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How far are you prepared to travel?

J

jessemom

Junior member
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
1
This post originally appeared in another section of this forum, but I thought it might be interesting to find out how long/far people are prepared to travel to see their dentist! So feel free to add your two cents worth! - admin

Hi,
I recently changed dentists from a "We cater to cowards" type to one closer to home/ work. My prior dentist was AWESOME! The new person is ok- made some comments about my teeth needing work. Yes,that is why I am here! Anyway- question - Is it really bad if I change to a new person similar to the prior one- closer? I just had exrays, but I don't feel comfortable/
 
Re: dentist change

Hi :welcome:,

if you don't feel comfortable with your new dentist, change! There's no absolutely no reason to stick with someone you're not comfortable with. You may need to pay a fee (usually about $40 assuming you're in the US, but some do it for free) to have your x-rays duplicated and forwarded to your new dentist, but I'd say that's a small price to pay for being happy with your dentist.

Have you found a new person that you want to change to?
 
Re: dentist change

Why would you change dentists if yours was awesome.I drive almost half an hour to get to mine.Heck I would drive an hour to see him.If you have a good dentist why change.
 
Re: dentist change

my dentist is simply a superstar :jump: and i drive 40 minutes to see him but in honestly id drive 100 miles to see him. not bad for someone who was terrified 3 months ago.
 
Re: dentist change

If you find someone you like,trust, is competent and strives to be painless....it's worth travelling up to 1 1/2 hours (by train!) until it becomes completely impractical. In my case this was when I suddenly had 2 small children in tow not one.

Except when forced by house moves, I have usually been pretty loyal  :) to dental practices e.g. 5 years 1960's, 20 years 1970's and 80's, 12 years 1990's+ etc etc.   I have however had an unusually large number of dentists as the parents' hometown practice which I stayed with for 20 years, even after I'd left the area, was staffed by Associates - the best continuity I got was 3 years  :-*, the typical span of seeing the same dentist, 2 check-ups. They were always pleasant with one notable exception  :scared: but I wouldn't recommend this approach although in the NHS now, you may have little choice.

The thing that finally made me switch was when the dentists were beginning to look too young and inexperienced (I was getting older) and when I had a sensitivity problem and they said they couldn't find anything wrong...I worked in Central London and walked past a really swish looking practice and thought I could go during my working day and never looked back...(until recently when I moved to a different country - ugh!) stayed there 12 years as aforesaid.

I find most people though - those not so fussy about whom they have to deal with - usually don't even care whether they are registered anywhere when they move house and certainly wouldn't want to drive more than 10 minutes. This is probably the norm...the rest of us are just strange?
 
It takes me about 45-50 minutes to get to mine, but I'd be prepared to travel for about 1 1/2 hours. Maybe more if I ever find that toyboy dentist of my dreams :p.
 
brit said:
I find most people though - those not so fussy about whom they have to deal with - usually don't even care whether they are registered anywhere when they move house and certainly wouldn't want to drive more than 10 minutes. This is probably the norm...the rest of us are just strange?

It's phobics and (wait for this!) dentists who are prepared to travel... yep, they're fussy too about whom they have to deal with...
 
letsconnect said:
It's phobics and (wait for this!) dentists who are prepared to travel... yep, they're fussy too about whom they have to deal with...

I always wondered about this...kinda assumed they'd let their partners work on them or would keep their teeth so healthy they'd never ever need much treatment. Do they ever suffer at the hands of hygienists do you reckon?

I suppose it's exactly like female obstetricians opting for elective c. sections instead of vaginal delivery (I did that second time too - it was brill!) - they do it because they know everything that can go wrong.
 
brit said:
I always wondered about this...kinda assumed they'd let their partners work on them or would keep their teeth so healthy they'd never ever need much treatment.

Depends, not all dentists have partners for starters.

Do they ever suffer at the hands of hygienists do you reckon?

Ahem... is this some sort of dominatrix scenario :p??
 
letsconnect said:
Ahem... is this some sort of dominatrix scenario  :p??

Maybe, provided it's not a male hygienist! - I suppose you could ask Gordon whether his hygienist is 'gentle' with him? Just don't tell him it's me asking.
No I bet you, they do it the old-fashioned way and get their 'dentist' to clean their teeth - I always found that much more comfortable too!
 
Actually, a lot of them do use hygienists :) (at least as far as I know). I'm sure there are gentle and rough hygienists, just like there are gentle and rough dentists.
 
I used to travel about 10 miles to my previous dentist, even with my current dentist I travel about 6 /7 miles. The most important thing is that you see a dentist you trust and feel comfortable with. You mention that you don't feel as comfortable with your new dentist as your old one. You have achieved a lot overcoming your fear and attending a dentist, I would go back to your old dentist even if you do have to travel further.
 
I travel about an hour and a half to get to the dentist, but that's not in peak hour traffic (haven't had to make that journey yet, could take 2 hours I estimate)!

Honestly though, after years of not going, that drive is not so far when I know how well I'll be treated when I get there. It's worth the drive, and I look at it as time to prepare myself mentally when I'm on the way, and time to wind down when I'm done.

I say stick to the dentist you're most comfortable with, regardless of travel time.
 
I just saw a programme and there is a man on it who lives in London but goes all the way to Poland to see a dentist! I know its not because of a phobia and its more to do with costs but still, its a long way to go!
 
hi nat
yeah thats a long way!
seriously id go to holland if mine went back there ( god i hope not ever!) but it would have to be once a yr id have to save up. seems hard to believe i had to be dragged kicking and screaming to see him before christmas.
 
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