Dental treatment

[dobbslc]

I've had some poor dental treatment over the years and now I need some work doing on my teeth, the problem is that I really don't trust dentists.
The current one is new to the practice and replaced another new one that didn't last long, last dentist said she could sort a tooth out for £350 ish but when I went back the latest one wants £1700 for an insert! This is as a private patient. They really don't want you if it's NHS work.
What can I do?
Is there a way to get decent treatment on the NHS?
I don't want to loose anymore teeth as they butchered them when I was a kid.

 

[Domdom]

I have similar issues, mostly from playing rugby before the days of mouth guards. After 2 years of research I am looking at going to Italy next year. UK quote of 12k for fixing 5 teeth, same in Italy for 1500.

UK dentistry, and much of the NHS for that matter, utterly useless to normal people.

 

[dobbslc]

Wow that's a massive difference!

I've heard of people getting kidneys stolen during teeth ops in Turkey which is where I was looking a while ago!
A bit off putting...

 

[Kerelise]

I reluctantly had to pay private fees - quickly realised, best avoid young / fresh from school dentists, best to go with someone over 40 years old, who's been dentisting for years. The younger ones seem to do poor quality work, cause damage etc. that the older chaps have to correct. My relatives go to Poland for all their dentistry now, and combine it with eye tests and other health stuff.

 

[Domdom]

There are plenty of countries where you get better dentistry a lot cheaper than the UK. Bulgaria, Poland, even Germany. Check them all out and decide. I discounted Turkey cos I can’t stand the place.

I work with a Polish guy who travels back for all his dentistry. Even with the flight cost it’s cheaper.

 

[dobbslc]

I work with a Polish guy who travels back for all his dentistry. Even with the flight cost it’s cheaper

And people say "they're over here for the free healthcare"

 

[selectedgrub]

Ask your dentist who their dentist is.
Go to them.

 

[dobbslc]

Just as a note I don't want this to turn into an NHS/ UK knocking rantothon (I could go on all day)
I just what to know what's out there treatment wise before I have to get my Knipex pliers out...

 

[Brad93]

Always been lucky with our dentist. If you're not registered for with one under the nhs it must be a nightmare

 

[Bullet2012]

Article on the beeb.

NHS dentistry as we know it 'gone for good'

Most adults may need to start paying for care to protect free support for others, a think tank says.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bornfree]

Always been lucky with our dentist. If you're not registered for with one under the nhs it must be a nightmare

My local one informed every patient by letter that they were stopping all NHS treatment and we would need to re-register private or find another. An impossible task.

 

[Smallfry]

NHS treatment is almost always done by novice, newly qualified dentists around here, and quality of work, and materials used is poor.

When I was a kid my dentist was very eccentric and really old to me at the time .... must have been in his late Thirties. Always had classical music on, and was conducting away with the fairies. He was great with patients who were scared, and had such a gentle manner, his work was great though. Sadly he was killed by a Police car while on holiday in France.

Didn't go to a dentist for years after this, but when I had to, it was to an Iranian lady, who always described herself as Persian, and we had many interesting conversations about this, as she hated the regime, and would not comply with the "rules". Also did great work with crowns etc, and none ever fell off or fillings fell out even after many years. She sold the practise, and went on to other things. It was taken over by a young dentist who has expanded, and they now have several surgeries, but the turnover of newly qualified dentists is very high, and you seldom get o see the same person more than once.

I had a few problems over the pandemic, but they would not treat me and many others, and my teeth, or should I say teep, are now in a poor state, and I am now in a similar situation.

I also think they all want to be private, and charge private rates for the same poor work, and NHS treatment is almost a thing of the past.

Brother in Law goes to India for his dental work.

 

[Erie Fred]

Common saying over hear about bad teeth:
"if it wasn't for Arkansas, we would be calling them Teeth brushes".....

 

[gaz1]

you could try post code dentestry if your willing to travel it is cheaper

dentist have never been nhs included as always been a private system though i find it an insult when they send people too nhs for teeth to be extracted in a hospital

on about having your cake and eating it with the dentist practice

 

[dobbslc]

on about having your cake and eating it

I'm struggling with the second half of that

 

[gaz1]

there a private system that your paying 1500 or 12k for and want to still use the free nhs service instead of sending you to a private dentist hospital

 

[Burdekin]

Sounds like she is saying the tooth can't be saved or she thinks the best approach is a implant. Implants are good but expensive. Alternative could be a crown with root canal or a large filling that may not last. Best to contact the dentist and ask to talk through your options.

 

[Eric the chicken]

My local one informed every patient by letter that they were stopping all NHS treatment and we would need to re-register private or find another. An impossible task.

I had exactly the same scenario. Re-register and join up for a scheme where a set fee was paid every month which allowed you two six monthly checks each year and obviously any treatment on top of that would be extra. That was a couple of years ago and I didn't bother.
I had one email from the practise asking if I wanted to sign up and nothing since. As far as my teeth are concerned, so far ao good.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Always been lucky with our dentist. If you're not registered for with one under the nhs it must be a nightmare

I can't praise mine enough, it's just the Denplan cost that grieves me, up to £36 a month now. However, he seems to be able to work miracles and rebuilt a molar that was just a low shell into something useable. Despite his warning that it was temporary, it lasted three years before I accidentally pulled it apart with toffee. The replacement is two years and counting.

 

[Brad93]

I can't praise mine enough, it's just the Denplan cost that grieves me, up to £36 a month now. However, he seems to be able to work miracles and rebuilt a molar that was just a low shell into something useable. Despite his warning that it was temporary, it lasted three years before I accidentally pulled it apart with toffee. The replacement is two years and counting.

Yep i've had same dentist for probably 20 years, frenchman, lovely bloke, always done good work. Had a veneer when i was about 10, chipped tooth, when i was 16 he said we better redo that while it's free!
When i saw him just after covid, after not seeing him for three years, he said he couldn't believe how well it was holding up, 13 years and counting.