Dentist for newbie

[Faz-n8om6]

My friend has never been to a dentist. She does look after her teeth through regular brushing, interdental brushes etc. So what would be the best option? A private paid for dental plan or enrolling with a NHS practice and paying for a checkup and any treatment thru them?

I can’t advise her as I’ve always had dental cover thru work.

[sherman]

NHS dentist.
If you can find one and get on the books take it.

The same dentist will do the NHS stuff and if anything is needed that the NHS doesnt cover the same dentist will happily let you pay the extra and do the extra work for you.

[hotchy]

NHS. I don't trust private. I Went to one and even though I had no problems I apparently needed 8 fillings costing near £600.

I got on an NHS dentist. They said I never needed that at all except one old filling repair. Now 10 years later iv had no issues so they'd have drilled n filled 8 more teeth for nothing.

[Faz-n8om6]

So say she enrols with the NHS, pays to have the initial new patient checkup. And then if she needs treatment will it be immediate or will she get put onto a waiting list? If the waiting list with that dentist is stupidly long could she get the treatment done at another NHS dentist much like the NHS referral scheme for hospital treatments?

What are the comparative costs between an NHS dentist doing treatment and going private?

[Alickadoo]

Faz-n8om6 said:

So say she enrols with the NHS, pays to have the initial new patient checkup. And then if she needs treatment will it be immediate or will she get put onto a waiting list? If the waiting list with that dentist is stupidly long could she get the treatment done at another NHS dentist much like the NHS referral scheme for hospital treatments?

What are the comparative costs between an NHS dentist doing treatment and going private?

On the assumption that your friend possesses the powers of communication, why doesn't she ask the dentist?

Or

If your friend has some problems and that is why you are asking these questions on her behalf, why don't you ask the dentist?

[Vasco]

Most dentists that I'm aware of no longer accept new NHS adult patients, only children.

[sherman]

Faz-n8om6 said:

So say she enrols with the NHS, pays to have the initial new patient checkup. And then if she needs treatment will it be immediate or will she get put onto a waiting list? If the waiting list with that dentist is stupidly long could she get the treatment done at another NHS dentist much like the NHS referral scheme for hospital treatments?

What are the comparative costs between an NHS dentist doing treatment and going private?

Work is scheduled depeding on what is required. I had a filling done there and then once as there was no appointment waiting.
Xrays are done as part of scheduled appointments .

[Steve_H80]

An NHS Dentist if you can find one, private if not (although being a business a private dentist will try to sell you things you might not need).
We would all be financially better off if the National Insurance tax cut was spent on improving the state of the dental service, realistically £350 a year NI reduction is hardly going to cover one filling, God help those trying to look after a families teeth for that.

[MesoForm]

hotchy said:

NHS. I don't trust private. I Went to one and even though I had no problems I apparently needed 8 fillings costing near £600.

I got on an NHS dentist. They said I never needed that at all except one old filling repair. Now 10 years later iv had no issues so they'd have drilled n filled 8 more teeth for nothing.

It's one of those things where local Facebook groups of all places is a good place to ask about what dentist to go to - our village page often has "what's a good local dentist?" and the same ones keep coming up as places to avoid because they do more work that necessary.