooms etc) but they’re working longer hours to try to compensate a bit. Seems very odd how much discrepancy there is.

Nikki078 · 30/09/2020 06:48

I would not think of switching to private treatment pre-Covid but I think it will be very hard to access the dental services in my area once they start opening up due to huge backlog and slower pace due to safety measures.

Jenniferturkington · 30/09/2020 06:52

My kids’ appointments were cancelled several times since February but they finally got seen this week. Me and dh cannot get a checkup on nhs but they are taking private appointments 🤔

Bickles · 30/09/2020 06:53

I work at a private practice in England.
We have made everything as safe as possible. Waiting room closed- wait in your car or outside. Very, very clean. It was before but now it’s insane. We have access to full PPE for aerosol generating procedures. We are trying to minimise doing these but can do them where absolutely necessary. We can do exams etc as normal. The hygienist is working but hand scale only.

Oblomov20 · 30/09/2020 07:11

I think it's poor that dentists aren't seeing more nhs. They've been perfectly able to see private patients for some months now.

OverTheRainbow88 · 30/09/2020 07:14

Ours is up and running; charging £30 for PPE for check up and £60 if teeth work is needed!

Barbie222 · 30/09/2020 07:14

I've tried a few times and have been told they will call me when they are ready to see NHS patients again

TinySleepThief · 30/09/2020 07:20

Ours still aren't even seeing anyone who isn't an emergency. I have terrible problems with my gums due to my pregnancy and my exemption runs out in December but there's no way I'll get seen before then so by the time I do get in, the problems will be much worse and it will also cost me a fortune as I will no longer be covered.

Vinorosso74 · 30/09/2020 07:20

We had NHS check ups last week. These were booked in pre Covid. The dentist said they had just started check ups again that week.
He said they had been doing a lot of catching up of the patients who needed treatment.
Hygienist is working one day a week, I have an appointment in two weeks.

ComicePear · 30/09/2020 07:27

I had my regular check up (NHS dentist) in August and so did my kids.

lagerandblack · 30/09/2020 07:30

I'm on denplan and haven't been seen at all this year. No mention of any refund though. I guess thats how dentists are making a do. Money fro nothin.

WhentheDealGoesDown1 · 30/09/2020 07:44

@lagerandblack

I'm on denplan and haven't been seen at all this year. No mention of any refund though. I guess thats how dentists are making a do. Money fro nothin.

And I bet when it renews it will go up

Original poster

musicalfrog · 30/09/2020 07:47

@OverTheRainbow88

Ours is up and running; charging £30 for PPE for check up and £60 if teeth work is needed!

Whaaat? Is that NHS patients? Explains how they're making up the money I suppose. Are they just allowed to make up their own rules?

OP posts:

Heatherjayne1972 · 30/09/2020 07:47

About denplan
Tbh if everyone stopped their denplan then the dentist would go out of business

Harsh but true

Original poster

musicalfrog · 30/09/2020 07:50

@caoraich

*Singinginshower

But how are dentist living?
Their income won't be completely replaced by government funding will it? I hope they have some kind of income protection insurance*

My sister is an NHS dentist in Scotland. Her hours have been reduced to 2 days a week from full time even though she now has excellent full PPE available. She is very depressed and worried about her patients and is in financial hardship. She took a 3 month mortgage holiday earlier in the pandemic and has picked up work as an amazon delivery driver on days off (!) but I'm now paying her mortgage as her income protection insurance doesn't cover this scenario. And as she is not furloughed the govt scheme doesn't cover her. She is looking for private dentistry jobs now. It's going to be awful for NHS dentistry if these rules continue, and I say that as an NHS worker.

This makes no sense. She wants to work more but can't, even while patients are wanting? Is that down to a lack of space at her practice?

This feels like the next big CV scandal (or one of them).

OP posts: