Can I choose to have dental work done at hospital?

[WorriedMother96]

Sorry if this post is a bit all over the place but basically, I've neglected my teeth for most of my adulthood (I'm 28). Finally trying to sort it out. Can't get an NHS dentist anywhere near me so been going privately. I've had my scale and polish done and examination.

I need 2 wisdom teeth removed and 4 fillings. Dentist says he will do it max 2 fillings at a time and both extractions together. So 3 appointments in total. Plus I have to go to the hospital to get a proper x-ray before he will do the extractions.

I'm a single mum with 2 young children (aged 1 and 2). It's hard work for me to get childcare for all of these appointments. I'm also not sure how I'll be having it done, generally I hate blood or injections or anything like that and have passed out many times having injections or blood tests. So safe to say I'm feeling pretty anxious about it.

Can I ask to have it done in hospital under sedation? And would they be able to do all the work?

It would really solve all my problems because then it would be just 1 'appointment' so easier for me to get childcare and can send the kids to their dad's while I recover and also I would just much prefer to not be awake or properly conscious while it's all happening. I was struggling not to freak out just during the scale and polish 😫

And then since my dentist is private would it be my nearest NHS hospital I'd have it done at or some kind of private dentist hospital ? (Not sure if that exists 😂) And would I have to pay for it...?

Thanks for reading 🙏

Dental hospitals do exist. As far as I’m aware, you have to be referred by your dentist for any specialist treatment that has to be done in a hospital - e.g. DS needed an extraction done which the dentist was not able to do as it was so complex and he needed to be anaesthetised so we were referred to a hospital for that. But I don’t think it’s elective. You can certainly talk to your dentist and see what the options are, though.

Since your dentist is private, I imagine you’ll need to pay for the treatment you are having done - has he given you his price list for the various treatments you need?

I very much doubt anyone would do two extractions and fillings at the same time. Have you any idea what it's like? I've had two extractions in the past year at different times and the procedure and recovery is not a walk in the park. I think you're mental for wanting to try and get it done at once.

Contact your nearest dental hospital and ask them if the student scheme is running. Mine will do work free if you let (supervised) students do it as part of their training. Postgrads have just done mine, however my dentist had referred me there in the first place. There was at least a year's wait and several appointments.

Students cannot do treatment under sedation which is what op wants.

If you are genuinely phobic you can ask your dentist about sedation , they will either , at a price, be able to do it at the practice or refer to another private practice.

Even though the practice is private it can refer you to the community service for treatment under sedation if you are phobic. However you will need at least two appointments (assesment and treatment) and waiting lists in my area are two plus years , even if you are in pain.

If you are treated by dental students at the hospital it will take a lot more time, the clinics run much more slowly that at your own dentists due to the level of supervision. So you will need to take lots more days off work.

As a Pp said, students won’t do it under sedation. They might do two fillings at once but it depends on where they are in your mouth and how much work is involved.

The extractions will normally be one at a time, but it will be under a local anaesthetic.

As @Lollygaggle explained, you can ask for a referral to the community dental service but there’s a long waiting list.

So if your priority is the least amount of time of work then you’d be much quicker to go to your own dentist.

Wherever you are treated, they will want to talk to you about looking after your teeth in future .

You might want to also seek some private help for your dental phobia.

Does your children's father take them to the dentist ? If not he needs to do that now, you don’t want to pass on your fears to your children.

Please don’t get students to remove wisdom teeth.
Do it when children at their dad’s with some recovery time in between.
In a nicest possible way how are you going to raise your kids if you can’t tolerate blood? Just put your big girl pants and do what should be done. Close your eyes when at an appointment, there wont be so much blood.

The dental hospital is usually split into different departments so they wouldn't do one sedation appointment for extractions and fillings, it would be 1 dentist to do sedation and extractions, then another dentist to do sedation and fillings, plus you would need assessment appointments first. The waiting list will also be very long unfortunately. Speak to your dentist about your options, tell them you are very nervous and also about the big costs involved. Maybe ask them what teeth need urgent attention and deal with them first.

My dentist does sedation, but it will add £1000 to the bill which is already £2600 for the 5 fillings I need which are huge composites. I am considering it though and getting it all done in one go rather than one a month forever.