Dentists And Nhs Treatment

[gollob]

I phoned my dentist in Frinton on sea to book an appointment for a check up
I was told as I had not visited them for three years I was no longer a patient there . But I could go private and they gave me a date at the end of July. The system stinks. So I looked for another NHS Dentist in the area and the nearest one was 16 miles away. I thought I should complain to my MP Giles Watling but he is quite useless

[woofgang]

Dentists who practice outside of hospitals have never been obliged to accept NHS patients.

[gingejbee]

It's usual for NHS dentists to de-list you if you don't fulfil your part of the bargain ie have regular check-ups.
Seems more than fair to me.

[Prudie]

It does until during Covid you can *** off and the 6 month rule doesn't apply.

[gingejbee]

^we have both had check-ups last year with our NHS dentists - they were only unavailable when the government said they should be.

[Prudie]

It must vary then because our NHS dentist has done no check-ups for over a year and will only carry out emergency treatment. Even getting them to answer a phone has been a herculean task.

[237SJ]

It was only when I had need to go to dentists privately that I realised how crap the service that NHS dentists provide actually is.

[Buenchico]

16 miles away from Frinton?

Have you phoned all these to ask if they're currently accepting new NHS patients?

The Old Library Dental Practice
121-123 Connaught Avenue, Frinton-on-Sea
01255 674505

Elm Tree Dental Surgery
26 Elm Tree Avenue
Frinton-on-Sea
01255 672309

Clacton Dental Care
40-42 St Osyth Road
Clacton On Sea
01255 221001

Ford Road Dental Surgery
Unit 4a,
Newman Industrial Estate,
Ford Road,
Clacton-on-Sea
01255 474942

Jaywick Dental Surgery
Green Elms Health Centre
32 Crossways
Jaywick
01255 207620

mydentist,
120 Fronks Road, Dovercourt
01255 503570
[NB: The last time this dental surgery updated their information on the NHS website, on the 26th January this year, they indicated that they ARE accepting new NHS patients]

[webbo3]

Are there any teaching hospitals nearby.?
Have a look at this list, I work in Bristol dental hospital and you can self refer for treatment by the students in training, I use them myself and they are brilliant.
https://dentalhospitals.org.uk/about-us/dental-treatment-students/

[gollob]

Buenchico
Interesting your reply as where did I say I came from Frinton which I do not . I think the other dentist in Frinton are not Nhs and the others are not taking customers except Harwich. /Fronks road as of today hence 16 miles away. Pleae read what was written and not make things up

[bednobs]

what a miserable response to someone who has gone out of their way to help you.
you said the next nearest NHS dentist to frinton on sea was 16 miles away as as far as i can see that's what BC responded to - giving you some choices that were closer to Frinton than 16 miles.
in any case 16 miles doesn't seem all that far to me (admittedly im a car driver) - my nhs dentist is in a different county to where i live!

[webbo3]

gollob.
\\Buenchico
Interesting your reply as where did I say I came from Frinton which I do not //

the very first line of the question.
\\I phoned my dentist in Frinton on sea to book an appointment//

If you don't live in Frinto you must live quite close.

Wind your neck in.

[roopower]

Buenchico went out of his way to help you. You said your dentist was in Frinton, it seems fair to assume you live in Frinton or very close. I thought it was common knowledge that we go for a checkup annually.

[davebro]

Not sure what to do - NHS dentist cancelled my regular appointment about his time last year. I thought maybe they would be in touch when resuming normal service but maybe not. I'll ring them I guess.

No urgent problems - could do with a check-up & maybe a clean.

[barry1010]

golllob, I am appalled by your rudeness especially as you are a long term member and must be aware of how helpful Buenchico always is.

[THECORBYLOON]

Perhaps we should all leave GOLLOB to find his own solution to his problem?

[AuntPollyGrey]

Dentists are only allowed to take so many NHS patents. If 20% of those patents never go for a check-up or have work done that is a loss for the dentist -they dont get paid. Its understandable then, if they have patients that never go for check-ups, to take them off thier books.

If you are having trouble finding an NHS dentist, I would recommend signing up with a private practice and taking out a 'DenPlan' mine costs just £16 a month and that includes 2 yearly check-ups 2 Hygienist appointments for a clean and polish and all regular fillings (including white). The only things you pay for are Lab fees.

I find the standard of NHS dentist appalling when compared to those in other countries such as Canada and USA.

[margarettom]

Our dentist has been open all the time since the first lockdown. I had an extraction very promptly and a non urgent filling after a bit of a wait. I have also had 3 hygienist appointments, as I need these every 3 months. This was all on the NHS. It seems to be down to where you live really.
I can’t believe how rude gollob was!

[barry1010]

APG, the dentist gets paid by the NHS for the actual work done, not the number of patients registered. If the dentist is working to full capacity it doesn't matter if some patients rarely attend.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Barry thats my point: NHS dental patients are capped as so many per practice. If a dentist has 10,000 NHS patients, and they are supposed to have a NHS check up every 6 months @ say £30 (paid by the NHS in supplement to what the patent pays) that's a potential £60,000 a year income to the dentist just on checkups. If 2000 of those NHS patients don't attend for their checkups, then the dentists are losing the fee they get from the NHS, potentially in excess of £12,000 per annum.

[barry1010]

I don't understand, APG. As long as all the dentist's appointments are filled every working day he (or she) will be at the maximum income point - it doesn't matter if there are patients on his books that only attend when they think they need to because of pain or a lost filling.