NHS dentist changing toPrivate Dentistry
Discussion
My dentist has just decided to go Private.
If My husband and I dont sign up then the practice will refuse to treat our children on the NHS
Is this conceivable can He do this.
Surely it is blackmail.
I already pay him to do my private work.but he is now asking all registered patients to pay into a scheme or they are all out.including there children
How can he pick and choose his NHS children like this.
I have no qualms about going private if I can be given assurences that equipment and treatments will improve.
right now this surgery is shoddy,mismatched headrest and chairs etc and we get told to park in a nearby car park instead of using the surgery six spaces(which he and his staff use instead of patients.)
This is ok for NHS but not private.
Think I will be voting with my feet.
dentists,Phers with advice to give and anyone who this has happened to please some input.
Who can I voice my concerns to in the government??
Minister for Health correct me if I am wrong.
If My husband and I dont sign up then the practice will refuse to treat our children on the NHS
Is this conceivable can He do this.
Surely it is blackmail.
I already pay him to do my private work.but he is now asking all registered patients to pay into a scheme or they are all out.including there children
How can he pick and choose his NHS children like this.
I have no qualms about going private if I can be given assurences that equipment and treatments will improve.
right now this surgery is shoddy,mismatched headrest and chairs etc and we get told to park in a nearby car park instead of using the surgery six spaces(which he and his staff use instead of patients.)
This is ok for NHS but not private.
Think I will be voting with my feet.
dentists,Phers with advice to give and anyone who this has happened to please some input.
Who can I voice my concerns to in the government??
Minister for Health correct me if I am wrong.
There's absolutely nothing to stop your dentist doing this (although you are entitled to three months notice).
NHS dentistry has been neglected and underfunded for decades, no wonder dentists are leaving in droves. Complain all you like to the Department of Health, but they basically do not give a stuff, so you may not want to waste your breath.
Yes the quality of the service should be better under private contract, as should the quality of the dentistry itself, in terms of materials and time. You sound like you're already unhappy with the current service levels, so maybe think about shopping around anyway?
NHS dentistry has been neglected and underfunded for decades, no wonder dentists are leaving in droves. Complain all you like to the Department of Health, but they basically do not give a stuff, so you may not want to waste your breath.
Yes the quality of the service should be better under private contract, as should the quality of the dentistry itself, in terms of materials and time. You sound like you're already unhappy with the current service levels, so maybe think about shopping around anyway?
Hi Jessica,
Wendy's right (of course) - a relation of mine has just retired as a dentist and is bitter about the whole experience.
I'm lucky enough to have found a dentist who'll take me on the NHS, *BUT* I went for a checkup on Friday - in very nice surroundings, wooden floored reception area, up to the minute kit, a tv screen on the ceiling above the chair... you get the picture.
The charge? £5.80 (iirc).
Honestly, I was embarassed to be charged so little. Of course, I'll be paying on top of that for any fillings/treatment/etc but can you blame dentists for not seeing patients on the NHS???
Charles
Wendy's right (of course) - a relation of mine has just retired as a dentist and is bitter about the whole experience.
I'm lucky enough to have found a dentist who'll take me on the NHS, *BUT* I went for a checkup on Friday - in very nice surroundings, wooden floored reception area, up to the minute kit, a tv screen on the ceiling above the chair... you get the picture.
The charge? £5.80 (iirc).
Honestly, I was embarassed to be charged so little. Of course, I'll be paying on top of that for any fillings/treatment/etc but can you blame dentists for not seeing patients on the NHS???
Charles
planetdave said:
Private dentists remind me of the privitising of British Rail.
You pay more for a worse service - but the seats are cleaner.
Is the dentistry going to be of a higher standard?
Utterly incorrect.
The service is FAR FAR better than what is offered on the NHS, which is frankly crap and an embarrassment to us all, but the dentists are forced to use, because that's what the government will fund.
Why not ask peterpeter why he has gone private, and ask him about his experiences with the NHS, which is basically a pathetic service, offering shoddy and substandard treatments, which don't last.
planetdave said:
Private dentists remind me of the privitising of British Rail.
