Root Canal Treatment no longer available on the NHS
Discussion
Well not quite, but I’m informed by my ‘new’ NHS dentist that according to ‘clinical assessment and clinical judgement’ only teeth of “strategic Importance” will be treated otherwise the option will be extraction!
Given dentistry appears a recent topic for discussion I thought I’d add my experience.
I’ve been seeing my NHS dentist for over 28yrs and recently discovered that after seeking an appointment to check on a broken/leaking filling (cold sharp pain symptoms) that he has retired. Can’t blame him I suppose but I beat him to early retirement by 4 years.
Now over a 28yr period I built up a good relationship with him and he always treated me as an NHS patient. In fact, I’m not aware he undertook private work as he was a principled chap who believed in making affordable dentistry available to the masses given his local community was a socially deprived area.
When I found out he’d retired it came as a shock. His competence, efficiency and expertise I found second to none. Usually if I called for an appointment, I would get one in less than a week, any problem would be treated during that appointment or I’d be called back within a few days. In all the times I visited I never had to wait longer than my appointment time and never saw a surgery full of patients queuing after I came out. Root canals, he did one a few years back, without quibble, taking no more than 30 minutes to complete the procedure and never had a problem. Never once did he say that I wasn’t entitled to one, in his eyes he was prolonging the tooth.
So, I get an appointment at the practice to check said filling. Over sensitivity is diagnosed and I’m sent off with the recommendation of using sensitive toothpaste. NHS Band 1 charge paid.
Wind on 3 weeks and the problem is still there. Make a call and get an appointment the same day (due to a cancellation). An X-Ray is taken showing a void/decay between the bottom of the filling and inner tooth. Now this is where it gets interesting.
I am advised the tooth needs to be cleaned out and re-filled, BUT as the filling is deep, cleaning the inside of the tooth may expose the roots (back molar) which will then require RCT. The latter will not be available on the NHS given that I have a mouthful of molars and my ability to eat/chew food will be unaffected if this tooth is extracted under the only NHS option if a new filling is no longer viable. Agree to try a new filling first as in my mind extracting a tooth that can be treated is not an option. Out I go to make an appointment for a filling. NHS Band 1 charge paid again. The next earliest available date is in 6-weeks’ time! Now I don’t know what’s happened at this practice but I’ve not seen a population growth in the area or an increase in NHS registrations given they have, like others, closed their books.
Given my inquisitive nature I decide to delve deeper into this new practice and discover that my old dentist has sold the business to a company that has a chain of several private dental clinics across the area that seems to ‘specialise’ in cosmetic dentistry, dermal fillers (whatever they are) and the like making me curious why they would buy into an NHS dental practice? I can to a degree sympathise with NHS dentists that they are being forced out of the NHS over the reduction in reimbursements and that many don’t want to do the work under the NHS offer but it appears there must be some incentive to take on an NHS practice and then appear to kick any actual treatment into the long grass.
Now I could be completely wide of the mark here but being cynical when I’m next there for the filling (if my patience extends that far) I suspect the conversation will go “Unfortunately the decay in the tooth is too deep, I can’t refill it and it needs a RCT which you’re not entitled to on the NHS as you’ve got other teeth you can use. I can do it privately and it will cost you £XXX”. So, I’m now faced with an NHS RCT at Band 2 £65 which I can’t have (an extraction is Band 2) and going private which will cost me I suspect £1,000. As I’ve replied on another thread to me a RCT appears a rudimentary and straightforward procedure, if it was £300 (or Band 3 NHS) I wouldn’t necessarily quibble, but they aren’t are they?
I’m not averse to paying private if NHS policy is now against me but a realistic cost is preferred.
Given dentistry appears a recent topic for discussion I thought I’d add my experience.
I’ve been seeing my NHS dentist for over 28yrs and recently discovered that after seeking an appointment to check on a broken/leaking filling (cold sharp pain symptoms) that he has retired. Can’t blame him I suppose but I beat him to early retirement by 4 years.
Now over a 28yr period I built up a good relationship with him and he always treated me as an NHS patient. In fact, I’m not aware he undertook private work as he was a principled chap who believed in making affordable dentistry available to the masses given his local community was a socially deprived area.
When I found out he’d retired it came as a shock. His competence, efficiency and expertise I found second to none. Usually if I called for an appointment, I would get one in less than a week, any problem would be treated during that appointment or I’d be called back within a few days. In all the times I visited I never had to wait longer than my appointment time and never saw a surgery full of patients queuing after I came out. Root canals, he did one a few years back, without quibble, taking no more than 30 minutes to complete the procedure and never had a problem. Never once did he say that I wasn’t entitled to one, in his eyes he was prolonging the tooth.
So, I get an appointment at the practice to check said filling. Over sensitivity is diagnosed and I’m sent off with the recommendation of using sensitive toothpaste. NHS Band 1 charge paid.
Wind on 3 weeks and the problem is still there. Make a call and get an appointment the same day (due to a cancellation). An X-Ray is taken showing a void/decay between the bottom of the filling and inner tooth. Now this is where it gets interesting.
