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Original poster

Are anyone's children still under NHS dentistry care?

40 replies

SequinsandStilettos · 07/02/2023 22:51

My two have been with an NHS dentist for three years.
That practice now going private.
They claim they asked to keep NHS child patients but exclude NHS adults and were told no - keep them all or let them all go. No half-in, half-out.
They now have no dentist unless we go the private plan route.
Have also been warned by the practice that another dentist saying they're taking on NHS kiddies reneges on it a week later and they have patients returning for the private care plan.
Anyone else in the same boat?

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 07/02/2023 22:56

We’re all under an NHS dentist including DD. I was amazed they were taking on new NHS patients last autumn. I know it’s unusual and I’m sorry about your situation.

Moonlaserbearwolf · 07/02/2023 23:01

No sign of it at our dentist…yet. I’m a private patient and my children are NHS. But my dentist has moaned about costs the last few times we have been and it wouldn’t surprise me if NHS dentistry disappears completely fairly soon.

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 07/02/2023 23:01

All of us - two adults, two children - are with the same NHS dental practice in our town. It's a decent size, about five or six dentists I think, so it will have a large patient list. The kids and dh have six monthly check ups (because DH has shit teeth), mine are every 12 months. My mum and dad are both there too.

There used to be another NHS dentist in the same town, but I think they went private a few years ago. Not sure what happened to their existing NHS patients.

Return2thebasic · 07/02/2023 23:01

OP, which region are you based? My DCs are with NHS and so am I. But all because having registered with them before COVID. Since the lockdown finished, they are so stretched that I was told the waiting list is 3 years long. So DH would have to pay if he wants to be seen (not registered).

We are based in London. I suspect outside the big cities, it's a lot more difficult to have NHS dentistry, as I saw lots of people say they couldn't find one within miles radius.

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 07/02/2023 23:03

We're in the north, but semi rural. Agree cities it's harder - I didn't see a dentist for 8 years when I lived in Leeds before I eventually managed to get into a tiny new practice that had opened up in a really, really dodgy area.

Newpuppymummy · 07/02/2023 23:06

All of us are too. NE England

Gooseysgirl · 07/02/2023 23:09

We're still NHS, (two adults, two kids) but the surgery is not taking any new NHS patients so we suspect they are gradually going private. We are in the south east.

PitYerTapOan · 07/02/2023 23:15

Of course not.

We did have one, after years of waiting but then they kicked us off because we didn't have an appointment for six months. During covid. When they were shut.

Tbh I find that NHS charges for everything apart from having a quick look anyway so if you take out a plan privately it's not that much more expensive.

I do get momentarily fucked off every time I hear some dullard opine how lucky we in the UK are to have 'our' NHS when most of the time 'we' don't but apart from that I just accept that's how it is. Healthcare in this country is shit.

piglet81 · 07/02/2023 23:17

We’re all nhs patients at our dentist (London).

rainingcats · 07/02/2023 23:19

We are all NHS. DH managed to register after paying privately just before lockdown and I registered my youngest a few weeks after he was born. They seem to have plenty of appointments so long as you are flexible with days and times. I am worried at some point they will turn private. Large town in Hertfordshire for context.

Madcats · 07/02/2023 23:19

I've been with the same dental practice for about 25 years. When the original partners retired they carried on doing a mix of NHS and private (and it seemed to be pure fluke which of our friends could register for NHS v private), but they then went all private for adults just after lockdown.

Kids are currently all still allowed NHS care (but I don't think that is the case for new families hoping to join).

I really worry about the state of some kids' teeth and, more importantly, their gums. It would be far better for money to be spent preventing the problems, to save a lot of money further down the line.

Tanfastic · 07/02/2023 23:20

Used to be but they gradually changed to private with DS being last to go this year. Luckily two of the three of us have good teeth.

CollieBuckie · 07/02/2023 23:26

There doesn't appear to be such a thing as an NHS dentist here now (Edinburgh). Every single one for miles around have gone private. DH and I were given to the choice to sign up to a private plan or go elsewhere (there's nowhere else to go). However, they are still seeing under 18s under NHS.

inloveandmarried · 07/02/2023 23:31

I am south west and rural as you get. We are all with a nhs dentist. I can't say the treatment is very good as the dentists are constantly changing. I've had to pay privately to get my recent nhs treatment corrected.

But yes in answer to your question, two adults and four (now adult) children all registered from same address.

mumofone2019 · 07/02/2023 23:33

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn at the poster's request due to privacy concerns.

StressedToDeathhhh · 07/02/2023 23:33

Me and my kids are all still NHS and have free 6 monthly checkups. When my daughter complained of toothache last month they saw her the next day which I was impressed with. None of us have ever needed any work luckily.

Verite1 · 07/02/2023 23:41

We are NHS (London). We have been members for ages, but surprisingly my DH managed to register only a couple of weeks ago!

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 07/02/2023 23:42

I have been with the sane nhs dentist for over 20 years, and he took on the dc when they were born. He'd have taken in dh too, but dh went once, didn't like him and decided that he'd rather continue to pay privately for bigger parking spaces and fancier tropical fish.

FrangipaniBlue · 08/02/2023 00:22

My practice has a mix of private and nhs dentists.

I'm registered with the private one and DS nhs however in reality, they never make us have separate appts and DS is seen by my dentist at the same time I have my check ups!

Season0fTheWitch · 08/02/2023 00:44

DH, DC and I have gone private. Much better care and more reliable

Cats23 · 08/02/2023 00:48

Myself and 4 Dc (1x now an adult) are all on NHS dentist but DP has been waiting 6yrs to get on. It took my youngest Dc 5 yrs to be added ( she was put on list when I waa 6 months preg) My parents and 3x adult siblings also Nhs , their 4x kids are not as on lists still.

JimnJoyce · 08/02/2023 01:38

i managed to find an NHS dentist accepting new patients 18 mths ago albeit 17 miles from where i live. DD14's NHS dentist is 10 miles in the other direction and her NHS Orthodontist is 3 miles away.

Reugny · 08/02/2023 02:02

I have an NHS dental practice who I've been with for over 20 years and my DP is with another one who he's been with for over 15 years.

My DD is registered with DP's as he got an appointment before me after lockdown. Luckily as my actual dentist left during lockdown.

We are in London but regardless where we have both lived in London we kept the same dental practices.

Mumof3girlsandaboy · 08/02/2023 02:03

My 4 children are and routinely check every 6 months. I’m planning to go private soon because I have been waiting for nearly 2 years to re-register

tinkerbellvspredator · 08/02/2023 08:26

Have never had a problem registering for NHS dentists in the London areas I've lived in. Our current one is registering new NHS patients.