You pay more for a worse service - but the seats are cleaner.
Is the dentistry going to be of a higher standard?
sorry...but this is just plain garbage. Totally untrue and insulting to most dentists.
There is a huge difference between NHS and Private treatment. I can give you details of massive time, skill and material differences in every single field and aspect of dentistry.
there will always be cowboys in all professions, where they will charge more for what really is a poor service, but quite frankly its pretty obvious when dental treatment is poor and very little time is spent on a patient...and ultimately you can just leave.
You wont find a shortage of dentists taking on private patients so you can just look for the best, most highly recommended practice.
I phoned my Dentist this morning as I have (what I believe) is an abscess on a gum, giving me gip and a painful swelling under my jaw. I'm a private patient - there's no other kind at my Dentist anyway.
"Can't fit you in until the end of next week....unless it's an 'emergency' - due to the other Dentist being on his hols. Try gargling with salted water and see how it goes"!
Now, although I'm in a bit of pain, I would not call it an emergency....well, not yet anyway.
"Can't fit you in until the end of next week....unless it's an 'emergency' - due to the other Dentist being on his hols. Try gargling with salted water and see how it goes"!
Now, although I'm in a bit of pain, I would not call it an emergency....well, not yet anyway.
planetdave said:
So that's peterpeter + brother against then.
How do you guys feel about BUPA et al?
Well peterpeter is a dentist. So what do you do? Are you a dentist? Did you go to dental school? I know many dentists, and wend to a medschool with a dental faculty, many of whom are my closest friends, so I think pp and myself, know a little more about this issue than you do.
BUPA offers some good services, but is limited by the NHS and government monopoly on health care delivery in this country.
968 said:
So that's peterpeter + brother against then.
How do you guys feel about BUPA et al?
Well peterpeter is a dentist. So what do you do? Are you a dentist? Did you go to dental school? I know many dentists, and wend to a medschool with a dental faculty, many of whom are my closest friends, so I think pp and myself, know a little more about this issue than you do.
BUPA offers some good services, but is limited by the NHS and government monopoly on health care delivery in this country.
I'm just a joe with teeth giving a laymans opinion. Absolutely no need to get so exited, old chap...a simple 'as a dentist I think' stylee would carry a lot of authority in these parts.
planetdave said:
I'm just a joe with teeth giving a laymans opinion. Absolutely no need to get so exited, old chap...a simple 'as a dentist I think' stylee would carry a lot of authority in these parts.
Well, you are of course entitled to your opinion, but don't insult an entire group of workers, and then be surprised if they get a bit annoyed that you characterise the service they offer as being shoddy, particularly when these guys have had to suffer under the yoke of NHS restrictive practices, treating their patients with almost unethical shoddiness, due to the restraints of the system, before they finally jumped ship.
planetdave said:
Private dentists remind me of the privitising of British Rail.
You pay more for a worse service - but the seats are cleaner.
Is the dentistry going to be of a higher standard?
Seems quite a benign question to ask.
Is the dentistry going to be of a higher standard?
Is this really dummy spitting material?
I could be wrong, but I would imagine most NHS dentists earn in excess of £50,000pa AFTER all expenses, staff, premises etc, so they are hardly badly paid...
My lady dentist (NHS) is excellent by the way, and drives a brand new Audi TT, so she hardly has to go work on a bike.......
However, it is not a job that personally appeals to me, staring into grotty nicotine stained mouths all your working life, so I for one don't begrudge them a penny.....
My lady dentist (NHS) is excellent by the way, and drives a brand new Audi TT, so she hardly has to go work on a bike.......
However, it is not a job that personally appeals to me, staring into grotty nicotine stained mouths all your working life, so I for one don't begrudge them a penny.....
planetdave said:
planetdave said:
Private dentists remind me of the privitising of British Rail.
You pay more for a worse service - but the seats are cleaner.
Is the dentistry going to be of a higher standard?
Seems quite a benign question to ask.
Is the dentistry going to be of a higher standard?
Is this really dummy spitting material?
It's convenient that you left out the rest of the post, isn't it?
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