Is having an NHS dentist common these days? What are the barriers to accessing dental care in the UK?

Posted by ss2811@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 38 comments

I’ve been having a dental issue recently with my wisdom tooth having pain and I’ve needed to book an emergency dentist appointment.

It got me thinking… since we have to pay for dental care in the UK, and are so used to not having to pay anything for our healthcare - I wonder how many people especially with the rise in the cost of living and austerity see the cost of dental care as a major barrier and may neglect going to the dentist because of it?

Are you registered with a dentist and if so is it NHS or private? I was taken off the dental practice I had been going to since I was a child after not booking an appointment for 2 years. Took me a while but thankfully managed to get onto an NHS dentist in the end. So many people I know though, can’t get an NHS dentist.

It’s an interesting topic really. It would be so interesting to run some sort of study and find out the barriers.

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Kyle_2099@reddit

In the UK at least, having an NHS dentist is like having a council house. If you went to get one in the 1990s, and never let go of it, then you're OK. But if you don't already have one, then you have to really suffer and get really lucky to get one.

TruDentalTourismLTD@reddit

The state of dentistry in the UK really is depressing. I believe successive governments have created this situation intentionally, with a view to privatising NHS dental services at some point in the future. This is often the case with highly controversial policy decisions. The terms ‘dental desserts’ and other media coined terms, only push the narrative that this situation is avoidable. Whatever one’s political persuasion and opinion on private healthcare, as the 5th richest country in the world (according to the IMF) it is definitely avoidable.

The question here is, is looking after one’s dental health an individual responsibility, therefore a lesser responsibility of the state. In my opinion, in any developed society, the disadvantaged or vulnerable’ s health should be taken care of.

Let’s also not forget, there are many reasons for issues with your teeth. Childbirth is a very common reason for tooth loss. It can also be genetic. The government would rather justify massive cuts in public spending by telling people to brush their teeth better.

At the end of the day, toothache and dental issues in general can be horrendous. This is a major public health issue and should be treated as such.

BLightyear67@reddit

I gave up trying to find an NHS dentist and refuse to pay daft money to fund a new porsche for a dentist so I havent been in years.

shortercrust@reddit

I think it depends massively on where you live. There are plenty near me and just about everyone I know has an NHS dentist.

DisastrousRecord1802@reddit

In scotland theres still quite alot of dental work subsidised by the NHS. Pregnant women and 6 months post partum i believe are entirely covered also. And kids.

bex9990@reddit

Same in England, but it's 12 months post partum.

Really? My mate from Kent was amazed when i told him filling costs etc.

I did just mean that it's free for pregnancy/ post partum and kids in England. Also if you're on some benefits and pensions.

I know if you pay for treatment in England it is subsidised, but maybe Scotland gets bigger subsidies?

AgreeableEm@reddit

Trouble is, even if you are pregnant or otherwise eligible, finding an NHS dentist with an open list is almost impossible - none in my area of Scotland.

No-Problem-1354@reddit

I am NHS although the con is that the NHS don’t cover much anymore so the only thing I really get free is a check up. Everything else I have to pay for. And I have insurance to avoid huge dental bills. If I need something done desperately I just go private and use my insurance. The main benefit of private is if I ask for an appointment they will give me one tomorrow. If I ask for an NHS they tell me the next appointment is in 3 months or something.

Icy_Bit_403@reddit

Do you get the xrays included in the check up? Without the xrays the check up I had for free was extremely minimal and felt like the dentist could not be bothered.

I very rarely get x rays done but whenever I have, I’m pretty certain I’ve paid for them. I can’t open my mouth very wide as my jaw locks (I got it after getting my wisdom teeth removed) and most dentists just become frustrated with me. One dentist in particular about had me in tears because he was being really rough and trying to force the x ray machine to the back of my throat almost. My body went into this whole fight response which just annoyed him even more and he ended up storming off. Then a really lovely dentist came through and she managed to get my X-rays done in around a minute or two. She had this natural calm persona and she was really gentle and talked me through the whole process. So it just goes to show that all it takes is the right person. I found out afterwards that she was the children’s dentist so she was quite used to dealing with tricky customers which was how she was able to deal with me as well.

Fuzzy_Cantaloupe6353@reddit

Can't get Into an NHS dentist here. I haven't been in years as can't afford it.

My daughter is registered at a private dentist. She eligible for free NHS care as she's only 8 but again can't get a dentist.

Last time she went it cost £88.

72dk72@reddit

Apparently 13 million people are denied (can't get access to a NHS Dentst, so 50 million + can or do. So at least 3/4 of people must have or be able to have an NHS Dentist. Sat's last year should 40% of Adults and 57% of children had seen an NHS Dentist in the past 12 months.

So maybe it's not as bad as people seem to this? I had no issue in the end getting an NHS dentist but I do have a 50mile round trip.

I had an NHS dentist but ended up moving house so lost them (it was years ago now, I'm positive I'm not registered with them anymore!). When I tried to get an NHS dentist again it was impossible so I went private for a few years. However, I looked up the private treatment prices and I've now put myself on the consolidated NHS waitlist in my area, with a waitlist of 2 years, for a new NHS dentist.

TonyBlairsDildo@reddit

I wouldn't let an NHS dentist near my mouth. They're paid peanuts and you have to question why your dentist is on poverty pay, and whether they'll nudge you away from treatment that is unprofitable for them.

