Free Dental care during pregnancy. ?

[StrawberryEclairs]

My midwife told me at my booking I'm entitled to free Dental care up until a year after my baby is born.
Today my dental practice have told me I need to find a new dentist as he's no longer providing care as hes retiring and all other dentists in practice are full not accepting new patients.
I badly need a filling but I'm now left without a dentist. I currently have sore bleeding gums too midwife said its common in pregnancy.
I usually receive free nhs dental check ups anyway as I have MS so have a certificate to get nhs prices. But now I can no longer receive these either.
Dental told me even with my pregnancy certificate I can't receive free Dental treatment with them. I'm not left without a dentist ans nor sure what to do.
What is the purpose of the certificate for dental care during pregnancy if its impossible to find an nhs dentist as private dentists don't accept it ?

I'm in the same position at 19 weeks.

I know this is in no way helpful but you just need to pay for treatment. I was furious about it but ultimately I need to put my health above it.

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Have you checked this to see if there are any near you?

It’s frustrating and a similar think happened to me. I thankfully now have a dentist nhs but I have to drive 1 hour 15 to get there (but well worth the cost in petrol.)

So there are actually no catchment areas with dental so they advise to look outside your area for those accepting NHS. Also if you call 111 if there is anything which is causing you immediate pain they will source a localish emergency dentist too (mine was 45 min drive.)

Super frustrating but well worth it once you find somewhere OP x

I’m 33 weeks and in the same boat. I just accept it I need to pay.

during my first pregnancy I was “lucky” enough to actually able to get a free check up… it was frankly pathetic.
it lasted genuinely less than 10mins - closer to five and I was barely spoken to.
I KNEW I had issues because I have eyes and am not stupid
they declined the scale and polish I requested/needed and i was told everything looked fine and could I please piss off now.

i then went to see a private dentist who confirmed my suspicions a 20year old filing was wearing away and urgently need replacing to avoid a crown (I could feel wear at the edges in my mouth)

good quality paid for health care is better than any “free” shitty health care.

@tomatoontoast unfortunately I just can't afford the private costs. Especially with having my first baby on the way now. I guess I'll just have to grin and bare it. My husband is the only one working and he's only getting minimum wage and they cut his hours down start of December as work was too slow. By the time we pay rent, heating ,food ect we don't have the funds left. Were already in a world of debt so cannot borrow unfortunately

I may have just been lucky but I booked privately for a check up when pregnant and I was expecting to pay but the dentist ended up putting me through on NHS when I wasn’t expecting it. I’m hoping when I go back next year I can claim to be an NHS patient.

My dentist switched to private when pregnant with my second without notice and there are no nhs dentists in my area now so the exemption is pointless. I clench my teeth when stressed so my teeth are all cracked but can’t afford to have them sorted. It’s really frustrating when they tell you it’s free but you can’t use it. Unfortunately I’ve had to make do unless I get an infection or a sharp bit then it’s 111 and an emergency appointment

If you badly need this filling then I'd really try to go through all options to get it. Look further afield for NHS dentists or see if any private dentists can offer a payment plan.

Are you finances likely to become more stable in the foreseeable future? Have you ensured you are claiming any benefits you're entitled to? Maybe ask your midwife if she could point you in the direction of any financial support.

please write to your MP - the nhs contracts offer care to serve only a minority of the population and it’s basically a lottery. Political will is the only thing that will make a difference. But for now there’s not much you can do if you can’t pay :(

Yep-this is the same all over. My children are ‘entitled’ to free dental care, but if there’s no NHS dentist, they won’t get it.

It’s the same as the government promising 30 hours of ‘free’ (it’s not free, it’s partially funded) childcare this year. If you can’t find a childminder/nursery prepared to take you on, it won’t happen. They don’t have any trouble filling their spaces with people prepared to pay full price, then why would they want to accept the government’s paltry offer and be out of pocket?

If you need emergency dentist treatment - then go through 111. They should find you an NHS dentist out of hours and you can use your exemption certificate then.

This will only happen if you genuinely desperately need a new filling or if the bleeding gums is really bad.

General dentistry won't be done under 111.

Good luck!

If desperate, you can purchase a temporary filling kit at a pharmacy. I used one on holiday once to tide me over until I could see my dentist, and it was easy to use and lasted quite well for a few weeks.

If you need emergency antibiotics, try finding the number for your local authority emergency dental clinic and ring them direct. 111 are worse than useless, I wouldn't even bother.

You have my sympathy. There are no NHS dentists near me anymore - the NHS simply don't pay them enough to make it worth working at all.

Hi can I just ask as I’m nearly 11weeks and have a dental appt at the end of the month but wasn’t given my exemption certificate at my booking appt, will I need this to claim for my dental treatment? Thankyou

@CMG92 Contact your dentist and ask or contact your midwife and see if they can get one out to you. My dentist just told me to pop the certificate in to reception once I had it but they may not all be so lenient.

Unsure if OP or others saw my post but there is no catchment area on dentists so they will just tell you to look further afield (which is worth it!) There will be an NHS one taking on somewhere. Mine is over an hour drive but well worth it as I get it all for free when there!

Last time I used 111 twice whilst trying to source a dentist and the second time I used them I was out forward for emergency work and when I called the emergency dentist for my area I’m not gonna lie they were very passive aggressive with me and I had to put my partner on the phone as the woman was so rude I was crying. Also the care you receive is very hit and miss (second time was like having dental work done 100 years, think scary building, dark room with a blinding white light and comically huge needle to numb me.)

And also 111 only did a temporary fix both times and told me to find a dentist to fix it properly.

I feel your pain OP. I’m not pregnant but need a tooth removing, no dentists near me were accepting NHS patients and I was quoted 250-300 for a removal.

I’ve ended up at an NHS dentist but the nearest accepting patients was an hour drive each way