Gransnet forums

Health

Hygienist

(31 Posts)
Marian1412 Mon 06-Aug-18 16:03:23

I’ve just paid £87 for the Hygienist. It seems a bit steep. What do others pay?

rubytut Wed 08-Aug-18 20:30:54

I live in the SE and pay £40.

HildaW Wed 08-Aug-18 19:46:25

P.S. as with all things ...fees will vary whereabouts you live. Back near Thames Valley area ours were much more than they are here out in the sticks!

HildaW Wed 08-Aug-18 19:44:51

Until recently OH always saw the hygienist every six months whilst I was never referred. However now my plaque does build up a little more and at our age it can lead to serious gum problems. Cleaning and flossing is all well and good but you do have to make sure there is no build up inside the gums.
Some hygienists use only electronic equipment and this can be a little brutal if your build up is heavier (everyone is different its down to age, health and body chemistry). However, our hygienist takes her time and uses fine manual tools which are a lot gentler - its a good half hour for just under £50 which is pretty fair for professional services. I trust my dentist, he has shown great professional judgement over the years and if he recommends the hygienist I know its for a reason.

cornergran Wed 08-Aug-18 18:53:41

£40 here for 30 minutes. The dentist is NHS and excellent, the hygienist part of the practice is private only and also excellent. Definitely no pain involved with either. I see the hygienist annually, Mr C twice a year as his meds impact his dental health. Teeth always feel good afterwards.

Eloethan Wed 08-Aug-18 18:46:34

£87 seems outrageously expensive to me. I think I pay around £30 for a 45 minute appointment.

Marydoll Wed 08-Aug-18 17:21:54

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.

annodomini Wed 08-Aug-18 17:14:13

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

oldbatty Wed 08-Aug-18 17:12:27

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 Wed 08-Aug-18 16:37:33

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.

janeainsworth Wed 08-Aug-18 16:29:13

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.

TerriBull Wed 08-Aug-18 16:04:44

£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.

Marydoll Wed 08-Aug-18 15:58:16

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.

Marian1412 Wed 08-Aug-18 15:51:10

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

BlueBelle Mon 06-Aug-18 19:33:58

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

jusnoneed Mon 06-Aug-18 19:23:43

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.

spyder08 Mon 06-Aug-18 19:18:30

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

BlueBelle Mon 06-Aug-18 18:32:41

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 !

wildswan16 Mon 06-Aug-18 18:11:03

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.

Marian1412 Mon 06-Aug-18 18:09:18

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

1974cookie Mon 06-Aug-18 18:08:15

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.

Charleygirl Mon 06-Aug-18 17:58:09

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

Jane10 Mon 06-Aug-18 17:52:38

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 confused

Marian1412 Mon 06-Aug-18 17:43:03

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.

Marmight Mon 06-Aug-18 17:42:26

£87 certainly sounds a bit muchshock. 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

Willow500 Mon 06-Aug-18 17:42:02

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!