Dental hygienist

Yes, I would have been shocked at the increase in cost. But would you have been as shocked as I was after what happened to me? I've always been told I need to see the private hygienist at a cost of £52. Hygienist wanted 2 appointments a week apart to deep clean gums as I have periodontitis. New dentist in practice ..... had my check up and she told me I could have the deep clean on the NHS. Check up and deep clean are in the first tier of charges. Think I paid around £65 for both. So, hygienist wanted 2 x £52 as she said she would do only one side of mouth at a time and a week apart! Rip off! Will never use the hygienist again.

MissEllis

I was thrown off my NHS dentist's list for not attending regularly! I've now had an 'estimate' from a private practice of not far short of £400 for a 'consultation' (ie. they count your teeth); two x-rays; a session with a hygienist (£89!!) plus a single, solitary filling. If you're poor in the UK, wave adios to your teeth... (Sorry - slightly off topic, but I needed a rant.)

I think they do more than count your teeth.

If you are an NHS patient and need a scale and polish it should be included in your band one treatment.

I have gone to the same NHS dentist for over 30 years, he told me last year he was no longer able to do a clean and polish as part of check up and had to make an appointment with hygienist. The first appointment she told me I needed the jet washer thing but she couldn’t use it due to Covid cost £65 and made me an appointment for 3 months and used jet washer still £65. She then tried to make me another appointment for 3 months and I said no make it 6 months.

I flatly refuse to see the Hygienist due to previous visits of torture, ending with a mouth full of blood with all the digging into my gums. My mum swore blind that her teeth loosened after a Hygienist dug around and I queried with my dentist if this could happen, he didn't deny it, just said some people have softer gums (true, I'm one of them!)
My dentist keeps a check on any tooth problems from a hygiene point of view and polishes and delicate cleans them for me, due to my refusal to see a Hygienist

I had that problem with my last dentist who I’d been with for years. Had to take out a plan at £20 a month which covered two check ups and hygienist visits. They stopped doing NHS so I found another dentist who does the hygiene cleanup herself as part of the checkup. As I’m on pension credit I don’t pay anything thank goodness but if I did it wouldn’t cost anything like that,

My hygienist charges £50, if he started charging £85 I would have to stop. As I get older I feel it is more important than ever to make sure my teeth and gums are as healthy as they can be. Plus I have the added bonus of having such a lovely hygienist. He is gay, lovely and makes me laugh so for £50 I get my dental hygiene topped up and I leave the premises with a smile on my face. Win, win situation. (But if he started charging me £85 per visit it would be the parting of the ways).

Try using Pearl drops or colgate whitener (£10) and always an interdental brush. I always use Colgate ordinary whitener. When I tried stopping my teeth noticeably got dingier. Since doing this you teeth don't feel any different after a clean.

Mine is Nhs but hygienist is changing don’t know what because I wasn’t changed after lockdown. But when I went for my six month check up. I did notice no mouth swilling or bib on me and I asked why and he said because of covid. Luckily mine were fine and I didn’t need these things but I thought what if ppl need a filling or tooth pulled. But guess she be lucky we’ve got a dentist. So anyone who hasn’t being take a bottle of water just incase and don’t wear a white top lol

I went to the dentist recently as she said to see the hygienist cost would be £75 to be paid in advance! That’s on NHS.
I didn’t bother.

I went to the hygienist just yesterday….I go twice a year…..and my bill for a one hour appointment was $170 Canadian dollars that converts to about £107 …..so I think your bill of £85 wasn’t overly expensive for the service ……unless you felt she didn’t do a good job.

I have ignored my teeth for years, as I am absolutely terrified of Dentists,, due to an accident aged 9. My face became so painful I simply had to go...and fully private too. I had an infection, so antibiotics, 2 wisdom teeth extracted, and 4-6 fillings, then poor antibiotics. I could have bought a 2nd hand car at the cost, but had no choice, living in a small, rural town with no true choice. Hygienist will be extra and as they only have one, I will be waiting another 6+ months for that appointment.

