Dentists

[c00ky83]

Quite worrying that so many dentists are going private - halving their workload, quadrupling their earnings? Not bad. Are we going back to an age where people can't afford medical treatment so don't bother?

[LeMarchand]

Going back? I think we're already there :-(.

[coyn]

cOOky, last year a NHS dentist opened in Scarborough she signed up three thousand patients the FIRST DAY.

The tories destroyed dental care in the NHS, in Scarborough for example many of those 3000 people hadn't seen a dentist in 15 years.

I made sure I stayed with my NHS dentist, a check up clean and polish is �15

As to your question we have been at the stage where people cant afford care since the late eighties.

[maggie01]

I have been with my dental pratice for 16yrs. Last year my dentist retired but luckily the new one kept all the patients on. The charges went up and I daren't miss any appointments, but I feel lucky to have a dentist. The rest of my family have to go private but that's only when they have a problem. The don't bother with check ups!

[Oneeyedvic]

Moved to Gt Yarmouth 3 years ago - signed up with the local NHS dentist without any problems.

Also love the fact that despite the fact that Labour have been in power for over 8 years, it's all still down to the tories!

[LeMarchand]

Whilst the current government are a bunch of no-good ****ers, it has to be said that it wasn't them who decided to sell everything off to their mates and privatise everything in sight. Once the deed is done, it's very hard to turn back the clock - for instance, it would probably cost millions (billions?) to buy back the rail companies/network and the same again to fix it.

That's not to say Tony B. Liar and his cronies wouldn't do the same as Maggie - maybe she just got there first!

[january_bug]

There hasn't been an NHS dentist in my county since I was at primary school (as far as I know).

Whilst you have a good point c00ky, I do feel that there is plenty people can do to protect their health that they just don't bother about - that would save them money, not cost them. e.g., if people gave up smoking, or stopped buying so many frozen ready meals and learnt to cook from fresh, they would save the money needed for the dentist, AND improve their health.

What's the deal with people on benefits? Can't they claim back the money for private dental care if they have no alternative?! Obviously that still leaves the borderline people in a difficult situation - and one they shouldn't have to face.

I think I've possibly picked up too much on your last work c00ky, but I hope you know where I'm coming from. If people can't afford it, so don't go - that is a problem. But a lot of people turn down perfectly free ways to benefit their health*... because they can't be bothered - so I certainly hope it's not they who are complaining.

*I believe the take-up rate on free eye tests for children is very low - perhaps this is something some parents feel should now be done by the schools like every aspect of parenting.

[Hermia]

NHS dentists have been scarce in my area for years. I've noticed more and more people walking around with brown teeth or missing front teeth. Tourists must visit this country and think it's a third world nation!

If we are all going to have to start paying for private dental treatment I wish they'd come up with a more standarised scale of charges. One of my colleagues has had to have some dental work recently and it's cost him �1000 & he's had to get a loan to pay for it. We work in a public-sector, vocational profession so we are on less than the average wage, but not poor enough for benefits. People I know who use private dentists complain that it's difficult to get an honest estimate beforehand and that prices vary so much.

[OBonio]

Why are people saying the tories privatised dentists? It was the dentists' CHOICE to go private. They saw the extra money they could be making and wham bam... Thieving gits.

[qapmoc]

If you want to live in a free market economy where consumerism and capitalism is the only god (or should that be ''are the only gods''), and everthing is sold/traded etc... for maximum profit, then what can you complain about when some parts of your society take the line of maximum profit. I am sure that 99% of people in the UK would do the same thing given the chance.

[january_bug]

OBonio - I take your point, but might a socialist not argue that the government should pay the dentists to remain in the NHS!? I'm sure if the financial incentives were correct, dentists would come back to the NHS. Bottom line is, we can't afford it without a tax rise, which is politically not such a good move. And probably, the only reason why we can't afford it, is cos dentists are thieving gits like you said! lol

[mimififi]

I have just started going to an NHS dentist. He took my wisdom tooth out under a local last week completely painlessly. He is the best dentist in the whole wide world and I hope he never changes. I have to go every 6 months to stay on the register and I jolly make sure I do! He is always booked, but nearly always runs to time, unless there is an emergency that he deals with. he is excellent with children and is also very fit and quite young.
What more could you want in a dentist? snaps for mr Gorrord!