Dentists - wot a rip off

strtdv

You get what you pay for. It's an expensive service to provide.

While I agree with the "free at the point of use" concept the NHS is built on, one negative aspect is that people forget how expensive healthcare is and take it for granted. If you had to pay for your A+E attendance you wouldn't go with your head cold needing paracetamol/stubbed toe etc and the system would be much less overstretched

axisus

TheBigDipper said:

For the last 30 years I've paid £25/month into Denplan so I can get decent proactive dental care from a good dentist.  

The trouble with that is that as soon as you are married that's £50 a month. A hell of a lot of money - £600 a year! If I had that cash spare I'd sooner put it in a building society as a personal dental saving plan. Otherwise you can end up spending money on nothing!

TheBigDipper

axisus said:

TheBigDipper said:

For the last 30 years I've paid £25/month into Denplan so I can get decent proactive dental care from a good dentist.  

The trouble with that is that as soon as you are married that's £50 a month. A hell of a lot of money - £600 a year! If I had that cash spare I'd sooner put it in a building society as a personal dental saving plan. Otherwise you can end up spending money on nothing!

How are your teeth?

EDIT: sorry, could have been interpreted as being sarcastic. I wasn't being in the slightest. Genuine question. Has the expenditure solved your issue? I agree it's a lot of money that many people don't have. I think the government at the time of the change made a mistake - possibly for idealogical reasons. 

CabbageCat

Personally, I go to the dentist once a year. It costs £15. I haven't had any fillings for 20 years. I did have two wisdom teeth out but that was gratis. I find that brushing my teeth moderately regularly does the job but maybe I'm just lucky.

axisus

TheBigDipper said:

axisus said:

TheBigDipper said:

For the last 30 years I've paid £25/month into Denplan so I can get decent proactive dental care from a good dentist.  

The trouble with that is that as soon as you are married that's £50 a month. A hell of a lot of money - £600 a year! If I had that cash spare I'd sooner put it in a building society as a personal dental saving plan. Otherwise you can end up spending money on nothing!

How are your teeth?

EDIT: sorry, could have been interpreted as being sarcastic. I wasn't being in the slightest. Genuine question. Has the expenditure solved your issue? I agree it's a lot of money that many people don't have. I think the government at the time of the change made a mistake - possibly for idealogical reasons. 

Some people are lucky with teeth. I mostly look after mine, rarely have sweets or sweet drinks, but I grind my front teeth down at night apparently. Every 5 years or so they need fixing - rebuilding back to something like normal. 

MrBump

I have to admit - I pay a fair amount for the Bump family dentistry (non NHS).  My logic was that I'd rather my dentist was well paid, and not motivated to carry out any unnecessary work to boost his income (I know, probably too cynical, but you've only got one set of teeth...)

cruxiform

I’ve been lucky with my teeth which is forutnate because I haven’t visited a dentist since I was 16! I’m 48 now. I’ve always brushed twice a day and luckily never had a problem. I do think about going for a checkup once in a while. Might wait until I’m 50.

EricTheWeary

https://i.imgur.com/WQEohwP.jpg

I’d pretty much assumed that dentists are self employed and run their own practices but Bhandals own dozens of practices across the West Mids although most of them don’t say Bhandals over the door. I s’pose none of his dentists live in poverty but maybe not as rich as we’d think. 

WezV

cruxiform said:

I’ve been lucky with my teeth which is forutnate because I haven’t visited a dentist since I was 16! I’m 48 now. I’ve always brushed twice a day and luckily never had a problem. I do think about going for a checkup once in a while. Might wait until I’m 50.

I went from 18-36 without a visit and they were fine.   They did a thorough clean but that was it.  6 months later, 2 fillings.

I would hang in there a bit longer if I was you

gubble

I'll leave this here

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/crime/woman-ran-illegal-dentist-practice-from-dirty-b-b-kitchen-1-8894267

cruxiform

gubble said:

I'll leave this here

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/crime/woman-ran-illegal-dentist-practice-from-dirty-b-b-kitchen-1-8894267

Lynda Collins? Looks like a bloke wearing a wig.

camoflamingo

CabbageCat said:

Personally, I go to the dentist once a year. It costs £15. I haven't had any fillings for 20 years. I did have two wisdom teeth out but that was gratis. I find that brushing my teeth moderately regularly does the job but maybe I'm just lucky.

Sounds like you have a good etical dentist. More than few around who do unecessary work or avoid lesser paid procedures- in the latter case happy to leave you in pain with a worsening condition.