I had waited 4 months for this check up my appointment was 11.10 am . I arrived at 11.05 . I knocked on the locked glass door and waited a few minutes and was told to wait outside although no one was in the waiting room . I waited until 11.35 when the nurse opened the locked door took my temperature and sanitised my hands . I wore my mask into the dentist room and after 5 minutes I was back out the door where 2 people were standing waiting, one an older lady with sticks .
I realise we need strict caution because of covid but why was I told to wait outside for half an hour standing , no one else was around . Surely I could have sat in the waiting room . Why was the place empty for so long and the lights out . There were two dentists in each room so why no patients ? People are waiting for appointments for months . Surely it’s time to allow a few in now to clear the back log . I cant afford private treatment though I am returning to the hygienist in 4 weeks which now costs £58 for 20 minutes .
Thank goodness it was a warm sunny morning . What would have happened if it was freezing or pelting with rain . I honestly think I would still have been left outside
Gosh Susan, that sounds very thorough! And yes, it sounds like you might have been left standing out there in the rain, unless a big fuss was made.
Living in a high virus area, I must say my dental practice isn’t quite as stringent as yours - although I would like it to be. Patients (albeit max of 2) are allowed in the spacious waiting room. Hand sanitising is encouraged but no temps are taken. Masks aren’t enforced either although I always wear mind until he tell me to take it off.
By contrast, I visited he City on Saturday evening for a drink with my daughter. She, & one other person were the only people out of 20 passengers on the way home, wearing a mask & in Weatherspoons, no staff & only the very odd customer wore a mask.
Isolated places being overcautious will change nothing. What we need is reasonable standards everywhere.
I felt so sorry for people with bad toothache when lockdown was at it’s peak. They were left high and dry to suffer with no proper treatment, just paracetamol and antibiotic or extraction at the dental hospital.
My dentist keeps cancelling my regular check ups. I’ve been once in a year and a half, I think they are prioritising emergencies which is fair enough.
When I did go you had to wear a mask but were allowed to sit in the waiting room. They’d put tape across some of the seats to spread you out. Hand gel and spray at the door
I developed a toothache during lockdown & was able to visit my dentist. He said no drilling etc was allowed but that he could give me a temporary filling & if that did not work remove the tooth.
In the time I was there waiting two dentists could have seen at least two more patients . There were two receptionists sitting at the desk . So if this is the working day 1 patient in half an hour while the other dentist sits in his room . Pre covid the room always had at least 6 people waiting in the room to be seen . How on earth will the backlog clear at this rate and does the NHS dental treatment intend for this over caution go slow to continue .
I attended all my dental appointments during the lockdowns. They were very thorough in keeping you safe.
I have stood on the doorstep each time whilst the receptionist has checked my temperature, asked Covid questions and sanitised my hands.
I was allowed into the waiting room immediately after all this was done. There were just four chairs, one in each corner of the waiting room. I have been either the only one in there, or with one other person.
At least, they have stopped using that awful tasting poison they gave you to put into your mouth and you had to swish it around for ?30 seconds!
Our dentist waiting room has been closed to the public since the start of Covid for the sake of safety to the public. We have to wait outside until our turn.
Every time a patient has been attended to, that room has to be thoroughly sanitized straight after…… not a 5 minute job either.
Full marks to dental surgeries for their thoroughness in hygiene, even if it results in seeing less patients a day, at least we get to see the dentist face to face, unlike the doctors.
We were fortunate to be friends of people that were going to their Dentist going back 6 years now, just when we needed one…
She excepted us and like other countries there is a shortage here also, so felt relieved.
Our one in Sauze Vaussais, our nearest town, he had no room on his books and happened to be the ex of our new Dentist in Chef Boutonne.
… She is very gentle and the understanding she has is wonderful. Ask about anything to do with the Dentistry involved and she goes out of her way to explain all.
I had really bad experience from a locum when I was about 13 years of age, living in Croydon then, and I ended up in Guys Hospital within days of this Butcher’s treatment to me…so that left me obviously a tad nervous. The treatment took months to be carried out…
We had our treatment last week and this time rather a hefty cleaning around the gum line…deep breaths for that,but after was so good again, all gappy…Yesterday during lunch Husbands tooth broke off…not very large piece but he is now in panic mode…thinking raging pain, when he said it feel numb…
I phoned just after 14.00 and actually spoke with the Dentist herself as the receptionist is a bit of a nightmare for me to communicate with.
8th October is the best she could do, although his pain is not raging he is on the Paracetamol.
We pay for some treatments say towards bridges or replacements as in dentures, l implants are 100% private.
Some more expensive crowns, are part paid by us but all the rest is covered by our Health Service and we also have top up Insurance. The system here is around only 70% paid in general by our Health Service, similar I believe to Australia’s set up.
You get covered only by 100% say if your heart has a condition of any kind…Cancer would be covered by 100%…Guess there are other health issues covered as well.
Susan, I think you are so lucky to have an NHS dentist. We’ve been trying to get one since we moved here over 9 months ago and have failed miserably. We’ve just had to bite the bullet, so to speak, and had appointments with a local private dentist. We had a check up last Thursday (£65 each + an extra £65 for a scrape & clean for me). I have an appointment for 2 weeks time to have my teeth prepped for replacement crowns (£900). And that, my friends, is just the start of it. Much more work on my teeth is required and I’m expecting another invoice for at least £1k on top of what we’ve already paid and are due to pay. Ernie is good to us next month
I left NHS dentists behind about 30 or so yrs ago and I’m happy with my private dentist’s practice and the Denplan treatment/payment scheme. No longer are my teeth filled unnecessarily just to claim NHS payments. Now I only receive treatment that is appropriate to what I actually need and much more preventative treatment than before.
That’s the difference in cost between NHS and Private dentistry. The NHS pays the difference between what the dentist charges you and what s/he could charge as a private practitioner. In any case, I believe you get far better treatment privately (having been private in Worcester). The Denplan thingy is a bit of a rip off as far as I’m concerned but I’m willing to pay up every month.
Ernie is good to us next month 
