NHS Dental services ?

[2uk]

What is your experience with NHS dental services ? I need to go to the dentist , but I am not enrolled with any Clinics/Hospitals(private or not) , so I am wondering if I should save some money going to a NHS dentist ( I understand it is free ? ) OR I better seek private clinic.

I am extremely fearful of dentists , always ask for double anesthetic…. Oh I miss my long-time dentist who used to treat me like a baby…

[Paddy]

My pet subject. After years of going to NHS and then private my teeth were still giving trouble. I got my teeth sorted out in Prague while finding out that most of the previous work in the UK was so bad it had to be re-done. Eg root canal were badly drilled and covered up with poor fillings. Nerves left in place leading to rotting and badly fitted crowns. The UK dentists never waited enough time for the aesthetic to work properly.

I used a top quality dentist in Prague and it cost about 80% less than UK private .

[AtW]

First time in 10 years in the UK used private dentist located in local NHS GP one street away from me - she was great. Before I did all dentistry stuff in Russia with good doctors dealing with it, but local one is pretty good - not very expensive either, I doubt NHS is free either, so it seems to me that going private is really the only way. Pity about this NI paid though.

[miffy]

I understand it is free

I think it's only free if you're on the rock 'n roll, retired (or on any kind of benefits).

I also share your fear of dentists and the private one I'm with now is brilliant.

I had a bad experience with an NHS dentist as a child and remember enduring horrific pain from the anesthetic injection and gaining double vision. God only knows where he must of injected it to give me double vision. I didn't go near a dentist for about 16 years following that incident.

I'd steer clear of NHS butchers personally and find a good private one. The one I'm with now was recommended by an ex-girlfriend and I trust this guy one hundred percent. I'd sooner pay a few quid than save money and endure pain! I think saving money will be a priority at an NHS surgery (for obvious reasons), so no nice white fillings and I bet the anesthetic is optional. Waking up with footprints in the armrests is quite concerning.

Ask around your friends and people you work with and see how they rate their dentist. I think that's the safest bet.

[2uk]

Thanks for all the advice – what I expected. I’ve been tortured by dentist as a child as well, so if they proceed on me without the anesthetic kicking in , there is going to be rage.

[RandyW]

I am extremely fearful of dentists , always ask for double anesthetic…. Oh I miss my long-time dentist who used to treat me like a baby…

Big girl.

[2uk]

Big girl.

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[RandyW]

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You haven't quite mastered using a keyboard have you...?

[Clippy]

http://www.vitaleurope.co.uk/

[TimberWolf]

I'm pretty sure that I didn't get an anesthetic at all for fillings as a kid?

Anyway I had my first filling for a decade last year and did receive an anesthetic, after which he started drilling. This was painful, but I was expected it and wasn't overly bothered. About 5 minutes later I felt the anesthetic kick in

Now that I am private (gave up looking for NHS), the dentist recommends visits to the hygenist every 3 months - and she is almost as expensive as the dentist himself (£30 for 10 minutes). I never went that often even as a kid. And most of that 10 minutes is the hygenist talking garbage and pretending to be a dentist. There is big bucks in dentistry at the moment it seems and I dread the day when I need anymajor work done.