A dental plan doesn't cover all your costs. It just provides free hygienist and checks. It only reduces treatment costs a little.
I think they are very expensive.
Also if something isn't satisfactory there is little you can do. My private dentist made a denture for two teeth costing nearly £500 which doesn't fit. Very little I can do about it.
On balance I prefer NHS.
To answer the OP query, yes it's quite a rise.

I pay £14 a month to a dental plan which gives me two check ups and two hygienist appointments a year.
Also 50% off any work that needs doing, which touch wood hasn’t been needed the past four years.
Wouldn’t want to not be able to visit the Dentist, hate the thought of false teeth. ?

Is the gumline at all self-cleaning? (She asked hopefully)

my private hygienist does a superb job and helped me learn properly what to do, to enable me to keep my teeth to old age and to avoid decay and gum disease. Worth every penny for her training and expertise, gained through years of experience and much training

Sue500

I went to the dentist recently as she said to see the hygienist cost would be £75 to be paid in advance! That’s on NHS.
I didn’t bother.

That is a private hygienist.

BigBertha1

Quibble VANECAM??? I thought I was asking if I was wrong to be shocked not if I was allowed to 'quibble'. The cost had risen by over £30 in three months - hardly a 'quibble'.

How and why you have managed to take ownership of my words I have no idea.

Your desire to be offended where no offence exists is self inflicted.

For clarity, I was describing my position - not yours.

I think the way that’s been put across is the issue. They won’t have put up price because they bought a new airflow - more likely it’s costing more because the hygienist/therapist has used the airflow to do a much better job than hand scale will ever do. Oral hygiene is absolutely paramount as it’s very difficult to place a good stable filling/denture etc with poor hygiene. The actual health issues that can arise with poor hygiene is actually very worrying let alone the effect it has on the bone density and gums. A dentist who provides NHS care actually gets paid very little for hygiene appointments from the health boards (at least in Scotland - can’t speak for England wales or NI) and hygienists/therapists have to be paid from the principle dentist - whether as an employee or a self-employed associate. Honestly people - spending money on hygiene appointments is the best money you will spend in the dental practice. ?

I use an ancient Ayurvedic technique call oil pulling. You take a teaspoon of coconut oil or olive oil and swish it around your mouth for a few minutes. The first attempt will probably be aborted after one second because it does taste awful, but I advise you to think of something else, do your emails or something because the benefits are great. The oil collects the bacteria, so then you spit it into the bin. I always brush my teeth, very quickly, and fleetingly after that, to take the taste away. But my dentist noticed the improvement and I've not had a single filling since I started doing it, years ago. I used to have awful gum problems, but not any more. Just don't listen to or watch anything funny while you're doing it.

PS and I've never seen a hygienist.

My dental practice is a private one, I've looked in vain for an NHS one but none in our area are taking new patients. I've been with this practice since I was about 5 and I'm 63 now. They have certainly changed with the times and I'm assured by my dentist niece that they're absolutely state of the art. You can see where this is going....they don't do plans. A routine trip to the hygienist is around £70, then she likes to do an annual deep clean for which I get an estimate of the charge beforehand - it's around £130 and involves 2 people working. It is ridiculous I know but I do have gum issues which I don't seem to be able to keep on top of. I have 2 cheaper visits & 1 stinger annually plus an annual trip to "Call me Will" the dentist who looks about 12. That's about £65 for 5 minutes as although my gums aren't great, my teeth are very strong & I have no fillings. Of course, these prices & the treatments involved have all changed since everything shut down for covid.

3fillings £800 and 3 separate appointments.
Robbed I was. Dentist had been NHS and I went regularly. He then then closed for NHS patients - except for children and benefit patients. He’s now closed this surgery and moved to a nearby town.
Ok we all need to make a living but £800 was a months work for me.

Usernametaken lucky you My plan is £19 and I only get 10-15% off.

Forgive me VANECAM I thought you were instructing me to 'grin and bear it' and not 'quibble'. My mistake .. or perhaps your syntax.

Beware ladies. My dentist was nhs, recently I was informed they are no longer taking nhs patients ! They offered a plan but it is nowhere near as reasonable as the ones other ladies have mentioned. I find it hard to swallow that they can just decide to stop seeing patients on an nhs basis. I think everyone should have the right as with Doctors and hospitals to be seen as an nhs patient. Does anyone agree ?.