Tell me something lovely about NHS dentistry? *semi-vent*

DH had an abscess come up in one of his teeth the other night, and is finally getting to a dentist today (first available appointment .

He has very bad molars due to inadequate dental care as a child, because his parents were among the many working parents in the US who could not afford insurance for their families.  Then as a young adult he didn't have insurance of his own (as so many college age kids don't.) He's going to need several hundred dollars worth of work done to begin to correct the damage, NOT counting reconstruction and/or crowns. 


We have good insurance, and can afford this (not easily, but we can) but what about the people who can't?  I've looked at the NHS charts, and from what I understand nothing ever costs more than a couple of hundred quid for a course of treatment...even with good insurance covering what it will we're looking at nearly three times that as our "portion" out of pocket, and it looks like the the NHS course of treatment includes reconstruction to some degree.

I was beginning to have treacherous thoughts about how happy I am where we're living, and how it wouldn't be SO terribly awful if we had to stay here a few more years...but this is a harsh reminder of why I wanted my son to grow up in a country with civilized healthcare.  We're working on getting DH fixed up gradually, but things like this can come up, even if you've got perfectly healthy teeth all it takes is one accident...it's terrifying to think of what it would be like if we had just slightly less money, or no insurance.

I guess what I want is some assurance that even with all the gripes about the NHS, people are still grateful that it's at least there, and that it reflects a slightly less barbaric approach to human well being than we have in the US, where "healthcare consumer" is such a buzzphrase.  It makes me cringe to think of my son growing up with the idea that basic healthcare is something to which only the relatively wealthy are entitled.

Sorry for the novel...nervous and worried for DH, and freshly angry at the whole idea of our healthcare system in the US.

You've just highlighted one of the top two or three reasons I wouldn't want to go back to the US.

NHS dental isn't perfect. There are some bad seeds, but there are some bad private dentists too. And I know some NHS dentists who are fabulous and who go out of their way to help patients even when there isn't a lot in it for them.... And there is a VERY gradual shift in the NHS toward preventative care, which is encouraging.

There isn't an endless fountain of money, even though it may seem that way when you look at your paycheque. And what they provide is pretty damn good considering the constraints.

I am so beyond grateful for the NHS - flawed though it may be - for exactly the reasons you mention. Imagine what would happen if something catastrophic happened and you had no money and no insurance....

I look at it this way - at least you can ALWAYS get something fixed. It might not be fixed as prettily as you want it to be fixed, but it will be fixed. And you always have the option to top up and get some private treatment too. So best of both worlds, really.

I am happy that I can go to the doctor and not have to pay out the nose.  Even with health insurance in the US, I still had to pay thousands of dollars (went on credit card) for knee surgery.  It was good work and I had to get it for my lifestyle, but it killed me monitarily.  I know if I had something similar happen here, that while it would take a lot longer to get the surgery, I wouldn't be forced to pay for years to get it done.  My dentist has been great and inexpensive...it's all something I'm quite happy about and just one more reason I won't move back.

I was really lucky to have had great dentists here and in the US but I am especially happy with my dentist here, and his staff. I thought I got a slightly more thorough cleaning in the US but oh well.
I agree about the preventative measures too, I am always advised on how to avoid damaging my gums with my electric toothbrush and things like that.

I'd sing the praises of NHS dentists if i'd ever been to one.  Been on the local waiting list for 3 years.  I don't have a choice but to go private when it comes to dental care.

I have great experiences with the GP/Hospital side of things though!

I am happy that I can go to the doctor and not have to pay out the nose.  Even with health insurance in the US, I still had to pay thousands of dollars (went on credit card) for knee surgery.

this is so true.  I haven't been happy with the particular GP personally, but the NHS system is fantastic.  In the U.S., I spent my 20's with no insurance, then my 30's with insurance but couldn't afford co-payments and deductibles except for truely painful issues.  Now I'm in my 40's and I have a little list of things I've been worried about and NHS is wonderful.

I have a friend who was saving to go to college, by age 20 he'd saved enough for one year and hoped to earn a ROTC scholarship during that year to cover the rest.  He was enrolled for the fall, but in July, he fell and broke both the bones in his lower arm.  Medical expenses took all the savings and left him with debt that took years to pay off.  He joined the army, got sent to Iraq.  No, he didn't get killed, the story isn't that sad.  But the whole situation just ruined him, he lost all his drive and self-sufficiency.  If he'd lived here, he wouldn't have been struggling so hard just to go to college, much less lose the opportunity to a broken arm.

