It's The Rich Wot Gets The Pleasure, It's The Poor Wot Gets The Pain.

[sandyRoe]

I don't suppose even the richest could take any pleasure from a visit to the dentist but at least they're seen and treated.

I phoned my dentist this morning and asked to be put back on their patient list. Their first response was to say they weren't taking on any new patients.

 I then asked about private patients and was told I could be seen this morning at 11 o'clock.  There would be a £50 charge for the initial consultation.

The dentist and I discussed the treatment and I was told it will cost about £800.

A lot couldn't afford that.  What are they to do, suffer in silence or go back to the days when a length of string would be attached to a door knob and around the offending tooth. Will DIY dentistry become a thing?

[wolf63]

I paid £400 to get four molars removed from Frankie.  I thought that was expensive.  But £800 ... is a lot.

[Peter Pedant]

yes, pliers or getting their wife to do it.

Health care is expensive - and yes er I look forward to the dentist, as oral hygiene is important for the immunosuppressed. ( currently VERY immunosuppressed)

[Peter Pedant]

£100 a molar is good

you know at Covid, the floor sweepers or bag carrriers ( junior lawyers) are on £300-£500 an hour

[Countrylover]

Awful isn't it Sandy.  We've been lucky.  Our NHS dentist changed hands.  Theve gone private but existing patients have remained on NHS.  They've got a super long waiting list now of people who want to go private!  They're  one of only a couple of dentists that are still treating NHS patients!

[wolf63]

PP, small molars.  Frankie 🐈 now deaded.

[Peter Pedant]

I got: "you can go or you can go private."

I gart it - I went private

[jazzyjen]

I think a lot of people are already suffering in silence and doing DIY jobs in their mouths.  It is practically impossible to get on a practice list for NHS treatment if you have not already been on for years.

My daughter moved home to a new area (around 120 miles) and put her name down on waiting lists at three different dentists. She is still waiting after 9 years!

[Countrylover]

I should have added in Norfolk

[nicebloke1]

Don't really have an answer to your question but to say health wise things are getting tuff in the UK in all directions. A healthy person is normally a happy person. The government should have health issues at the top of their list for everyone,but I just don't see it being the case at the moment.

Its not to long ago that dentists were blaming the government for the situation, the details of which I can't remember. Maybe someone else on here does?

[Peter Pedant]

yeah I had a 3rd molar out and it looked like a smartie ( that had been capped) - app some of them are like that

I thought they were HUGE with roots like triffids, one being deep to the cervical fascia ( they arent)

[Canary42]

Things won't improve under a Tory Government - they voted against the establishment of a free health service in 1948, and they haven't changed.

[nicebloke1]

I doubt they will change under any government to be fare.

Money talks and I doubt that will ever change either, up to a point you have to take care of yourself, and put money by for a rainy day, or your going to get into trouble.

[rowanwitch]

I have an NHS dentist, and at least three more in my area are taking on new nhs patients,  but people tend to forget if you are on a reasonable income you still have to pay towards the cost of treatment

And the cost of advanced stuff like crowns and dentures is still pretty high

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-costs/understanding-nhs-dental-charges/

 

[Countrylover]

Mr L has recently had four new crowns over a 12 week period which included root treatment.  9 appointments some of which were verylong.  All on the NHS.  Paid in advance.  Totalled £240.  We think that very reasonable.  

 

I also think the time has come that we have to contribute more to the NHS.  Unless you have a  chronic condition where you have to have regular visits to GPS to keep going, then a small charge of say for an a face to face appointment would be achievable, stop missed appointments and perhaps encourage doctors to go back to what they should be doing, actually seeing their patients.

We shouldn't be expecting a system that worked 76years ago to still work.  

[jno]

there are more inventive ways than doorknobs these days

&ab_channel=MaiBabies

But yes, at least for adults, it's a thing already

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/14/mps-demand-urgent-reform-nhs-dental-services-report

[Peter Pedant]

for some years I have been in the position of - if I get a dental abscess, I might DDDDDIIIIIIEEEEEE!

it certainly gets me down to the dentist on a reg basis