Dentists

[russnet]

Me's been a bit naughty. I haven't been to the dentist for two years so when I enquired about getting a check up. I was told because I left it so long that I would need to go private. The price for a check up under private was about £14 which is well over double the NHS cost. Let alone any charges should I need any fillings. One of my mum's friends was in a similar situation and needed some work being done and it ended up costing £500, now to me that's credit card money!

Fair enough, it's my own fault for leaving it so long and I guess I will pay for the price... literally! But does anyone know whether you can go back from being private to the NHS again or is it a case of tough titties, your private for the rest of your life?

[Gavin Scott]

You can go NHS, if you find a Dentist opening in the area (or an exisiting one) taking a certain amount of "NHS patients". They usually make a song and dance about it - the one round the corner from my work had balloons tied to the railings outside. Places always go quickly.

It most certainly *is* your fault when you let a perfectly good NHS place lapse for the sake of getting along for a check-up. I did it too though, so I appreciate how easily it can happen.

On the plus side, most private dentists will give you an option to "bill" you, especially if you need quick treatment and don't have funds instantly available. That will give you until your next pay day - provided you have one. Average costs if you need the odd filling shouldn't exceed £50.00. That's not a lot considering how much you miss the odd tooth if you have to lose it. I speak from experience.

I miss my molar.

[Martin]

My previous dentist had a tendency to run the practice a bit too much like a business - if it saw 6 kids through private education he must have been doing something right. I kept meaning to register with another dentist but being busy with other things it was forgotten about.

I eventually got round to it about a month back and got myself booked in. All in all I must have been between dentists for around 2/3 years but there certainly wasn't any problem in registering again. Because I had been away for so long an x-ray was taken to ensure everything was ok. Luckily enough everything was fine. They didn't seem to have any objection that I hadn't been in a while.

Maybe you should ask around before committing to going private.

[russnet]

The annoying thing for me is my previous employer offered free health care, not sure if it covered dental but I should have done sommat before I left. Hey ho eh.

My existing dentist, wonderfully named Mr Ho has now left his practice so technically it's almost starting again so it wouldn't matter if I stayed within the same surgery or if I chose another one.

[Gavin Scott]

Mr Hey Ho, presumably.

Now you will remember not to press your lips against glass when you see your dentist like you have in that avatar, won't you?

Otherwise he'll never get his drill in.

[cwathen]

So you're only entitled to NHS dental treatment if you go to the dentist every 6 months like a good little boy? Sounds a bit odd to me.

Looks like I'm screwed then, I'm one of those people who doesn't obsess over the condition of my teeth and only go the dentist if I'm in pain or if there is something noticeably wrong with them. I haven't been in almost 5 years. If private is the only option left to me, it looks like it could be another 5 - I'll have to save up.

[russnet]

Mr Hey Ho, presumably.

Now you will remember not to press your lips against glass when you see your dentist like you have in that avatar, won't you?

Otherwise he'll never get his drill in.

Well his first initial was G, I never knew what it stood for. Chinese chap though. Always had fancy cars outside the surgery, probably paid for by the patients.

Anyhow, thats a horrible piccy of me. The only one I had on the PC that I could make Metropol red friendly. I might put a better picture up lately but it's not quite halowe'en yet as I don't want to scare anyone

[Neil Jones]

So you're only entitled to NHS dental treatment if you go to the dentist every 6 months like a good little boy? Sounds a bit odd to me.

My dentist has upped the regular checkup to every 12 months - because one of the others is leaving and the surgery can't find anybody to replace them. Apparently not one person responded to the ad.

[nwtv2003]

I haven't been to the Dentist for at least a year and a half now, they have sent me the odd reminder but I really don't care, as I hate my (NHS) Dentist, the amount of times I have suffered with bullshit like "This won't hurt" or "This is a good anesthetic" (sp?) has really put me off, frankly I am not arsed if the NHS strike me off the list, I feel fine, I brush twice a day and rarely have any problems, if I do have something bad then I would be happy to pay extra and go Private.

And I preferred my Orthodontist, they are far better and far more trusting.

[Brad]

My dentist was 300 miles away in Sussex, and I was told that before an operation, I'd need a check up, so I duly made my way to a dentist and registered, no problem within three minutes. No queues, no Daily Mail "dentist crisis" style headlines, but just me filling in a form and booking an appointment. Oddly I was told that before they can even clean my teeth, they need to speak to my heart consultant?!

[russnet]

So basically if I act dumb and go to a random dentist, providing I don't tell them my previous history, there might be a chance they might register me assuming there is a space going in the first place.