Can’t register at dentist... unless I go private

[LianneCL]

Hi everyone,
I’m wondering if anyone else is in this situation (I know it could be far worse but still)
My partner and I moved recently and before we could get round to registering at dentist (even before pandemic most close to us weren’t accepting new patients) the pandemic struck... and then I fell pregnant.

Some practices near me say they are accepting patients but after getting in touch with a few, they say it’s only private.

This infuriated me as a) I’m entitled to free dentistry right now and b) surely if capacity is the issue then they won’t be able to register any patients whether they can afford to pay private or not??

Has anyone been able to find a way round this?

If it helps, we live on Norfolk/Suffolk border

I’m lucky in that neither of us need dental treatment right now but due to a complicated move and lockdowns, it’s been about 2 years since our last check ups

Any help/advice is much appreciated!
Thank you
Lianne

Dentists don't have to be NHS, and more than doctors do. It's a national problem because, as I understand it, the NHS is crap with dentists so many will not deal with it. I believe that if you cannot find one you have to contact the NHS. I don't know how well that works in getting a solution though. Sorry.

Yep, very normal. 7yr waiting list for a dentist on the NHS register in Devon and Cornwall.

Those dentists with nhs contracts are limited as to the number of patients they can see as nhs. So they also have private to fill their hours and pay the bills. As pp has said, the nhs contracts are appalling in terms of payments.
I continued with my private dentist and paid for appointments while pregnant, as the service I received there was superior and more choice over the best options for me. Not dictated by what the nhs will pay for.
You’re only exempt for a short time due to pregnancy etc so it seemed the best option. The few people I know locally who have nhs dentistry still have to travel a pretty long way for it, they probably use more in terms of fuel and time! Finding a good dentist that you trust is more important, IMO.

Maybe resign yourself to private and look at insurance like Denplan? FWIW you will get far better treatment privately as they have different options for fillings etc not just the cheapest.Denplan can be less than £25 a month.

Most dentists where I live are NHS only for children. Private for adults. I have had three children and never found a dentist who would treat me nhs while pregnant.

However, check out the prices at the various dentists. Private is not as expensive as you think. It’s also important to keep up your oral hygiene while you’re pregnant.

Capacity for nhs care is limited. The government sets the amount of NHs work each practice can do, the majority of pratices use up their capacity

There is not capacity for the whole country to have nhs dental care. There are often places taking on at various points but you have to search

We havent had an nhs dentist for over 10 yrs even for my 3 children!
Can't blame the dentists, government contracts are awful.

We had to wait two years to get registered. And if you miss an appointment they take you off their list. Which is fair enough.

There is a postcode search engine on the NHS website.

Reduced capacity at the moment due to Covid. Dentists have you deal with expensive PPE costs, reduced footfall in practice, fallow time of up to one hour between treatments, and the aftermath of the first lockdown. We have over 2,000 patients calling us from March to June needing emergency appointments. We are still working our way through the backlog. We are working in staff bubbles, so not even working normal hours yet.
As a guide, we can only see a certain amount of patients daily, approximately 20% of our pre Covid levels.
It's not a lot. It doesn't pay the wages. It was dreadful before the pandemic, and disastrous now.

NHS dentistry doesn't work, and the only way to pay the bills, the wages, the materials, the indemnity, the insurance, the regulators, the PPE, the increased ventilation required now, the utility bills, the legal and HR fees, the rent and the rates is to take on private work to supplement the NHS.

I've been in dentistry for over twenty years and never been so worried and distressed by my profession as I am now.

I think it is extremely unlikely sadly, that any dentist will take on new NHS patients at present., especially when we are struggling so much to see our existing patients that have been suffering so terribly all this time.
The thing with private dentistry, is that it pays better. This money doesn't line our pockets. It is quite simply and realistically what dentistry costs now.