dentists

Are you near a Dental Hospital? My brother had all his done at the Dental Hospital in Liverpool I think you can usually get a referral if you live near or will travel. Someone , either GP or perhaps dentist has to make the referral in the first place I would guess like any other hospital procedure.
I hope you are not in pain.

My old dentist (how I miss him) used to refer tricky extractions to the Maxifacial Unit at the local hospital, not the dental hospital but a clinic within a normal hospital.

I had a huge nasty wisdom tooth removed there which was behind an expensive gold filling. They did a grand job and I did feel safer in the hospital. They also gave me stitches and antibiotics although it's hard to get the antibiotics theses days.

Good luck Printmiss let us know how you get one.

I suspect that the dentist would have referred you if they thought it necessary but you could ask. It is not encouraged. Here, the wait for a hospital referral for an extraction is ages and they would probably want to see you and do an exam themselves first. Even if you are near a dental hospital there are generally waiting lists to become a patient.

Probably better to bite the bullet (as it were) printmiss. It will probably not be as bad as you fear and antibiotics will be forthcoming if you need them.

I had a nasty wisdom tooth extraction some years ago and the blinking thing broke off at the gum so the dentist, try as he might could not get all the root.

Move on a few years and the root started trying to work its way out and was very painful. We had moved by then and my new dentist referred me to Stoke Mandeville hospital where they have (or had) a specialist dental clinic for such referrals.

He had to cut open the gum to get the root (very long and twisted) and I had stitches and antibiotics. My face was very swollen and the antibiotics had to be repeated before it all settled down eventually. Even strong painkillers did not touch the pain and it was not an experience I would ever want to repeat.

Good luck Printmiss - I hope you have a better time of it than I did!

DS was referred to hospital when he needed to have his wisdom teeth removed. They had to be cut out and stitched. The same thing happened to me but as I was already attending a dental hospital they did it there, but under local anaesthetic

Can you change your dentist?

Unless there is a specific reason to be referred to the hospital, the new dentist won't refer either and the wait will probably be months.

I am not mad about my dentist, but I am registered with him on the NHS and this has saved me loads of money. If I were to change dentists I would be very lucky to find anyone willing to take me on the NHS.

If you get referred to a dental hospital do you have to pay as you would at your own dentist?

When I was referred to the dental clinic within the hospital I didn't have to pay. I think this would also apply to a dental hospital - not sure. I am a private patient because I couldn't find an NHS one.

The wait to have the tooth out in the hospital was about 10 months but luckily I wasn't in pain.

Thanks for all that specially gagagran. The tooth has settled, as it does occasionally. I am a complete coward regarding dentists. I think I will ask to be referred to the hospital if possible, at least I will feel better about it. I hope. I did go to a private dentist for a few years, and he was lovely, but unfortunately he was on the first floor of a building with very steep stairs which I could manage going up, but coming down brought on vertigo, so I gave up on that one, apart from the expense, that is. Thanks again, it is sometimes good just to write things down.

If you want to change dentist you could try your local Health Watch who should be able to direct you to one who has accessible premises and is accepting new NHS patients. You can try 111 but their advice service Re dentistry is not terribly reliable.

Does anyone know how NHS dentistry compares in price to Private.? I've just had two teeth out, a crown and a filling and it came to £300. I've heard that the NHS isn't a lot cheaper.

That would have cost £222.50, the maximum NHS charge. That is assuming it was one course of treatment and that you are not an exempt patient.

That's not a lot cheaper then. I'm not an exempt patient.

I can remember when dentistry was free. I had a gold filling and the dentist explained that I would have to pay for that. It cost £10 back in the late 60s early 70s. Everything else was free.

People say you get a slightly better treatment if you're Private. Can't say I get much extra attention.