No_Concept_3477@reddit

I have an NHS dentist where I grew up, 200 miles away from where I currently live. I go back once a year to see him as I can't get a dentist anywhere near where I live. I've had to pay for emergency work privately when I can't tolerate a long drive. It's an awful system.

I suspect there are many thousands of people like me who, if we all could register at a local dentist, would be able to free up spaces for others who have moved into the area, but I just can't afford to take the risk of de-registering and being without a dentist!

Opposite_Funny9958@reddit

What is this ‘NHS dentist’ you speak of?

Slutty_Foxx@reddit

I’ve had the same dental practice since birth. Several different dentists but always NHS, some better than others, I hate going but force myself to because I’d be kicked off if I didn’t. My son also is registered there so we’re lucky (had to wait 2 years for an orthodontist though). If they went private I’d probably not go at all but would get insurance for my son and pay private.

ClevelandWomble@reddit

I know a practice manager. Recruiting dentists is difficult. This means that providing a service to the NHS is a challenge. That means that dentists who decide to treat only private patients have pretty much a captive market.

My wife's dentist recently decided to treat only private patients but the other dentists at that practice were instructed to decline to accept his NHS patients. They had to choose between staying with him as private or finding another practice

In brief, it sucks

Same_Difference_3361@reddit

I moved to the UK in 2007 and wherever I lived I failed to win the NHS dentist post code lottery. I am now in East Anglia and there are zero NHS dentists. One of them only accepts minors right now so I have no choice but to go private and yes, I haven't gone in a long time. I have some odd thing on one tooth where apparently the bone is deteriorating which requires a £2500 surgery. Can't afford that so tooth / bone stays as it is. For the last five years. Will likely lose the tooth eventually.

Satansrideordie@reddit

I lived in Spain for a few years, recently came back and have rang over 20 dentists that the nhs site say are taking on, all said no. One said I could go on a waitlist but they try to see 10 people a week and the list has over 4000 people on it

FabulousSpray9237@reddit

I’ve done the same with the ones saying they have places, can’t even get my kids in anywhere

RoohsMama@reddit

It’s a terrible situation. Had a toothache in 2018 and I went to several places. By the time I got my appointment, root was dead.

Clear-Lifeguard-3762@reddit

don’t bother and go private, NHS dentists do the bare min and a lot british people think the normal, but it’s not ! and this comment is coming from a british person who lived abroad for many years and is back

I haven’t been to the dentist for almost 20 years. I was with the same practise as my family and my dad would always book our appointments so we’d go at the same time. The last time they randomly cancelled my appointment without telling me but kept my parents ones, then kicked me off the register saying I had to sign back up as a private patient as no NHS places left. Conveniently I’d just finished my full time studies so would have had to pay full rates, which wasn’t a problem but as a 21 year old in an entry level job private prices were not an option. Haven’t been able to get an NHS place since.

My parents have now had to find somewhere else as they’ve been kicked off the register and forced to go private, so instead of them getting their money they moved to a new dentist in the next county. I can’t even get my children an NHS place where I live

pooinyourear@reddit

There’s no incentive to change anything though as dentists are making far too much money from our misery in the current system.

There’s zero NHS dentists in my area, but dozens and dozens of private practices run by dentists with three houses.

Alzdeejay2@reddit

Ive been trying to get an NHS dentist for around 10 years, always end up booking an emergency appointment in the end. Everytime I ring them it's always were not taking nhs patients at the mo only private 🤣

Pale_Slide_3463@reddit

I emailed 15 within 30miles of me and one was only doing NHS and it was a 6 month wait. My old one went private and kicked everyone off. Basically luck of the draw and being annoying

mida0137@reddit

I was having lots of emergency dentist appointments last year and I didn’t have a lot of options (private was way too expensive for the treatments I needed).

So I registered to a NHS dentist in London, over 200 miles away at the time. I now live about 90 miles away

seven-cents@reddit

I found an NHS dentist, registered and got treatment 3 days later.

I first had to go on a 5 day course of antibiotics to supress a gum infection, and had the tooth extracted a week after the first appointment.

They're really nice, but quite reluctant to do anything complex because the amount they get paid by the NHS doesn't (or barely) covers the cost.

arcsprung@reddit

I had an NHS dentist until some point in my teens, but it turned private at some point maybe 15 years ago? and my mum kept us on their books, whereas my dad left and bounced around other local NHS surgeries until they all disappeared, and then he just didn't go to the dentist unless it was an emergency.

The past few years I have been paying about £12 a month on a family plan and I make sure I visit my home town every six months for my check ups (my mum always insisted we go twice a year). I'm lucky that I have fairly good teeth and haven't needed anything besides a wisdom tooth removal so far. Dad just joined the family plan in the past couple of months I think.

Warm-Marsupial8912@reddit

I'm in a "dental desert", no dentist is accepting adults via the NHS, & haven't for years. Since I'm disabled travelling 90 miles to the nearest one isn't an option & I don't have enough money for private. So I have no care

QueefInMyKisser@reddit

Somehow I got one just by walking past a dentist on my way into town and seeing a sign saying now accepting new NHS patients. I think that sign wasn’t up for very long!

Bababalaba2712@reddit

I went private a year ago as they are more specialised and didn’t lead me to believe all my teeth are going to fall out. Yes it costs more but before they undertake anything there is a clear plan in place and if i have an issue I can get an appointment the same week

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