Dental Emergency - yea right

[bekisman]

Dental Emergency

Being one of the hundreds who deserted Bridgend Dental (care?) Centre in Thurso after being ripped off to the tune of £351 a year, on their greedy 'Plan'. We contacted the NHS Dental Helpline to register and although their jingle: "Working with you to make Highland the healthy place to be" they have been unable to get us listed with an NHS dentist.

Yesterday evening my other half gave up with the paracetamol and clove oil on her tooth, and decided she'd have to go for emergency treatment. Tried the 08456 442271 number, BUT as after 4.30 pm was closed. This morning started to ring a short time before 8.45am - getting a message they were not open until 8.45am (eh?) At five minutes to nine, she eventually got through; "you are 7th in the queue" a few minutes "you are 6th in the queue", not sure how much an 0845 number is, but what the hell..
Eventually got through to a human who took her details i.e. we're 'out west' at Strathy etc, and she would ring through 'within the hour'. Sat around, phone rings an hour and quarter later.. "Sorry but can't get you into Loch Shell" - eh? and continues on to say that if any vacancies arise she will ring my wife back, and if no phone call she (wife) will have to ring again tomorrow.
So, tomorrow morning wife will be ringing again, and although she tried the day before if any initial sufferers get their phone call in first then she's back to the end of the queue..
Now I ask you what dumb idiot thought of this system? surely it's not beyond capability to have the enquiring names on a list so that if you don't get in one day, you'll eventually get in, instead of being knocked back each day.. ??

NHS Dental Service; hang your head in shame

[ShelleyCowie]

Thats really quite bad! I was at loch shell today and it was so quiet there! I was the only patient in at the time. the only reason i got an appointment was because i emailed the NHS.

[Kevin Milkins]

It will probably be of little comfort to your wife if she has tooth ache, but Mrs M went through the same routine at the beginning of October when she broke one of her front teeth and it took a week before she could get an emergency appointment at Lochelle.

We have been on the waiting list for over two years and we are 921 on the waiting list at Helmsdale, and 6669 on the waiting list at Lochelle.

[bekisman]

Hi Kevin

Sounds bad - I'm keeping fingers crossed for her try again tomorrow...

[ShelleyCowie]

It will probably be of little comfort to your wife if she has tooth ache, but Mrs M went through the same routine at the beginning of October when she broke one of her front teeth and it took a week before she could get an emergency appointment at Lochelle.

We have been on the waiting list for over two years and we are 921 on the waiting list at Helmsdale, and 6669 on the waiting list at Lochelle.

Aw naw. That sounds awful! I dont understand how they can keep people waiting like that! I went today only waiting 3 weeks for an appointment (Not an emergency) and also have 2 appointments in january.

I think they shud have more appointments for emergencies!

[butterfly]

A pal of mine has broken her wisdom teeth.She has phoned NHS24 everyday this week but they keep telling her everywhere is full up and to keep ringing NHS24 each morning to see if there is a placement for her but so far.......nowt.It's terrible that people are left in agony like this.

[kitty kat]

would the doctor not give her anything for the pain while she waits that is horride nowt worse that tooth ache i have had my wisdom teeth coming through and so i have been told by a dentist i have a small mouth so there is no where for them to go to. poor mrs get her to cry on the phone worth a try

[butterfly]

would the doctor not give her anything for the pain while she waits that is horride nowt worse that tooth ache i have had my wisdom teeth coming through and so i have been told by a dentist i have a small mouth so there is no where for them to go to. poor mrs get her to cry on the phone worth a try

Doctor told her to take Nurofen and to just keep ringing NHS24

[BRIE]

i know that another of the dentists there has just left so maybe thats why their so busy

[bekisman]

Update Wednesday 16th:
Wife had to ring the number, took 28 attempts to get through. At 08.51 spoke and gave details. Person rang back at 09.58 and wife is now booked in for 12.00 midday today at Lochshell! quite pleased.. think it was possibly that she continuously rang and was 1st, whereas yesterday was further 'down the line'...

So 3-4 days of pain finally paid off.

Incidentally, the woman that my wife spoke to said they only check with Lochshell (is this the only NHS dentist in the Far North?)

[changilass]

If you say you are willing to travel they will also send you down to Inverness.