My first experience with a dentist in England on the NHS was so good.

After years of not having dental cover in the US, my teeth were (are...) in a right state.  Finally, one in the back decided it was time to kick up a real fuss - the week of my wedding!!

Registered with the NHS dentist who saw me within 48 hours (went to a dental A&E for antibiotics in the meantime).  He gave me a date the following week to come back to take it out, and when I told him I was getting married on the Friday, he fit me in on the Thursday morning.  He pulled the tooth - no swelling or pain or anything.  I was able to enjoy my wedding in a way I hadn't even thought possible when in such pain days before.

I know we're lucky to have a choice of NHS dentists in our area.  I can't imagine not having the security of the NHS (dental or otherwise)

Many Brits do an aweful lot of moaning about dentistry in the UK. They will say i cant get registered with an NHS derntist or i cant afford to pay etc etc and yet often times,the very same people have cars,holidays and all the other bits and pieces. Basically,many of them resent having to pay a little extra at the dentist because it doesnt quite match with going to the doctor or hospital where you pay nothing. Personally I go to a city centre dentist which is nice and clean ,is well equipped and has the latest toys. I fugire if im prepared to pay a little,i get good treatment with minimal pain. In essence,i dont mind paying something at the dentist becuase its for the good of my health. You only have one set of teeth as an adult and its worth investing in their care.

joe

Many Brits do an aweful lot of moaning about dentistry in the UK. They will say i cant get registered with an NHS derntist or i cant afford to pay etc etc and yet often times,the very same people have cars,holidays and all the other bits and pieces.

Some of us really can't get registered with an NHS dentist.  Less and less of them are taking on patients and the waiting lists are growing.  There's few in my area and a lot of people wanting to go to them.  Thus why I am still on the waiting list after 3+ years.

I pay privately for my treatment because I don't want my teeth to fall out of my head and I think I am entitled to complain when simple fillings cost hundreds of pounds when it would cost much, much less on the NHS!  Don't even get me started on what I paid for my root canal.

Hatsumomo, is it an option for you to travel a little out of your way? I know things are different in Scotland, but I work for the NHS in England and when people ring me from, for example, Aylesbury, I can't help them because there are no open dentists at the moment. But if they're prepared to either drive or take the train to High Wycombe - maybe a 20 mins drive or so - they can have their choice of dentists. But I'm AMAZED at how many people turn this down because they don't think they should have to travel (and it's not always just the ones who CAN'T travel who turn it down).

I know there's a shortage of NHS dentists and it's certainly not the best case scenario to have to go to a different town, but I guess the way I look at it is similar to the way kamchatka sees it - your teeth need to be taken care of - you don't get a 2nd chance with them. And so if I have to take a half day from my annual leave to travel to a dentist I will.... It's not like you need to go terribly often unless you have a lot of treatment required....

Hatsumomo, is it an option for you to travel a little out of your way? I know things are different in Scotland, but I work for the NHS in England and when people ring me from, for example, Aylesbury, I can't help them because there are no open dentists at the moment. But if they're prepared to either drive or take the train to High Wycombe - maybe a 20 mins drive or so - they can have their choice of dentists. But I'm AMAZED at how many people turn this down because they don't think they should have to travel (and it's not always just the ones who CAN'T travel who turn it down).

It's feasible for me to go up to 20 miles (I don't have a car) which is about what the public transport will cover but I haven't had any luck finding a dentist that will take patients.  A friend of mine is a private dentist and he says there just isn't anyone local taking new patients.  I'm on the list so I assume i'll get to the top of it eventually.

I live in the same city as Hatsumomo and it's true you have to go a long way out of town to find an NHS dentist that is taking on new patients. I've been told the waiting list is 2 years at least. 

It took me over 4 years on the waiting list to get an NHS dentist here in Inverness.

Wow!! 

I guess I'm glad I don't have to do this job in Scotland - it's hard enough to tell people they may have to wait up to 2 months!! 

I have to say I've had this waiting experience in the States, even...not for YEARS, but certainly months.  In one of the last towns I lived in, we couldn't find a dentist that took our insurance and could work us onto their list.  We had to go on a months-long waiting list to be included in their list of patients, and when we finally got onto the list THEN we could see about scheduling an appointment.  And this was on top of the ridiculously high fees...