The future of NHS Dentistry – is private the only way forward?
For example, dental care - when the NHS was first introduced in 1948, it was intended to be a free service for all. In respect of dental care, this ‘free service' ceased as early as 1952 when dental charges were then introduced, dental costs have been rising ever since.
Without question NHS dentistry is far more affordable than private dentistry, the NHS also has set costs for certain treatments, so more often than not, you know what you'll be paying. Private dental practices can essentially charge whatever they can get away with! So that's a good thing for NHS dentistry right? Demand must be high so the NHS shouldn't have a problem maintaining practices. Wrong.
We can't always have perfect teeth, and from time to time things do go wrong. Unfortunately it seems the NHS dental system is good for routine check ups and minor work – if you have anything wrong between check ups then you may need to wait for a fix. Take an emergency situation for example: you wake up with a bit of a swelling, you soldier on through the day thinking it'll go away, you get home and it's getting worse, you're struggling to eat – time to call the dentist. The practice is shut – what to do? You call NHS Direct who advise you to contact the ‘dental emergency service' – great, but hang on, they tell me no dentist is available for miles! You hang on through the night in agony, and then you have to battle with the receptionist and the dental practice the next day to try and get an appointment. Finally, you're in for that afternoon, you see the dentist, he confirms you need to have your wisdom tooth removed – great, and when can you get it done? ‘There's a waiting list!!' Ouch.
That sort of situation is why more and more people are turning to private dental care, and because more and more people are turning to private dental care, it means more and more NHS dental practices are also turning private. It's a vicious circle which is resulting in the gradual decline of NHS dentistry and the gradual rise of the private sector.
So where do you go from here? Up to you, but if you want to avoid chasing geese around when you're in agony, I'd suggest you pick the safer (if not more expensive) option.
Private it is then, but that means much higher dental costs, almost unaffordable. That's why dental insurance is becoming more and more popular recently. Dental cover can provide you with reimbursement for routine and also more costly complex dental treatment. Dental insurance quotes from around £13.50 a month; you'll need to double check all the benefits on the dental cover to make sure they match your needs. Dental insurance comes in many different forms and works in many different ways, so make sure you research comprehensively before you buy.
So, the NHS service is great in terms of cost, but the service isn't perfect. Private treatment looks to be the way forward, but at a price! Get a dental insurance plan to make sure the costs don't ‘bite' as much. This sort of assurance means you can get treatment when you need it, and less likely to cost you an arm and a leg to have it!
Without question NHS dentistry is far more affordable than private dentistry, the NHS also has set costs for certain treatments, so more often than not, you know what you'll be paying. Private dental practices can essentially charge whatever they can get away with! So that's a good thing for NHS dentistry right? Demand must be high so the NHS shouldn't have a problem maintaining practices. Wrong.
We can't always have perfect teeth, and from time to time things do go wrong. Unfortunately it seems the NHS dental system is good for routine check ups and minor work – if you have anything wrong between check ups then you may need to wait for a fix. Take an emergency situation for example: you wake up with a bit of a swelling, you soldier on through the day thinking it'll go away, you get home and it's getting worse, you're struggling to eat – time to call the dentist. The practice is shut – what to do? You call NHS Direct who advise you to contact the ‘dental emergency service' – great, but hang on, they tell me no dentist is available for miles! You hang on through the night in agony, and then you have to battle with the receptionist and the dental practice the next day to try and get an appointment. Finally, you're in for that afternoon, you see the dentist, he confirms you need to have your wisdom tooth removed – great, and when can you get it done? ‘There's a waiting list!!' Ouch.
That sort of situation is why more and more people are turning to private dental care, and because more and more people are turning to private dental care, it means more and more NHS dental practices are also turning private. It's a vicious circle which is resulting in the gradual decline of NHS dentistry and the gradual rise of the private sector.
So where do you go from here? Up to you, but if you want to avoid chasing geese around when you're in agony, I'd suggest you pick the safer (if not more expensive) option.
Private it is then, but that means much higher dental costs, almost unaffordable. That's why dental insurance is becoming more and more popular recently. Dental cover can provide you with reimbursement for routine and also more costly complex dental treatment. Dental insurance quotes from around £13.50 a month; you'll need to double check all the benefits on the dental cover to make sure they match your needs. Dental insurance comes in many different forms and works in many different ways, so make sure you research comprehensively before you buy.
So, the NHS service is great in terms of cost, but the service isn't perfect. Private treatment looks to be the way forward, but at a price! Get a dental insurance plan to make sure the costs don't ‘bite' as much. This sort of assurance means you can get treatment when you need it, and less likely to cost you an arm and a leg to have it!
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