Private dentist charges

I’ve had to put up having my hygiene appointment as I need two new tyres.

I think my main concern was how quickly the check up and cleaning was done.
I acknowledge that equipment, training , staff and the building all have to be paid for, but I would like to feel that I had received excellent treatment for that cost. But I don’t, because of the speed with which the whole process was completed.

Incidentally the waiting room has had a makeover and I was the only patient there.

We have an nhs dentist and get two check ups a year. We don’t pay extra for the second 6 months check.
Sometimes he does a quick clean and the nhs cost is under £30.

We have a 6 monthly check up and hygienist which leaves small change from £200. I took some more insurance out. The dentist and the hygienist are saving me from losing my teeth which would be a nightmare for me. In fact it often is a nightmare!

I joined Denplan when my practice went private. Three monthly hygienist, twice a year dental check. I’m lucky I can pay.
We need to guard our nhs

Stillness

I have paid more than this and no I don’t think dental charges are reasonable now. It’s not unusual for people to have private treatment and pay hundreds if not thousands of pounds. How wealthy do they think we all are?! My answer is to go for a check up less often than the usual six months, maybe once a year. You are only removed from their register if they haven’t seen you within two years.

We had to have private dental treatment for over 30 years as there was no accessible NHS dentist. I have no reason to think that our private dentist ever charged over the odds.

Annual checks are uite sufficient for most people and that is what we always had.

Some private dentists do overcharge. The ones to avoid are the ones that are part of big health chains like BUPA. I had to get an emergency filling in the town we now live in and just went to the nearest dentist that happened to be BUPA and I nearly needed a mortgage to pay for it. It was at least twice what my previous dentist charged and he insisted on doing an xray that was totally unnecessary as all I needed was a small filling in a front tooth replaced, but obviously had to be paid for.

We have now signed up with a independent dentist with charges similar to our previous dentist.

It seems blurry between NHS dentists and private.
My dentist is NHS but all I have on that is one check up per year.
I pay extra for another check.
I pay extra for fillings, if white.
I pay extra for crowns and certainly for dentures.
My next 2 appointments will cost £700 +
For a replacement filling and 2 replacement crowns.
I think you are getting off quite lightly 😁

I pay £99 for hygienist every 3 months and £79 for a twice yearly check up. Expensive I know, but they are an amazing dental practice, absolutely 1st class service. I keep threatening (to myself!) that I'll move to a cheaper one, but no other local dentist can match their service.

I had a tooth out in Feb which was in, what they call, “the smile zone”. I considered an implant but it was too lengthy a process and I simply do not have time for that.

I am now having a bridge which is a tooth on a little plate adjoined to the adjacent tooth. I think I got that right. That tooth already has a crown which is being replaced.
Total price is just over £1500. I am expecting it to look great.

When I had to have a complicated root canal a couple of years ago I paid privately. I think it was about £450, but she did take along time over it, it required two visits, and I had two nurses fussing round me and holding my hands. Some of it was almost fun!

I go to the hygienist every 3-4 months (I think gums in particular need care as you age) and he charges £65. Imo Hygienists are more important than dentists if your teeth are ok.

M0nica

We payed that for a private check up 18 months ago. Dentists are highly trained professionals. They have to employ a lot of support staff and pay for the premises they occupy and all the associated costs. They also use a lot of costly euipment and need to make sure both they and their staff are up to date with dvelopments in dental care. Sounds uite reasonable to me.

Absolutely correct Monica

OP prices are very reasonable

I have paid more than this and no I don’t think dental charges are reasonable now. It’s not unusual for people to have private treatment and pay hundreds if not thousands of pounds. How wealthy do they think we all are?! My answer is to go for a check up less often than the usual six months, maybe once a year. You are only removed from their register if they haven’t seen you within two years.

Sounds reasonable.

I belong to Denplan which gives me two ‘free’ check ups and hygienist visits a year.

Each check up takes about 20 minutes and usually includes an X-ray, along with a check for any growths along my jawline.
Hygienist visit takes 20 - 25 minutes.

The scheme also gives a discount on any work needed. I did need quite a lot of complicated work a few years ago, so I think I just about break even (contributions are now £15 a month).

Paid about the same for about ten minutes check up. The hygienist charges £89 for about 30mins but is really good and doesn’t cause me the pain I have had when other hygienists have had a go. The upside is I can always get an appointment and they do a good job. The difference between the NHS dentist and the private was really significant when I had dentures fitted.

We payed that for a private check up 18 months ago. Dentists are highly trained professionals. They have to employ a lot of support staff and pay for the premises they occupy and all the associated costs. They also use a lot of costly euipment and need to make sure both they and their staff are up to date with dvelopments in dental care. Sounds uite reasonable to me.