Dentists - Private vs NHS

We both had letters from our private dentist saying we were due to go in (long overdue!). We are to go together next month and one of us will go into the dentist and the other to the hygienist and then we will swap. I suppose doing husband and wife together reduces the sterilising.

The hygienist can not polish teeth - just a scrape.

My private dentist started check ups again in June too
He was bitterly complaining about his colleagues working for the NHS who he said are taking a wage as normal from the government and not doing any normal appointments although they could
I had my normal check up with my private dentist

I think you should ring your regular dentist back personally and stress your daughter is vulnerable.
My mother-in-law was seen almost at once.

My private dentist started on the 8th June (I think) - it was the first day regular dentists were insured to practice. By about week 3 she had caught up on emergencies so bookings are now back to normal. In order to catch up she opened on a Monday (the day she’s usually closed) and worked longer hours. This is probably what a number of private practitioners will have done as they would be keen to keep their clients.

Thank you for all of the advice. I will take a look at the info on MN and start ringing round the practices locally. Now I know that other NHS practices are conducting check-ups I feel on a bit firmer footing reading for phoning up. Again, thank you to everyone who replied.

Forgot to add Valski -

Don't know where you live but here in Cornwall, if we want to change or start with a different NHS dentist, we have to go on NHS waiting list and have to take the one offered. We can't ring the dentists directly.

Hope your County is different.

I'm private and DH is NHS. We are different practices.

My private check up and hygienist appointments were in April - so both cancelled. I started to ask mid June when check ups would start and was told: only when they had caught up with treatments and emergencies. Had a phone call at end of June to go in the following week.

DH had his NHS check up at beg of July. It had been prebooked from his previous of one.

So just from our experiences, it depends on the practice and being NHS or private didn't come into the equation.

Oh! Both our experiences were the same with lots of precautions being done. We both felt really safe.

We were phoned up and offered appointments, (Hampshire), may vary from area to area?

I have had a private check up. I would phone around, see who can help

I’ve an appointment with an NHS dentist tomorrow. Had to plead to get it but succeeded. Not all all sure what if anything she will be able to do, the appointment feels like the first hurdle. Friends in Hampshire and Wiltshire were phoned and offered appointments. It seems areas vary.

I had a check up with an NHS dentist two weeks ago and I have another appointment booked for next February.

no i don't think so.
it's up to each individual dentist, even nhs ones are self employed, contracted to do nhs work.
there is more advice re dentists on MN; quite a few dentists are members of MN. have a look there.
i think you just have to google dentists in your area and ring each one to ascertain what they are doing.
good luck.