How do the Dentists Compare

If the Dentist decided you needed diagnostic x-rays that would be included £15.90.  But you don't automatically get an x-ray.

diagnosis (which would include x-rays),

As PR also said, they x-ray if they think there's something they need to check....

Gotcha.  I was thinking it would be a standard starting point to see if there were any early stage cavities. 

Maybe each surgery does things differently. We're NHS patients and all of us were x-rayed at our dental surgery on our first appt.

Maybe each surgery does things differently. We're NHS patients and all of us were x-rayed at our dental surgery on our first appt.

Probably so.  Wish I had your dentist, he sounds fabulous! 

I've been to the dentist once a year since I've been here and not had a cleaning yet! They don't do it unless you ask, and I've never really been one to have a load of plaque or anything.

The one complaint I've got is the cursory way they check DS. We've had 2 dentists since we moved and will soon be on our third, and they all just quickly peep in there as if to make sure that he has teeth at all! I personally think that at age 11 it's past time for the first cleaning but as he's NHS I don't think they want to do it.

The one complaint I've got is the cursory way they check DS. We've had 2 dentists since we moved and will soon be on our third, and they all just quickly peep in there as if to make sure that he has teeth at all! I personally think that at age 11 it's past time for the first cleaning but as he's NHS I don't think they want to do it.

I have had the exact same feeling about my kids.  The children's dentist that we loved and trusted in the US told me that my son's permanent molars were coming in with a bad problem because of something that happened prenatally.  He said that when they came in they would have no enamel and would have to be watched very closely.

Then we moved over here and I took my son to two different dentists (after the molars had come in) and they just counted his teeth and said he was fine.  Well I could see that he wasn't fine!  The brand new molars were horribly misshapen and discolored. The second dentist did take x-rays and give us an extra fluoride toothpaste.  Then she had him back for a second appt. which I assumed would address the problem.  Instead she had a talk with us about his diet (if she'd asked in the first place she would have known it was excellent) and she showed him how to brush - for £40!  Well he'd never had a problem with brushing, which I helped him with, so that seemed unnecessary.  She told us just to come back if he got a toothache.

I was very suspicious because I felt she was ignoring a serious problem.  When we went back to the states for a vacation (in a different state than our original dentist) I made an appt for my son to see another dentist.  This was three months after the British dentist.  They said the tooth decay was so bad in my son's molars they would have to be crowned at once and that if we'd waited any longer he would have needed root canals!  If we'd waited for a toothache like the British dentist said it would have been too late.   

My daughter has never had any trouble with her teeth but I took her to the US dentist too.  They said she was fine and just keep up the good brushing.  When they told me that I believed them because I felt I could trust them.

After my experiences I just don't know if I trust the British dentists.  They seem to have a casual "we don't treat it unless something goes wrong" approach.  I've never been too fixated on perfectly straight white teeth, but I've kept up with preventative care and don't want to end up with a head full of crowns and root canals like my husband has any earlier than I have to.  My husband is adamant that he doesn't want that for his kids either.

I personally think that at age 11 it's past time for the first cleaning but as he's NHS I don't think they want to do it.

If they don't want to do it on NHS then you can always go private for a cleaning.. i found it isnt that expensive.  I think I paid about £25 for mine with no health insurance or NHS coverage at a private dentist.

I'm not sure if this belongs on this thread or not: what about orthodonture? Are things like braces covered under the NHS? Would this be a specialist case where I have to talk to a GP?

I know there is a long waiting list for braces for children.  I suppose it would depend on how servere the issue.

If they don't want to do it on NHS then you can always go private for a cleaning.. i found it isnt that expensive.  I think I paid about £25 for mine with no health insurance or NHS coverage at a private dentist.

I think they have to treat children on the NHS, as I take DS to my private dentist, (I pay £25 for just a check up ). He would only take DS as a patient if I joined as a private patient. I just go once a year and I hate the attitude at his office. I got DS there less than 10 minutes late last time and he had already gotten the next patient in and cancelled our appointments. Was he intending to spend less than 10 minutes on DS? I'm afraid the answer is yes.

