Hygienist

Yes, it seems very expensive. I don't pay half that amount.

I don't pay anything as I've never needed anything, my dentist says I have a very alkaline mouth and don't develop plaque at all. I've never had a clean and polish and have only 4 fillings in my mouth. All acquired originally when I was still in primary school.

£45 last time I think. I suppose it's money well spent but I don't exactly enjoy it!

I have never been to the hygienist, much to DH’s chagrin, as he has to go at least once a year. He pays around forty pounds. Suppose my time will come eventually !

I go every 3 months as I have had a lot of dental work done - I pay £25 a month for Denplan which covers this and other routine work such as 6 monthly exams and any fillings which need doing - thankfully I've not had any for a while!

£87 certainly sounds a bit much. I paid £45 last time and thought that was rather a lot for 15 minutes of torture! I'd find another hygienist pronto if I were you

Jane I know what you mean at my last dentist the Hygienist used to do a manual scale and it was very uncomfortable. I think I paid £67. Today I had it done with a technique called ‘sandblasting ‘ which didn’t hurt at all and was much quicker. Maybe that’s why it was so expensive. I think prices vary depending on where you live as well. I’m in Southampton.

I'm on Denplan too. It covers everything including one session a year with the hygienist. I pay for one other session - £45. My monthly charge is £10 and seems very good value to me.
However, our practice has just changed hands and apparently we're now to have a Dental therapist instead of a hygienist

I live in London and I pay £45 for 30 minutes.

Last week, I went for my usual 6 month check up.
Before I went in, I heard a Lady booking an appt to see a hygienist.
I had my check up, all was okay apart from a little scale that was removed by the dentist from my lower teeth at the front, that's all.
I was then asked if I had seen a hygienist. I had, but some years ago.
My Dentist then asked me if I would like to see one.
Now, forgive me for being a tad suspicious, but I just got the feeling that maybe this was a money making exercise after hearing the previous client. My dentist surgery has changed hands and undergone a complete revamp.
I told my dentist my regime : that I floss regularly, I use an electric toothbrush as recommended by my previous dentist, and a mouthwash. Yes I had a little bit of scale, but what can a hygienist tell me to do that I am not already doing?
I did not sign up.

Wow I think I need to ask some questions at my dental practice.

I pay £15.99 a month that pays for two check-ups and two hygienist visits each year. Plus a percentage off the price of any treatment.

Obviously not on theNHS then I pay £21.50 for my annual or six monthly examination and that includes a scale and polish if necessary
I didn’t realise so many people used private dentist !

£38 for a twenty minute appointment. £87 does seem a little steep.

My dentist (NHS) usually removes any scale when I have my check up, now £21.50. Last time he found a small hole high up in a tooth and had to have a white filling done so that meant paying £61 - so £40 for a filling. So total for this year £82.50 providing nothing goes wrong before next appointment in Feb.
When we had to go to private dentist (he changed from NHS which left us no choice) we had appointments with hygenist. Know as killer driller as she really enjoyed her work lol. Funny how it's not deemed necessary now.

Justnoneed not sure why you paid so much a filling comes in Band 2 which is £59 10 and includes all of Band1 which includes exam, scale polish and sealant if needed plus the filling or extraction or root canal as needed ( from band 2 )
So your total should have been 59.10 or do you have to pay more for a white filling

Well Bluebelle I had no choice over NHS v Private when we moved 7 years ago.

I was at the hygienist yesterday, as I have Sjogren's Syndrome and need to go every three months. It cost just over £11, I now realise I got a bargain.

£55. I've found a very good NHS dentist like gold dust in my area, but they don't employ a hygienist, she does do a cursory clean up but it's nothing like as thorough as the hygienist who I go to at the previous private practice where I went for all my other dental care. So yes I go back there twice a year to have my teeth properly cleaned, and as the hygienist pointed out to me, dentists are not really trained in that area.

jane10 dental therapists are qualified hygienists who can also do fillings provided a dentist has examined you and prescribed the treatment.
Hygienists don’t qualify just as hygienists now. They are all dual qualified dental hygiene/therapists to give them their correct title.

I do have some plaque and my dentist for the first time ever did no polishing and a cursory check up before referring me to the hygienist. I am very nervous about going to the dentist anyway and all I have heard is that hygienists cause pain. I was just plucking up the courage to go until I read this thread.

Do you remember when the dentist used to give you a quick scrub with something like the cream cleaner you use in the bath?

jevive73, I can't think of any good reason why a hygienist should cause pain. Ours scales, flosses and polishes my fairly pathetic teeth.

jevive73, a good hygienist shouldn't cause any pain. I certainly didn't experience any pain when I saw the hygienist yesterday and I dread going to the dentist. I positively skipped out the door!
Try to pluck up the courage to go.