My dentist has made me paranoid!

I would go and get a second opinion.

If you don’t get on with your Dentist change to another one.

Can you find another BUPA dentist nearby? Having tried various dentists we have discovered that BUPA are absolutely fantastic and the best for us....so much so that we do a 120 mile round trip to see ours.

Sounds like you could take a private jet there and back and still save money.

Gosh, BigBertha!
I think I'd look for another dentist for at least a second opinion.
When DH needed deep cleaning (is it called gum planing?) our private dentist sent him to the NHS Dental Hospital.

Is the £10-15K purely for your smile or does it involve necessary work for your gum health?

I've got some work on a cracked tooth coming up which will set me back about £400.

I can’t afford private dentistry. Nevertheless my love dentist takes good care of my teeth. Following her advice I brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush and use interdental brushes once daily.

My teeth and gums have been very bad over the years but they’ve settled down due to excellent treatment and advice via the NHS.

I am aware that many have little choice but to go private but it seems to me that it’s all about making money and not about caring for teeth.

And as for private dentists sending patients to NHS dental hospitals, well…..I do hope private dentists are charged for using these facilities at the market rate.

My gums did suffer in lockdown without the regular rescaling so I knew something needed to be done (deep clean/planing).

It seems to have worked but I do need that daily regime with the little interdental brushes. Worth the effort and I know if I skimp.

My regular dentist is content to just fix things as they fall apart? but the specialist deep cleaning one would like to do all sorts of things.

I’m not convinced.

Hmmm. I have a private dentist. He doesn't do any more than my previous NHS dentist unless I ask. I need to go back to see him but am covid reluctant.

GagaJo

Hmmm. I have a private dentist. He doesn't do any more than my previous NHS dentist unless I ask. I need to go back to see him but am covid reluctant.

Ours is extremely Covid aware, thoroughly cleans between patients and if treatment requires aspiration then they allow half an hour extra to deep clean the surgery between patients.

I haven't been to the hairdressers (except once when they weren't wearing masks!) nor the optician but I have been to the dentist and had more than the routine checks carried out and was reassured that they were Covid safe.

we've still not managed to see our dentist since covid started ,I have a broken crown that is still in situ and a lost filling .The receptionist tells me/reads from a list when I phone that " unless you have excessive swelling ,are bleeding heavily or are in a great deal of pain we cant see you for now.we hope to be back to normal service by April" My daughter in law has excessive swelling so was seen and given antibiotics with a follow up appointment at the end of MARCH .

Its ridiculous,this area has loads of dental practices usually all advertising for new NHS patients ,all under 22 year olds will get free dental treatment from the end of the month to avoid the awful teeth we see here .Just hope dentists open their doors before us oldies lose OUR teeth .

Our local dentist practice was really good. DH and I were NHS patients.
Recently they sold out to a dental chain which has 4 or 5 practices. The dentist we saw now only takes private patients.
The dentist I saw recently tried to give me the hard sell, telling me that my teeth needed deep cleaning, I disagree. I told him quite truthfully, that my nephew's wife is a dentist, and I would ask her about it. He has not mentioned it since.
He saw my DD and told her she needed veneers! She has motled teeth due to a problem with porous enamel, veneers would ruin her teeth!
She complained about him.
These chains are all about making money. Do not be taken in by them.

There are some unscrupulous dentists out there and you may have found one of them. I would have a second opinion if I were you and depending on that outcome go from there.

I always hated visiting the Dentist but had to overcome my fears to have work done. I’m a private patient with a Denplan contract which entitles me to 2 checks/treatment from both my Dentist and Hygienist. I did speak to the Receptionist shortly after retiring and said I was considering revering to being an NHS patient at the practice if there were any places as I was trying to reduce my outgoings with a reduce income. They quickly found another Denplan contract for me at half the cost of my original one. It sounds very much as if your new Dentist is trying to get you to have treatment you don’t, and possibly can’t afford. Why not ring you old practice and ask whether they are able to recommend another Dentist in your new area and also explain why. I doubt whether your old Dentist would be happy with anyone casting aspersions on the treatment plan he had for you. How was your new Dentist recommended to you? And if you’re still subscribing to BUPA contact them for recommendations.

Very glad I use a NHS dentist who doesn’t do anything more than needed if I m in trouble which isn’t that often
Why have a private dentist that suggests thousands of pounds worth of work that you don’t feel necessary bigbertha change, unless you have unlimited funds to use on your smile

My dentist is great. He actually left his previous practice (where I used to go) because it was taken over by a group and the dentists were told to sell treatments to patients. He didn't agree with that.

He then set up his own practice and I followed him. I'm on Denplan. He has never tried to sell me anything and I completely trust his judgment over what needs to be done.

I have recently changed dentists and I'm going back to my previous one who was great but who moved to a different town.
I just didn't trust his replacement, who said I needed not only deep cleaning, but also root canal work on a front tooth. It wasn't causing any pain, it wasn't loose and he wanted me to undergo treatment that would have cost £850 in total.
Maybe he was right, but I was deeply suspicious that it was a money making exercise.

I was with a private dentist, but changed to a NHS one when it opened nearer me. But it isn't much cheaper than the private one and the I never see the same dentist or hygenist twice as they keep changing. So I have gone back to the private one who can take me on

I had a similar experience. I decided to get a second opinion and now have an excellent private dentist. I would ask around for recommendations.

We lost all our NHS dentists locally as they all went private. Mind you I’m happier to pay Denplan fee so I can always see my dentist if needed rather than having a mobile phone package. I would prefer it still to be NHS funded.

ayse

I can’t afford private dentistry. Nevertheless my love dentist takes good care of my teeth. Following her advice I brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush and use interdental brushes once daily.

My teeth and gums have been very bad over the years but they’ve settled down due to excellent treatment and advice via the NHS.

I am aware that many have little choice but to go private but it seems to me that it’s all about making money and not about caring for teeth.

And as for private dentists sending patients to NHS dental hospitals, well…..I do hope private dentists are charged for using these facilities at the market rate.

It’s the patient that uses the NHS, not the dentist. Perhaps he is unable to do the work, and is referring the patient for treatment. You know the best for the patient.

Oldbat1

We lost all our NHS dentists locally as they all went private. Mind you I’m happier to pay Denplan fee so I can always see my dentist if needed rather than having a mobile phone package. I would prefer it still to be NHS funded.

I’m lucky we have a good mix of private and NHS dentists. Another one has been given planning permission recently. In fact in my dentist you can choose. Only thing I would go private for are decent dentures, otherwise my lovely NHS dentist will suffice.

I use an NHS dentist and am very satisfied with the treatment. In your place OP I would be changing dentists.

My friend’s husband has received excellent treatment at a dental hospital about 20 miles away. The students are supervised and although slow are very thorough. He was referred by his dentist but I believe you can self refer under certain circumstances.

Apologies BigBertha1, didn’t really reply just ranted on about my area. I would certainly find another dentist, at least for another opinion. Seems strange to going from not requiring any work to needing lots of expensive treatment. Either your last Dentist wasn’t doing his job properly, unlikely, or this one is an overzealous treatment / pricey one.

I was employed as a dental nurse/receptionist for 2 years he was a nice man but had a wife and 2 children who wanted the finer things in life. His practice was in a deprived areas of Manchester and his practice was
NHS as this was 50 year's ago but he never missed an opportunity to try to persuade any patient to have private dentures (which were virtually the same as the NHS ones but ready in 2 weeks instead of 4) but cost 5 times as much so my advise to you would be to look for another Dentist because I think the one you have could be ripping you off.