brit
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- In My Dental Happy Place
QUOTE STRESSDOC: 'This is more of a disease based rather than a prevention based model. I almost thing it is inevitable with a public health system. Compromise is the order of the day. It becomes more triage than anything else'.
I wouldn't disagree but what do you expect for these bargain basement prices - those on low incomes and kids to 18 are exempt:
Brits find this expensive and complain because they've already paid their income tax and national insurance if they are working. By the way, the dentist's total remuneration is more than this, these fees are just what the patient pays directly to the dentist on the day.
UK NHS dentists used to be paid on a 'piece rate' per treatment and trust me, they found stuff to do then. Got to laugh at the 'if necessary' for a scale and polish.
It's a pity there's not a middle way somehow. For me when in UK, that has to be a private dentist who has reasonable timeslots to allow relationship building. This means approx 400 pounds a year to be checked and cleaned every 6 months with a dentist and hygienist of my choice who won't be rushed - obviously, a lot of people wouldn't want to pay that much or couldn't pay that much on dental every year for no treatment but I don't mind because then there's less incentive to sell me unnecessary work or cosmetics or whitening.
Gordon says NHS patients in England and Wales probably get the best service at 'mixed NHS/private' practices. I think you get the 'best private' treatment and the 'worst private' treatment at private only practices.
The one plus of this cheap and cheerful approach is that kids don't get unnecessary fillings anymore! The bands encourage undertreatment.
A root canal in a course of treatment for only 46 pounds to the patient if not charge exempt...so cheap...but I do wonder about the likely quality and the time they would spend doing this.
Many of the experienced dentists (who used to be decent NHS dentists under the piece rate) have opted out into the private sector. The new NHS dentists tend to be imported from overseas or recently qualified, in the NHS to get experience before going private.
But if I were on a low income with a toothache, I'd still rather be in UK than USA or where I actually am...
I wouldn't disagree but what do you expect for these bargain basement prices - those on low incomes and kids to 18 are exempt:
How much will I pay for NHS dental treatment?
Details of the costs of the 3 NHS charge bands.
www.nhs.uk
Brits find this expensive and complain because they've already paid their income tax and national insurance if they are working. By the way, the dentist's total remuneration is more than this, these fees are just what the patient pays directly to the dentist on the day.
UK NHS dentists used to be paid on a 'piece rate' per treatment and trust me, they found stuff to do then. Got to laugh at the 'if necessary' for a scale and polish.
It's a pity there's not a middle way somehow. For me when in UK, that has to be a private dentist who has reasonable timeslots to allow relationship building. This means approx 400 pounds a year to be checked and cleaned every 6 months with a dentist and hygienist of my choice who won't be rushed - obviously, a lot of people wouldn't want to pay that much or couldn't pay that much on dental every year for no treatment but I don't mind because then there's less incentive to sell me unnecessary work or cosmetics or whitening.
Gordon says NHS patients in England and Wales probably get the best service at 'mixed NHS/private' practices. I think you get the 'best private' treatment and the 'worst private' treatment at private only practices.
The one plus of this cheap and cheerful approach is that kids don't get unnecessary fillings anymore! The bands encourage undertreatment.
A root canal in a course of treatment for only 46 pounds to the patient if not charge exempt...so cheap...but I do wonder about the likely quality and the time they would spend doing this.
Many of the experienced dentists (who used to be decent NHS dentists under the piece rate) have opted out into the private sector. The new NHS dentists tend to be imported from overseas or recently qualified, in the NHS to get experience before going private.
But if I were on a low income with a toothache, I'd still rather be in UK than USA or where I actually am...
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