I am advised the tooth needs to be cleaned out and re-filled, BUT as the filling is deep, cleaning the inside of the tooth may expose the roots (back molar) which will then require RCT. The latter will not be available on the NHS given that I have a mouthful of molars and my ability to eat/chew food will be unaffected if this tooth is extracted under the only NHS option if a new filling is no longer viable. Agree to try a new filling first as in my mind extracting a tooth that can be treated is not an option. Out I go to make an appointment for a filling. NHS Band 1 charge paid again. The next earliest available date is in 6-weeks’ time! Now I don’t know what’s happened at this practice but I’ve not seen a population growth in the area or an increase in NHS registrations given they have, like others, closed their books.
Given my inquisitive nature I decide to delve deeper into this new practice and discover that my old dentist has sold the business to a company that has a chain of several private dental clinics across the area that seems to ‘specialise’ in cosmetic dentistry, dermal fillers (whatever they are) and the like making me curious why they would buy into an NHS dental practice? I can to a degree sympathise with NHS dentists that they are being forced out of the NHS over the reduction in reimbursements and that many don’t want to do the work under the NHS offer but it appears there must be some incentive to take on an NHS practice and then appear to kick any actual treatment into the long grass.
Now I could be completely wide of the mark here but being cynical when I’m next there for the filling (if my patience extends that far) I suspect the conversation will go “Unfortunately the decay in the tooth is too deep, I can’t refill it and it needs a RCT which you’re not entitled to on the NHS as you’ve got other teeth you can use. I can do it privately and it will cost you £XXX”. So, I’m now faced with an NHS RCT at Band 2 £65 which I can’t have (an extraction is Band 2) and going private which will cost me I suspect £1,000. As I’ve replied on another thread to me a RCT appears a rudimentary and straightforward procedure, if it was £300 (or Band 3 NHS) I wouldn’t necessarily quibble, but they aren’t are they?
I’m not averse to paying private if NHS policy is now against me but a realistic cost is preferred.
Blimey, that's not good but also not a surprise.
I've always wondered why dentistry isn't part of the NHS - we all need it, it's healthcare (and causes significant pain if neglected) so surely should be part of the deal.
We pay enough towards the NHS through taxation so it really grinds my gears when little gems like this pop up.
I've always wondered why dentistry isn't part of the NHS - we all need it, it's healthcare (and causes significant pain if neglected) so surely should be part of the deal.
We pay enough towards the NHS through taxation so it really grinds my gears when little gems like this pop up.
A500leroy said:
Swap practices.
Great idea but have you tried registering as an NHS new patient at a dentist. Nearly all do not accept 'new' patients and if this 'policy' is correct won't it apply across all?I'll accept a private dental practice as long as they're realistic about prices - ie £300 and not £1,200 for a RCT on a back molar.
Zingari said:
Great idea but have you tried registering as an NHS new patient at a dentist. Nearly all do not accept 'new' patients and if this 'policy' is correct won't it apply across all?
I'll accept a private dental practice as long as they're realistic about prices - ie £300 and not £1,200 for a RCT on a back molar.
See if there's a Bupa Dental surgery near you - I went around every local dentist looking for an NHS provider and found none; rang the helpline who can allocate you a surgery and the nearest they could find was 28 miles away. I'll accept a private dental practice as long as they're realistic about prices - ie £300 and not £1,200 for a RCT on a back molar.
Not much use when the wife doesn't drive yet!
The local Bupa took me on privately, but the rates are very reasonable and the place seems decent so far.
My dentist has just stopped offering NHS treatment to existing patients (unless you're on benefits, under 18 etc).
They sent out a misleading letter to patients which didn't say 'you can no longer be treated as an NHS patient' or words to that effect. It said a lot of waffle and offered patients to sign up to Denplan. But it was affectively saying no more NHS prices and no more pay as you go.
I need some work doing so have looked around many other dentists but none take new NHS patients however their private prices vary quite a bit.
The state of people's teeth in 10 years time is going to be shocking as most people can't afford treatment and will just let their teeth rot away.
They sent out a misleading letter to patients which didn't say 'you can no longer be treated as an NHS patient' or words to that effect. It said a lot of waffle and offered patients to sign up to Denplan. But it was affectively saying no more NHS prices and no more pay as you go.
I need some work doing so have looked around many other dentists but none take new NHS patients however their private prices vary quite a bit.
The state of people's teeth in 10 years time is going to be shocking as most people can't afford treatment and will just let their teeth rot away.
CheesecakeRunner said:
That’s uncannily similar to what my dentist has just done. Wouldn’t happen to be a town in the Midlands and a dentist whose surname begins with a C?
If so, I just rang them up and said I’d prefer to stay with them as an NHS patient, and they allocated me to one of the other dentists. That said, I and my family have been registered with them for over forty years which might have helped.
No, different. But clearly this is now a 'thing' a lot of practices are doing.If so, I just rang them up and said I’d prefer to stay with them as an NHS patient, and they allocated me to one of the other dentists. That said, I and my family have been registered with them for over forty years which might have helped.
I kind of don't blame them if they don't make any money from NHS treatment but they could at least be honest in their letters and blame the government! Instead you get some rubbish about having better service if you're private, more check ups, quicker appointments etc.
I haven't called my dentist yet to take them up on the offer to pay them £213 a year for 2 check ups and 2 hygienists. All I want is 2 fillings to replace the ones they put in a few years ago which have come out and 1 check up a year!
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