Is anyone else on a middlish income finding that dentistry is a real luxury?

[Pruni]

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Bibliophile get yourself some fluoride mouthwash if you are not using it allready.

ASK AT PHARMACY COUNTER FOR FLUORIGARD AND USE IT RELIGIOUSLY.

i don't consider it a luxury, no.
Worth every penny and I don't resent it.

jasper, hope the rules dont change, dont give it up dentistry needs all the good guys it can get!

DH and I have been in Denplan with our dental practice for years now, and pay £17 a month each (we both have fairly mediocre teeth - if your teeth are in good nick you pay less); that covers all check-ups, x-rays, fillings, hygienist and any other dental treatment (eg root canal work, extractions) and the surgery has really whizzy equipment. If anything like crowns/dentures are needed then we do pay lab costs. Just over £400 a year for all that seems like quite good value compared with some of the prices quoted here?

Our practice has treated all 4 of our kids on the NHS since they switched to Denplan, and all of them have needed fairly extensive orthodontic work. DS2 is 13 and his orthodontics started when he was 9 or 10; I think we were lucky with him because his treatment started before the Govt moved the goalposts again and said free orthodontics would only be available for children with extreme need (although he still might have qualified because his teeth were wildly misplaced).

I know we are v v lucky to have had the good free treatment for the children and agree it is outrageous that people like jasper are the exception (and also that yet again Scotland has a better deal than England - like with student finance) - surely this has to be reorganised?

Mind you, ladies, how many of you need - or have kids who need - glasses? Again all 4 of mine do, plus me, and we have paid out shed-loads over the years but somehow that doesn't seem to raise as much fury as dental care.

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Pruni I'd have to look at the small print, but afaik (and IME) it covers everything done by the dentist - plus dental emergencies away from home - just not the lab costs.

Your dentist has to a) offer Denplan and then b) assess your dental health; any outstanding treatment has to be completed and then you get classed between A-E (where A is practically perfect and E is a crumbling horror - we are both C ) and pay accordingly.

There you go, Scotland wins again. I think we should all move north.

Yes, there are free specs, but have you seen them?

(I mean the dentistry equivalent would be instant extraction of all problem teeth and a nice plastic denture )

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Pruni would you travel west? I was shocked to hear about there being no dentists in Fife!

What about Dundee?

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Yeah I realised that as soon as I posted it. I did understand what you meant!

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Denplan patient information

There is a dentist search link on the L to ask where your nearest Denplan dentist is

Oh, bugger, click on "about Denplan" on the L, that was the page I thought I was linking to.

I think we pay something like £11 a month that pays for 2 check ups 2 hygienist appointments and we get cover for dental insurance abroad. All other work I think we pay for.

Yes I suppose it can be expensive if you need loads of work and we're fortunate that we can afford it if we need it.

I can see how it might be seen as a luxury if your income isn't high, my 2 ds's grumble a bit at the monthly payments but I think they realise that looking after your teeth is important.

I suppose the key is 'look after your peggies'

It' so sad that after working in NHS dentistry for 10 years (then 5 years private) how NHS has eclined so so much.

The fact that average/low income earners can't afford treatment and are suffering is diabolical.

I know the dentists aren't at fault, when you see the day to day running of a surgery, you know what comes in and goes out. NHS dentistry doesn't pay and soon there will be NO NHS dentists left.