Dentist

[Mmmmdanone]

My dentist is still only doing emergency appointments. Everyone else I know has been for a check up at their dentists. I recently changed my DD to another dentist so she could get a check up (she has braces and I was a bit concerned as orthodontist hadn't seen her for months either). My ds is 11 and has possible autism (diagnosis delayed due to covid) so I don't particularly want to change his dentist as he would likely have an issue with this.
I'm quite confused about this as I know these other dentists are doing checkups. Can you tell me if you and your DC have been able to visit for routine appointments if you are on Scotland (particularly Glasgow)? I think it's awful that children's check ups are not being done at my current dentist and want to find out if this is normal.

Are they NHS? If so then nhs dentists are not allowed to operate normally. And it isn’t worth it for them to...

If private, dentists have to follow strict operating procedures to be COVID secure, but can operate ‘as normal’ with checkups etc x x x

Mine is private and operating as normal.

Nope none of us have had check ups since before the first lock down. We normally get a text when it's due but haven't had anything yet. I'm in North Lanarkshire

Mine is a private dental company that takes NHS patients, I assume it's the same in most places? Me and my kids recently had check ups but they couldn't do any actual treatment unless you wanted to pay for it privately.

I'm in Scotland but outside Glasgow

Just checked- last appointments for me and the kids was February
Dd also hasn't seen the orthodontist. Her appointment was in March and it got cancelled. I imagine they are playing catch up with all the missed appointments and it'll take a while to get round to all of them

My dentist isn’t operating normally. You can pay for private treatment-so can get a check up if you want to pay £45 I believe. I was able to get a filling seen to as I paid for a white one which is the private option. Seems bonkers but I believe it’s to do with the health board not signing up to allow NHS work to go ahead...or something like that!

I’m south lan, close to Glasgow, and no, only emergencies too. Although they called me to schedule a routine hygienist appointment where they will do a manual scale.

Am in Scotland, no routine NHS appointments at my dentist. Adult DD phoned them about gum pain (wisdom teeth coming through) and was told she couldn't go in person unless it was bleeding.

Ok thanks. Seems like a lot are in the same situation. Just confused that my mum and uncle, both in Edinburgh, have had normal check ups with NHS dentists, and my daughter also had one at a different dentist (also NHS). I thought my dentist had possibly been over zealous. I know that none are doing anything with a drill (I've had a drilled down front tooth for 9 months as was part way through a treatment in march and more drilling needs done) but having no check ups, especially for children, seems a bit extreme.

I'm in Glasgow
I received a text, 2 weeks ago informing us that the dentist will be starting a normal practice from the 16th Nov.
They will be contacting everyone who needed treatment during lockdown first. I imagine it will take months to get a normal check-up.
My Dentist is Private and NHS.

Children won't be a priority and the dentist is limited in the number of patients they will be able to see each day.

My dentist in Perth is 60/40 private/NHS. I’ve been attending every 3 months for a scale and polish, with a check up at alternate visits. Most recently three days ago.

He has installed state of the art ventilation with rapid air change for the surgery premises, and has full PPE. The scaling is done manually to avoid aerosol generation from the power tools.

dementedpixie I recently phoned my dd's orthodontist and got an appointment for her as she was quite distressed about her braces. Her teeth were moving back as she has run out of the correct bands. They saw her and she now has another appointment in February. Just so you know, making a call to them got her back into the process. Again, other orthodontists seemed to be still doing NHS work so I thought it was worth a try. It just doesn't seem to be making a lot of sense.

This is a letter my dentist has shared on their fb page

I'm in Edinburgh and our dentist has so far not restarted checkups for children or grownups. Think they're a mix or private and NHS. You can get NHS emergency appointments quite easily though.

I don't think my dentist is doing checkups just yet, but they are restarting. I have an appointment for Fri for a crown that came off months ago.

@dementedpixie, if the "mitigation measures are more important than ever", then they should have seen more people months ago, when the "mitigation measures" were not that important...

Eldest has seen his orthodontist as per usual, but none of us have had a routine dental appointment since before lockdown. Live outside of Glasgow.

blowinahoolie this is what I mean. Some orthodontists carrying on as normal, some not. Some dentists doing check ups. Some not. It's driving me mad as my dentist says they are" following the rules". But everyone is doing it differently!

Both my two have braces. Ds been seen twice since sept regarding his braces.

Dd is under the hospital orthodontist and hasn't been seen since December 19, had her surgery cancelled and had to kick up a fuss to be seen with a snapped brace.

I'm in Glasgow (East Dunbartonshire) and had a check up on Monday. My DDs have their check up on Fri. We are NHS patients but the practice also has private patients. I did have to phone to ask - they claimed they had contacted me but they definitely didn't! It does sound like it's entirely dentist dependent, which is ridiculous!

I'm in Scotland, my dentist (mix of private and NHS) isn't re-starting check ups and routine appointments until January 😬

Just had a call from our dentist (level3) to get us all booked in for next January. It was for one of the kids but I got the whole family added. They seemed to be working through a list in some sort of priority.

If you do get an appt for one child, try to add everyone as I’m guessing it reduces the cleaning for them to do one household at a time.

Mmm DS had issues with his braces during lockdown earlier this year so had to get advice over the phone... wasn't ideal so I sympathise with your DD. Because he was having issues he was put at top of the list to be seen as soon as they reopened. It isn't easy just now. He is getting seen monthly at the moment, but this has only been since August.