I'm not sure if this belongs on this thread or not: what about orthodonture? Are things like braces covered under the NHS? Would this be a specialist case where I have to talk to a GP?

Braces are covered under the NHS, the main thing is to have your dentist refer your child to the orthodontist well in advance of them needing to start treatment. Our dentist in Portsmouth refered DS at age 8 just so he'd be on the books and able to get them as early as possible.

If you're talking about orthodonture for yourself it probably depends on whether you have an NHS dentist and whether it's just cosmetic or you if really need braces for practical reasons.

I got DS there less than 10 minutes late last time and he had already gotten the next patient in and cancelled our appointments. Was he intending to spend less than 10 minutes on DS? I'm afraid the answer is yes.

As far as I'm aware, the appointments at my dentist (NHS) are scheduled 10 minutes apart. In fact, if I go at the same time as my brother, we have appointments booked at exactly the same time (i.e. we're both scheduled to see the same dentist at 10.10am).

I don't remember ever having a dentist appointment last more than 10 minutes, except when I had a filling done last summer which took about 15 minutes instead .

This thread prompted me to go to the dentist for the first time in 7 years....

 

£50 quid for the check up (ouch), £35 for the clean up, and I have "practically perfect" teeth! I was in for nearly an hour.   The bad news (which I was expecting) is that I need my last remaining wisdom tooth extracted.  But he's charging about £40 for this, which I think is pretty damn good.

So, if anyone wants a decent private dentist in North London (Finchley) I can certainly recommend this guy.

Vicky

This thread prompted me to go to the dentist for the first time in 7 years....

 

£50 quid for the check up (ouch), £35 for the clean up, and I have "practically perfect" teeth! I was in for nearly an hour.   The bad news (which I was expecting) is that I need my last remaining wisdom tooth extracted.  But he's charging about £40 for this, which I think is pretty damn good.

Vicky

I know the feeling! A previous dental thread made me go to the dentist for the first time in 4 years! Luckily no cavities and my checkup, x rays and cleaning were about £100 total with no NHS or insurance... which is phenomenal compared to what I would have paid in the US had I went to the dentist with no health insurance. Good luck with your wisdom tooth.... ouch 

I think they have to treat children on the NHS,

Yep, they do. If a child is registered as an NHS patient, it's free and unless you request to have private treatment, they can't charge for it.

as I take DS to my private dentist, (I pay £25 for just a check up ). He would only take DS as a patient if I joined as a private patient.

You may want to ring your local Primary Care Trust about that - I'm pretty sure they can't do that. Taking a child on as an NHS patient should not be determined by registration of the parent. You don't even have to be registered at the same practice - if they're able to take on new patients, there shouldn't be any conditions.

If you're talking about orthodonture for yourself it probably depends on whether you have an NHS dentist and whether it's just cosmetic or you if really need braces for practical reasons.

I'm afraid even for kids it's not typically covered by the NHS if it's purely for cosmetics. It depends on the severity of the problem and the clinical impact. If the need isn't great enough, the dentist won't be able to automatically give a referral. The details will depend on the Primary Care Trust policy. For example, the Trust I work for says:

The Thames Valley Priorities Committees have considered evidence of clinical effectiveness, cost and benefits for orthodontics and recommends its use to be a low priority, except for patients who meet the criteria below.

Orthodontics should be made available for those in greatest need and in exceptional circumstances where it is needed to achieve improvement in the patient’s health status.

Clinicians are NOT REQUIRED to seek prior approval for the following: Patients aged under 18 years at the time of the case assessment will be eligible for treatment if they have treatment needs assessed as Grades 4 or 5 of the Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN)

Approval should be sought from Buckinghamshire/MK PCT Case Review Committee for orthodontic treatment in exceptional circumstance to achieve significant improvement in the patient’s health status where:

1. Patients are aged under 18 years at the time of the case assessment, are assessed as below 4 of the IOTN Dental Health Component, and who have a significant clinical need for treatment. 2. Patients are aged above 18 years at the time of the case assessment with a significant clinical need for treatment.

It is up to the requesting clinician to demonstrate why the patient should be considered as an exception. Orthodontic treatment is not available for aesthetic reasons alone.