[tonkatojo]

This is a tough one that will not be righted until the system does away with private practice. In a society that is supposed to care, the present system of only the well off are cared for stinks and is totally wrong. Why is it some NHS dentists (the ones that are left) can make a decent living and are satisfied with their earnings, while others see the opportunity to screw the less well off at the lower end of the earnings scale, using pain as their lever to make you pay up.

[Frith]

I to think it is appauling when we pay so much tax and NI that you can't get emergency dental treatment when you need it. I gave up last year and registered with a private clinic in Wick had treatment I needed doing etc. But when you get a letter every year asking you fro £20 just for the privalage of being reg'ed with them, I'm sorry but as a matter of principal I would rather remove my own teeth with an ice skate like Tom Hanks on Castaway than be ripped off by a money grabbing dentist taking advantage of people with no other choice.

I am a veterinary nurse by profession and the veterinary profession comes in for a bit of stick for being expensive and money grabbing, but our regulatory body would never sanction it's members charging an anual fee to register patients, and I'm quite sure the public wouldn't stand for it either.

[Blast!]

I to think it is appauling when we pay so much tax and NI that you can't get emergency dental treatment when you need it. I gave up last year and registered with a private clinic in Wick had treatment I needed doing etc. But when you get a letter every year asking you fro £20 just for the privalage of being reg'ed with them, I'm sorry but as a matter of principal I would rather remove my own teeth with an ice skate like Tom Hanks on Castaway than be ripped off by a money grabbing dentist taking advantage of people with no other choice.

I am a veterinary nurse by profession and the veterinary profession comes in for a bit of stick for being expensive and money grabbing, but our regulatory body would never sanction it's members charging an anual fee to register patients, and I'm quite sure the public wouldn't stand for it either.

Well, why don't you pocket the 20 quid and do your own dentistry then? After all, it's a charge you decided to pay.

[Frith]

Well, why don't you pocket the 20 quid and do your own dentistry then? After all, it's a charge you decided to pay.

I didn't pay it! but those with dental problems who like many have been waiting for an NHS registration for many years, have little choice but to pay these registration fees, and that's before you pay for yor consult and treatment.

Got a letter from NHS direct the other day, and thought yes finally getting an NHS place. No just wanted to check my details were the same. Errrrr I wouldn't get the letter if my address had changed!!!

[mums angels]

After a similar problem with tooth ache and not having a dentist i decided to go to the Bridges in Wick rather than Bridgend in Thurso as they only charge £20 a year and the prices for treatment are very reasonable , i would rather pay and get good treatment than get an emergency appointment and deal with the mess that Bridgend left after treating me as an emergency case .. I hope they treat the paying patients better than they do the emergency ones .

[flash]

We must have been lucky, my 11 year old broke a tooth last week, I phoned the NHS help line and got an appointment the same day at Loch Shell. The staff were fantastic. Well done to them.

[Frith]

We must have been lucky, my 11 year old broke a tooth last week, I phoned the NHS help line and got an appointment the same day at Loch Shell. The staff were fantastic. Well done to them.

Yeah it seems to be a different system for kids. Me and my husband have been on the waiting list for about 2 years and still waiting. My Niece came to live with us last year, got registered within months and has had the 3 fillings that she needs???

[loganbiffy]

Hmm, the NHS Dental system in Caithness it terrible.
I have been for emergency appointments 3 times at Lochshell, the time before last I went to get a tooth extracted and they tried to take the wrong one out!

I have been to Lochshell for dental treatment around 9 times in the past year and only ONE of the Dental Surgeons was actually caring and considerate.
I have now since registered with Back Bridge Street in Wick, yes it's more expensive but at least you get the correct care.

Anyone know the cost/deal with the Smile-Solutions at Bridgend now? Anybody know what like the prices for Dental Implants are?

[Red]

I pay about £13 a month at Bridgend. Have had nothing but fantastic service from them.

I try not to think that I ought to get free stuff from the NHS because I pay my taxes, because that would just anger me. I see it as though it is another form of insurance. I pay my money and if I need treatment I'll get seen v quickly. Same as house insurance or car insurance - you don't expect to get burgled or crashed into but you are glad of the insurance when you do...

I needed emergency treatment when I was very heavily pregnant and they were so accommodating letting me get up when necessary etc. and fitting me in at such short notice knowing that I didn't want to take too many painkillers.

Dental implants are £2500 for an upper back tooth I know because I asked yesterday!!