Dentists being taken over by national companies

[Churchill]

I pay £25 for a dental check up, £50 for cleaning , and a Kings Ransom for new glasses which I have to replace soon at least the eye test is now free

[johnofgwent]

My local dentist also undertakes NHS patients most of whom like me have to pay for treatment,

Fees for dental work and opticians and glasses were a cause for strife within 12 months of Nye Bevans idea coming about.



In Wales there were no NHS dentists for almost two decades. Maggie pissed the dentists off big time so they all left and went private through denplan, and Blair did absolutely f**k all to reverse this.  



There are a few practices offering new registrations now,but I've had no luck registering with one ...

[Churchill]

With all the new dentist very expensive equipment x ray machines etc plus new techniques I don't think a NHS Dentist would make enough to buy or hire them , rent premises have public liability insurance, energy bills and hire dental nurses hygienist and receptionists

[Sampanviking]

Actually I do agree with Papasmurf on this one. All the old Independent small NHS practices have disappeared and these new US style large practices are not so great. The staff all seem to be newly qualified and only interested in fulfilling whatever requirements they need to be able to join a Private practice and some were so bad that when they disappeared after one appointment, I could only assume that they left to pursue other careers!



I moved to South Wales just over two years ago and I found getting an NHS dentist impossible. Finally I switched to Private and it is the best decision I have made in a long time. The service and treatment is immeasurably better and the cost not very much more than I would have been charged (in England) for the NHS.

[Churchill]

There has been charges for NHS dentistry for a long time. Since the takeover I have to pay  privately for dental hygiene sessions £48 a time.

I know I have been around a long time , and hope to be around for a long time yet

[Churchill]

You really do appear to have a very interesting life :roll:

[Baron von Lotsov]

My local dentist also undertakes NHS patients most of whom like me have to pay for treatment,

I need a little bit of medical work done as well, but not to my teeth, and when I finally get around to it I will get it done privately. It's not because I'm rich, but the last time I dealt with the NHS I was sent on a wild goose chase and had to talk to extreme f-wits, and they piss me off too much just looking at them, so I'll talk to a capitalist about it and he will sort me out. My general approach these days is to avoid the state as much as possible.

[papasmurf]

My local dentist also undertakes NHS patients most of whom like me have to pay for treatment,

There has been charges for NHS dentistry for a long time. Since the takeover I have to pay  privately for dental hygiene sessions £48 a time.

[Churchill]

My local dentist also undertakes NHS patients most of whom like me have to pay for treatment,

[papasmurf]

Have you had problems with the treatment, then PS?

What is wrong with having the dentist owned by a company. Surely if they do NHS work they are all constrained by the same terms of contracting NHS dental work?

The problem is one of attitude "Sorry it is company policy." When ALL the old staff leave it is a bit of a clue.

The new staff are frankly surly.

(The fact the CEO of one of the companies used to be a senior person at Serco fills me with no confidence at all.)

[Barry]

Have you had problems with the treatment, then PS?

What is wrong with having the dentist owned by a company. Surely if they do NHS work they are all constrained by the same terms of contracting NHS dental work?

Having said that, anyone who has to pay for NHS prices, (£260+ for a crown) may find it isn't that much more expensive to go private. But is private any better or safer treatment? It all depends on the expertise of the individual dentist, doesn't it?

[papasmurf]

I spent years as an NHS dental patient. It was only when I went private that I realised how rubbish the treatment I had received was.

I had no problems at all until the dentists were taken over by national companies.

[T00ts]

I spent years as an NHS dental patient. It was only when I went private that I realised how rubbish the treatment I had received was.

[papasmurf]

A couple of years ago the service I get from my dentist started go down-hill all the long serving staff left. It was a while before I realised the dentist had been taken over by a national company. The same company has recently taken over my wife's dentist with a similar down hill trend in service.

We decided to try and change dentists only to find another national company had taken over that one.

I am having problems finding an independent dentist who does NHS work.