Dental Emergency - yea right

[LMS]

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.

I left Bridgend in Thurso about 8 years ago. I had a cracking plan where I paid £10 and that included everything - crowns, fillings, scale & polishes, check-ups etc. It was really good and I didn't mind the money. It went up to £19-ish in one go mid-2001 and I thought that was too hefty a rise, so left. I think thereafter in Thurso they were fleecing people for over £15 a month (feel free to correct me on that one) and it covered the bare basics only, treatments had extra charges. Therefore, although the principal of the £20 is a moot point, it is a good bit cheaper than the Thurso rip-off. At least you have access to a dentist when you need it and are only paying-as-you-go thereafter.

I go to Back Bridge Street and they are brilliant. Not as cheap as NHS but a lot cheaper than most private dentists. You are seen more or less immediately in an emergency and in my opinion, well worth the £20 a year

[NickInTheNorth]

Anyone wanting to register with an NHS dentist and prepared to travel to Inverness to be seen should try calling the NHS dental hell line and asking if they have any vacancies in Inverness.

I'm currently 6000 and something on the waiting list up here in Caithness but have just succesfully registered with what I am told is a new dental practise in Inverness. after 3 years without being registered with a dentist I can't wait for my first (of many) appointment in January.

[bekisman]

Further Update Wednesday 16th

Initially had been told appointment at Lochshell at 12.00 midday. We always transfer our home phone to our mobile and just outside of Thurso had a call from NHS Helpline to say appointment now changed to two hours later for 2.15.. Ok fair enough, killed time in Wick before going to Lochshell, my wife saw the Receptionist and was told there was yet another change of appointment and to come back at quarter to three! Oh dear we thought hope this is not symptomatic of what's going to happen.

However at the appointed time wife goes from the waiting room to the Dentist herself and did not appear for 1 hour and 10 minutes!.. she has had a tooth removed, but they found (after an x-ray) that there was also an abscess, she also had a temporary filling and to come back in February to finalise treatment.. Wife is extremely pleased with the standard of care; she was seen by "a very nice Polish lady" and can't speak highly enough of her.
It was surprising to see a notice upon the wall there, that 60 patients had not turned up for their appointments in November alone!.. Also whilst I was waiting there I witnessed a woman come in with a terrified boy and asked for his appointment to be cancelled, so there are chances of getting in - if you ring early and continuously..

Hey Nickinthenorth, was that a slip; "NHS dental hell line" ? I hate 'em (Dentist that is)

[Green_not_greed]

Try adding -ski to you last name and claim to be a Polish immigrant worker. Sure to get you closer to the top of the queue.

[loganbiffy]

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

This is why I will not be going here to get implants done.
It will cost me about £1800 for 5 implants in Krakow in Poland. It was on the BBC News about the scandolous price of Implants in the UK. Purely because the dentist's salaries in the UK are 3 times higher than that in Europe.

It also showed people who had implants done over in Poland and the majority of them said the work they had done there was better.

[bekisman]

Loganbiffy you were asking about Smile-solutionsl?:

Sample Fees:

X ray (OPT)£40
examination, Scale and Polish £90
Tooth Coloured Fillings from £70
Root Canal Treatmentfrom £275
Ceramic Veneer from £600f
Full Dentures (Upper and Lower)from £1250

[Scunner]

Originally Posted by Red
Dental implants are £2500 for an upper back tooth I know because I asked yesterday

Implants are very good, have had them for years. They are expensive but are well worth it. Planning 2 more in the new year, with dentist in Inverness.

[loganbiffy]

Originally Posted by Red
Dental implants are £2500 for an upper back tooth I know because I asked yesterday

Implants are very good, have had them for years. They are expensive but are well worth it. Planning 2 more in the new year, with dentist in Inverness.

Hi Scunner, how much were your dental implants? Also how painful is it getting them done? Like the actual drilling into the bone?

[Scunner]

Its almost 10 years since I had the lower ones done. About £4000 for the bottom jaw. I was sedated and slept for the first half hour then a bit dozy for the rest of the time. Cant say that I felt anything. Only problem was sitting with my mouth open for 2/3 hours, not unusual for me I know. I had quite a lot of bruising when I got two in the top. But cant say I had any pain.

[loganbiffy]

Its almost 10 years since I had the lower ones done. About £4000 for the bottom jaw. I was sedated and slept for the first half hour then a bit dozy for the rest of the time. Cant say that I felt anything. Only problem was sitting with my mouth open for 2/3 hours, not unusual for me I know. I had quite a lot of bruising when I got two in the top. But cant say I had any pain.

I've asked a good few people now and they seem to say the don't feel any pain at all, which is good.

I'm going to be going to Krakow to get mine done next year as I simply cannot afford the prices in the UK (which are so high due to the dentist's salaries).

A lday appearedon the BBC News was quoted at £21000 for her whole mouth to be fitted with Implants, she then went to Krakow and had the exact same procedure done for under £6,000!

A lot of people also said the work is better and you are treated very well over there, just do a bit of research before you go.

I must ask as well Scunner, you say you have your bottom ones in for ten years, ever had any problems with them so far?
Thanks.

[Scunner]

Never any problems, get them cleaned and polished once a year, £35 last time, due a clean in January

[The macs]

We got in with Golspie NHS practice, and only waited about 6 weeks for our initial assessment appointment. They seem good