Dentists nhs V private need help and advice

[windypops]

Ok I have been phoning round all morning trying to find a dentist that will take nhs patients, with no joy, contacted nhs direct and then advise only one in my area of about 100 dentists that take nhs patients and they have a waiting list of 6 months before I can even be seen. (and they are 7 miles away)

Does anyone have a rough idea how much it is to be go private as I know you have to pay with nhs as well. I also have a young son, private do I have to pay for him as well.

Anyone got a rough comparison.

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Don't know if you already know this, but you can also search for NHS dentists using the NHS Gateway site (look for the Find a Dentist section on the right hand side).

I also know that Boots dentists used to do free (or NHS?) dentistry on children IF the adult was a private patient. Don't know if that helps.

I was lucky, I managed to find an NHS dentist near us, but did have to pay a £30 registration fee to get on their books

I think you have to pay 75% of the cost under the NHS anyway. My dentist recently stopped taking NHS customers, and I reluctantly decided that a dentist I knew and trusted was more important than my views on private health care. It is also cheaper, by the hour, and by visits needed per year, than haircuts and tints!

My mum pays £17 for a filling at her NHS dentist and I pay £50 for one at my private dentist.
Also, be careful. I went to one private practice and was told by one of the dentists I needed 6 fillings I asked for a 2nd opinion so the dentist who owned the practice agreed to see me and I only needed 2!! Therefore I am now starting to think that it could be one big money making scam for some dentists!!

where are you based? I have a great nhs dentist in nw london.

i use a private dentist and he is fantastic. Certainly the best i have ever had and wonderful with ds who is 5. he has all the latest kit and offers lots of alternatives when deciding on treatment. It is expensive though, you have to pay for children as he does no NHS work at all but my ds loves him and calls him my friend the dentist. i didnt have the option of NHS dentist as there are none available here. Most private dentist will offer the choice of payment plans so maybe you could spread the cost.

We have a private dentist (through Denplan) but they treat kids on the NHS, including orthodontics, so if you start ringing round the private ones, ask if they do.

With Denplan you pay so much a month (your dental health is assessed at the start and you pay accordingly) and all your appointments, and things like fillings, X-rays and hygienist check-ups, are included. The only extra is lab fees for things like crowns and dentures. The cheapest category is A (that would be more or less perfect teeth I think!); DH is a B and I am a C and we pay £30 a month. They gain nothing by recommending unnecessary work, and use all the best materials and latest equipment, and you can usually get an appointment pretty quickly when you need to, so it seems like a good deal...

Denplan's website - has a find-a-dentist bit.