Dental explain/advise

Hello, can anyone explain how NHS dental works briefly to me and/or recommend or offer a solution for private dental insurance? Here's my info.

I'm UKC in Full Time University, need check up, probably fillings, a fake tooth or bridge, maybe a crown.

Partner is USC on Spousal Visa (can/will obtain ILR asap) starting Full Time University in Switzerland but living in UK w/ me. Probably needs lots of dental work (crowns, abscess, extraction, etc...has genetically bad teeth.)

We both have NHS cards, and haven't been to dentist in awhile (living in US, no insurance.) Is it best to just go to Tesco or something and buy dental insurance? We don't have a lot of cash, but no immediate pressing concerns that couldn't wait a few months.

Thanks!

I've never used an NHS dentist so I can't help you with that part of your question, but as far as private dental insurance goes, I found DenPlan to be good and pretty reasonably priced.

Here's a page where you can search for dentists in your area and I recommend ringing them to see if they are taking new NHS patients: http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/ServiceSearch.aspx?ServiceType=Dentist&InputError=Default

If you're unable to find one that way you can also call NHS Direct and see if they can get you into a dentist in your area.

Here's a page that explains fees for NHS Dentists: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1781.aspx.

If you can wait a few months, why not try to see about getting signed up with an NHS dentist in the meantime?  Depending on where you are, it might be difficult to find an NHS dentist to take you (they are often maxed out on their patient capacity, unfortunately).

More:

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/overview.aspx

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/h_nhs_dental_treatment.pdf

Find an NHS dentist near you:

http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/ServiceSearch.aspx?ServiceType=Dentist

The dental practice we go to - is both NHS & private.  Most things we have done on the NHS, for NHS prices.  But when I had to get a crown, for instance, my dentist gave me the option of getting an NHS (tin) crown or paying extra for porcelain or gold.  My NHS dentist is as up-to-date and modern as any dentist I ever saw in the US.

No particular advice on private insurance - I've heard of a company called Denplan and I think Tesco offers a dental insurance plan as well.

Cross-posted with the others.  A website I found with a cost comparison (private vs NHS):

http://www.whatprice.co.uk/dentist/nhs-private-prices.html

(Although the 'Dental Crown-Gold' price comparison - the £198 NHS crown isn't gold, it's tin.  )

But when I had to get a crown, for instance, my dentist gave me the option of getting an NHS (tin) crown or paying extra for porcelain or gold. 

Ha ha, did you go for gold?

I have an NHS dentist. It took a lot of persistence to get me on their books but I got there in the end. I'm afraid I don't have any experience with dental plans.

I don't know about the area you'll be in but in Leeds there is also a dental school where you can get treatment for free. The downside is of course that you're dealing with dental students.

Ha ha, did you go for gold?

Well I was tempted, just to do something out of character, and so I could have the people at work call me the Leeds Queen of Bling.  It's my back molar though so it's not like anyone would have really seen it!  I got boring old porcelain. 

We got signed on with an NHS dentist easy-peasy, because someone that DH works with - his wife works at this practice & told them that they were taking new patients, so he and some of his work mates all signed up right away!  We were lucky!

Providing you can find a NHS dentist you should have no problem. DW's daughter was over for a 10 day visit and got some work done at our NHS dentist because she doesn't have any health insurance in the States.

Hi, I don't know if you have already found something by now, but I've just had to look for a dentist for the first time for my daughter so maybe this info will help.  My daughter has had a toothache for a couple of weeks now and I was worried about what to do because I didn't know how the dental service worked and everyone told me it was impossible to find a dentist.  I looked online and found the number for NHS Direct (which Weby and Mrs R have mentioned) - it's 0845 4647 - and told them the problem.  They took my info and had a dental nurse from my area call me back within 15 minutes, and the nurse booked us an appointment for that same evening!  We weren't able to take that appt but they said just call back Sat or Mon (it will be Monday before we can go, because the clinic is an hour away and we have prior commitments) and they can get an appt for her the same day. 

I just have to say how surprised I was at the speed and ease of it - I was expecting a 6 week wait or something.  So if your partner has a toothache or something bothering him right this minute, call and he can probably be seen right away!  Someone else has posted the price list - the maximum price is £185 for everything - bridges, crowns, the lot - if you simply need a filling its £45 (or close to it).  Amazingly to me all children's services are completely free!  Obviously if you are given any prescriptions those would be the additional £7-odd. 

I asked about routine appts as well and they gave me the number of our Primary Care Trust who will find us a local dentist for annual checkups.  I guess they don't register dental patients anymore so I think you may have to just call the trust once a year for that, but I'm not sure as I haven't done that yet. 

Hope this helps some!

Wow, I'm really surprised! I just called an NHS dentist that I found in my area and they had an opening so I'm going for an initial check up and meeting in a week and a half! I did not expect it to be that easy. Does anyone know if I will be charged for the initial check up and how the process would go from there? I have a hunch I may have a cavity, so would they kind of look that day and then schedule me for a follow up appointment?

Yeah - I think.  I needed a root canal, so she saw that in about two hot seconds, and novocained a little bit and injected medication into the tooth so she could start on the root canal the next appointment. 

Does anyone know if I will be charged for the initial check up and how the process would go from there?

IIRC, our checkups are normally about £16, give or take.

I have a hunch I may have a cavity, so would they kind of look that day and then schedule me for a follow up appointment?

Yes, probably.

Does anyone know if I will be charged for the initial check up and how the process would go from there?

NHS have fixed prices for dentists. http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/overview.aspx

You'll be charged at least £16.50 for a checkup. If you require a cavity filled then you're likley to be charged £45. The most they can ever charge you for treatment is £198 but this is for big stuff.

If they're sure of the cavity they may do it right there and then but sometimes they take x-rays and want you to come back within a few weeks.