dentist

Yeah, but you're all so hard up there, all you need is a bottle of whisky and a pair of pliers, right?

Naw, I just tie a string round my tooth and slam the door.   

Yeah, but you're all so hard up there, all you need is a bottle of whisky and a pair of pliers, right?

That's what I do!  Only, I do it with a rock, ala "Cast Away Style"

We have a very good dentist, a few years back she replaced a crown that I got ages ago and it was done very well.  I've not had any other problems since being here for 7 years so just normal checkups and xrays once per year.
I heard from DW that there is 1 NHS dentist in town but I'm not sure where it is.

The dentist we go to charges between £30-50 I believe depending on whether xrays are required.  I can't remember what the crown work cost.  I think the floss must be doing the trick!

I heard from DW that there is 1 NHS dentist in town but I'm not sure where it is.

Matt, there are loads of them in Wycombe. It's one place in Bucks that you'd be spoiled for choice. But I'd stick with the one you've got if you're happy - no reason to rock the boat!

The dental surgeries I've been to here have left me desperately wishing I had gotten all my dental work done before I left the states.  I am, however, far from a big city; if you're near a metropolis, you will likely have more options than I do.

just adding a data point with our recent dentist experience- DH and I have just registered with a surgery 20 minutes walk from our house as NHS patients.  I did get the info for the practice from our local PCT (helps that I used to work with the people who are responsible for the list of NHS dentist openings!) and we got appointments within two weeks of calling up- which surprised me since I had heard stories of waiting 8+ weeks for an appointment.  DH hadn't been to the dentist in three years and needs to have a filling put in, so we're glad we can do it at NHS prices! I thought getting an NHS dentist was going to be a huge headache and kept putting it off, but it turned out to be painless.

The dental surgeries I've been to here have left me desperately wishing I had gotten all my dental work done before I left the states.  I am, however, far from a big city; if you're near a metropolis, you will likely have more options than I do.

I posted the above on January 11th, while in terrible pain from a molar with a massive carry.  I was able to get in to the NHS dentist on January 15th, but was turned out untreated, with a referral to another clinic with a 5 MONTH waiting period, because I am hearing impaired and require "special" treatment.  I AM IN F***ING PAIN, and unless I can pony up 80 quid, I have to stay this way?

Will someone with a better understanding of how the NHS works explain to me how this is not considered unethical, if not illegal?

I posted the above on January 11th, while in terrible pain from a molar with a massive carry.  I was able to get in to the NHS dentist on January 15th, but was turned out untreated, with a referral to another clinic with a 5 MONTH waiting period, because I am hearing impaired and require "special" treatment.  I AM IN F***ING PAIN, and unless I can pony up 80 quid, I have to stay this way?

Will someone with a better understanding of how the NHS works explain to me how this is not considered unethical, if not illegal?

Why not pony up £80?  If you're in that much pain then you need to find the money.  I'm not understanding the outrage that everything isn't free or that some things have to be paid for.  What would you do in the States?  Pay, right?

Will someone with a better understanding of how the NHS works explain to me how this is not considered unethical, if not illegal?

NHS dental work is not 'free' like NHS health services are (NHS medical care and NHS dental care are two separate things) - a simple 10-minute check-up will cost you £16.20 and if instead of being in pain from a molar, you were just in need of a simple filling, you would have had to pay £44.60 and if you needed, say, a crown then it would have cost you £198 - and both of these are the NHS prices. In my one experience of needing extra work, they didn't treat during the first appointment anyway - appointment 1 was the check-up and being informed that I needed a couple of fillings; appointment 2 was a couple of weeks later when I actually had the fillings done. The fillings plus both appointments cost me one total fee of £44.60, which was paid at the end of the treatment period.

If you are in pain and can't wait 5 months, surely it is worth it to just pay the £80 and get it done now rather than waiting?

Not too much more that I can add, but it might be worth ringing a few other dentists. Why does being hearing impaired require you to go to a special clinic? Usually those clinics are for people with severe learning disabilities, etc. If you absolutely have to have a sign language translator (and couldn't, for instance, just communicate by writing or something with a regular NHS dentist just for this one time) you should ring your local PCT and ask them if they can help you - their dentists should be able to arrange a translator to be present for your appointment. NHS dentists are contractually obligated to provide emergency treatment, so if it is an emergency the PCT should be able to help you get in somewhere.

NB: a dental "emergency" is defined as severe pain AND swelling.

The £80 is to see a PRIVATE dentist.  If I HAD the money for private care, why in HELL would I be dealing with the NHS?  We're not all well-to-do wives of executives here, you know.

The NHS dentist turned me away for being hearing impaired; I somehow need "special treatment" because I require someone to speak to my face during procedures.  When my husband phoned the NHS liason office regarding this situation, they called the dentist, who said they would be happy to treat me, but could not provide the concessions THEY felt I required.

My health, my choice, my ass.

I always wondered, why is NHS dental care treated differently from NHS medical care financially?  I mean it's all the NHS right?  At what point does a dental issue become a medical issue, ie a serious teeth gum problem maybe turns into an infection that doesn't just affect your mouth - does your treatment then become free?
Do the British just not consider dental care as important as the care of the rest of the body?  Maybe that old chestnut about the British having terrible teeth has some kernel of truth to it? 

I always wondered, why is NHS dental care treated differently from NHS medical care financially?  I mean it's all the NHS right?  At what point does a dental issue become a medical issue, ie a serious teeth gum problem maybe turns into an infection that doesn't just affect your mouth - does your treatment then become free?
Do the British just not consider dental care as important as the care of the rest of the body?  Maybe that old chestnut about the British having terrible teeth has some kernel of truth to it? 

I don't know for sure (maybe someone else here does), but I would hazard a guess that maybe any work that can be and is done by a dentist comes under the dental treatment costs, and anything that needs referral to a doctor or hospital comes under 'free' NHS treatment.

The £80 is to see a PRIVATE dentist.  If I HAD the money for private care, why in HELL would I be dealing with the NHS?  We're not all well-to-do wives of executives here, you know.

As AnneR suggested, if you aren't willing to pay £80 to see the private dentist, there's no harm in trying to find another dentist who can do it on the NHS for you. However, keep in mind that whether you go private or go with the NHS, you will still have to pay for your treatment - the only difference will be the amount you have to pay. It could be that your complete course of treatment on the NHS will come under the £198 band, in which case you would have to fork out almost £200 for the NHS services anyway. It might be worth contacting the private dentist to find out how much they would charge for your treatment and then you can weigh up your options.

At the end of the day, you need to get the treatment, but you are also going to have to pay for the treatment, whether it's NHS or private - so it's up to you which course of action to take: a) wait the 5 months (obviously not ideal, especially if you're in pain), b) find another NHS dentist who can do it for you now, c) go to the private dentist.

I have no choice but to go private; the NHS dentist (there are no others remotely close who are taking new patients) refused to treat me, because I am deaf.  I am asking how this is legal.

I don't see how it is legal, either. I did a quick google search, and shouldn't that be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act?  I'm sure there is someone more knowledgeable on the subject, but I don't see how refusing services doesn't run afoul of the rules.