private dental cost UK and US?

 Hi Folks,

Does anyone have a feel for the comparative cost of private dental care in the US and UK?

I'm planning to go back for an extended visit and I'm wondering if I should have some work done that I've been putting off.

Or alternatively, does anyone have any thoughts about dentistry in the rest of Europe?

Thanks,

Kathleen

I've found that private dental care here in the UK was much much less than it was in the US. I had to have a crown replaced a year ago and it cost me about £500 in the UK. The original crown in the US was over $1500.

I have dental coverage here and it is very reasonable. You pay the dental bill upfront and then apply to be reimburst.

Lots of dentist chat today!

I think private here is cheaper in some areas and about the same in others. 
I got a mouthguard for my teeth grinding here and it cost me £60.  In the states I was quoted $450. 

I got my teeth cleaned/check up in December when I was in the states at Christmas and it cost me around $100 (though the dentist is a family friend and gave me the cheapest rate going).  I think it would be around £75 for me here, including the checkup.

Fillings for me aren't too bad at all, around £50/tooth.  X-rays on the other hand, ouch!  £130 for one!     

There was a discussion on here a while ago where I mentioned paying about £90 for a wisdom tooth extraction in the UK where someone else had paid about $500 for the same procedure in the US.

Vicky

I don't know about the UK system, but dental care without insurance in the US is very expensive. There is good private dental insurance which is very affordable though, and lots of dentists seem to be on the lists in my area.

For anyone close to Mexico, dental work is actually very good in the border cities and cater to American 'dental tourists'. You can get a lot of work done for very cheap there.

I go to an NHS dentist, and I have to say, I like her.  The place is no frills, but the bill is really reasonable.   The dentist I used to go to back home in NY was a fortune, and while sometimes the extras are nice, the bills are not. 

The only problem I have is that the appointments are short, so it does take a few appointments to get what one appointment at home would have covered.  That said, I'm covered under bands of treatment, so despite all these appointments, it doesn't change the bill.

Also, I really like my dentist.  I need an awful lot of work done, and she's doing her best to avoid the more painful procedures (root canal) when she can. 

Thanks everyone for your feedback!  Lots to (cough) chew on!

I have an additional question, not so much about the cost, but about the cleanings. I was due for a 6 month cleaning, and when I went in to my husband's dentist, he spent 5 minutes with me, told me my teeth were in good condition and said to schedule another check up for 6 months down the line. Is this common? My husband says they clean his teeth when he goes in.

His children just went in for the first time in 2 years (they are 11 and 13 and their appointments just slipped through the cracks). Neither of them got a cleaning. I thought that was strange. One did get referred to an orthodontist for braces, which we figured was going to happen.

A cleaning is not a matter of routine, certainly not with the NHS.  if you want one, you ask for a referral to the hygenist, and you pay.

Vicky

Thanks Vicky.

There were stories in the newspapers not so long ago about Brits getting treatment in Poland, the treatment + easyJet flight plus hotel costing much less than the treatment alone in the UK, the standard of treatment was said to be very good. My dentist at my local Hull branch is Polish and I like him a lot.

I found this

http://www.dentalpoland.com/

Yes, there are many clinics in Poland specialised in dental travel. One of the best is newcomer link: http://www.index-medica.com [nonactive] . The also have price list on their web page.