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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:

Original poster

SequinsandStilettos · 11/02/2023 18:45

Thanks for your posts - I will ring around tomorrow. Been on NHS dentists near me (NW)
15 aren't taking on any new NHS patients
32 aren't updating they're not
4 say they will take referrals
1 says it will take under 17s

So I have 5/52 to try. A tenth. Wish me luck x

OP posts:

Blueberry40 · 11/02/2023 18:47

No, my practice forced us to go private, after many years of NHS treatment they have become fully private 😭

LiverBurd · 11/02/2023 18:49

My private dentist takes kids (but not adults) as NHS patients. I don't think they advertise this though!

Might be worth calling a few private practices?

DrMadelineMaxwell · 11/02/2023 18:51

Our first practice (I'd been in since a kid) went private when I was on maternity leave in 2001.

The practice we moved to went private 2 years later.

Then we have been with the same practice ever since, but thought something was afoot when we couldn't book an advance check up with our dentist in the summer. They said hang fire as the dentist was leaving and they didn't know who they'd have. Well the dentist they have taken on will take us, but only private. It's annoying as we feel we registered with the practice, not the dentist, but don't seem to have the option to stay with them without taking out the payment plan.

We've been put on a local place's waiting list, but it's 3 years long. The remaining years of free NHS care that DD2 will qualify for will have finished by the time we get on their books.

oishutup · 11/02/2023 18:55

Our NHS dentist of 6 years have cancelled the last two appts for my kids.
They told me last week that they are only seeing NHS kids on Wednesdays & the rest is private. Bonkers.

RudsyFarmer · 11/02/2023 18:59

They do have an NHS dentist however they were struggling to recruit the last I heard so whether their next appointments will happen I have no idea.

MintJulia · 11/02/2023 19:01

Yes, we both are. I'm 60 this year and have not had to go private yet.

We've been very lucky so far.

StillWantingADog · 11/02/2023 19:06

Our private dentist takes on kids of private patients as NHS. And sees us all together.
that’s the best you can find round here.

I did have an nhs dentist but got struck off for not visiting for 3 years which happened to be up when we were peak pandemic and they were virtually closed😡.

SkankingWombat · 11/02/2023 19:08

My dentist is private but they allow DCs of patients as NHS, and treated me as NHS when I was pregnant and for 1 year PP. It must be a great setup for them TBH - the 3 of us attend together, I pay for mine and the dentist gets whatever fee from the NHS for an extra 10mins on the appointment (2xDCs @ 5 mins each). Plus, the chances are they will age out and become adult private patients - I can't see the downside for the dentist?

CornedBeefandCarnage · 11/02/2023 19:14

We're all NHS. Last year we switched to a different dentist at the same practice as the previous one has gone private. The new one seems way better.

fugly1 · 11/02/2023 19:25

In the SW, private dentist for adults and dc. Waiting list for nhs is 5 years plus

Novita · 11/02/2023 20:18

Dc get NHS treatment and I and dh are private.

Reugny · 11/02/2023 20:41

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.

I moved to the area of London I now live about 15 years ago. For the first 8 years there were no NHS dentists taking on new patients. Then one opened their books intermittently and another who had spaces, while geographically nearer, wasn't any easier to get to than my dentist.

I spoke to receptionist and then dentist at the dental practice I'm with when I moved and they said as there is no geographic limit to where patients can live in England so I could just stay with them. I just needed to have an appointment every 12 months to ensure I stayed on their books.

TrudyProud · 11/02/2023 20:51

We have an nhs dentist- me, DH and DD (10months) My MIL just signed us up when we relocated to the area. Very thankful

Gymmum82 · 11/02/2023 20:56

I’m in NW. We’re all with NHS dentists. Previous one went private so we found a new one without too much bother

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