I am wanting one, we have a terrible shortage here, mine recently left the practise for a job in the community. this put 3,000 of us on the already massive NHS list. Never been without a dentist in my life, now it is urgent. Do you think it would be better to go Private despite the cost, do you get better treatment and better quality false teeth etc:?

My dentist has just gone private, but I will be staying with him, as he's very good

It's hellish trying to get a dentist up here. The local health centre have emergency dentists but you have to be in dire need. I had to go private two years ago though no choice. So much for national insurance!!

I haven't been for years. There's no point as there aren't any!

Thank gawd I have very strong, fairly white teeth. One of my side ones crumbled away to nothing. you only notice when I smile, and that's not very often..............

One of my teeth has just broken and lost a tiny piece off it.
It is going to cost me £42 to get it repaired - and my dentist is NHS.
I don't think you have to pay much more to go privately.

A couple of months ago, I had to pay over £80 for a crown.

Monsy I cannot beleave that you dont smile often because you have such a dry sense of humour. Think there is a country-wide shortage, it is disgusting. I went for emergency treatment with the partner of my ex-dentist, he has took on as many patients as he could, prescribe me antibiotics and poked around, it improved a bit at least but had another abscess, my 2 teeth are now very loose. (front) I asked my doctor for something, he would only give me gel said that the dentists were being too greedy, said it was a dental problem. In other word he was not going to give me anything because of money. Doctors can talk, they are greedy too. dont matter how much I hurt.

Had all mine out in 1978 by needle. I got a germ under a screwed in tooth and from then on it was all systems go including all my bloody molars.
11 one side then 11 the other I had to be stitched up in my mouth because I was a bleeder ( in more ways than one ) and had all the front ones put in on a plate and pushed in the open holes as soon as my others were pulled out.
I felt like Draculas Mrs but I got over it in time but I wouldn't recommend it.
I lost nearly 3 stone in weight at that time and I only weighed 9st 7lb to start with.

One of the biggest laughs I had was when I finally had to go and get fitted for a full set of false teeth.
The dentist was only a young bloke and he kept trying to get the middle parting in the top set of the dentures with the paste that they use. He must have tried at least six times when suddenly he stepped back and looked at me and said very seriously "Your nose isnt in the middle of your face."
I went into hysterics with laughing and he couldn't get near me to do any more until I calmed down.
I had to go in the waiting room to let him just check another person over.
All those waiting thought I had been given laughing gas. Absolutely hilarious.
He finally found the middle and he apologised for what he said but I told him it was the best belly laugh I had had for many a month.
I still start giggling now about it.
I can post my buggers through the dentists door now.

Hope this may be of some interest not exactly insurance but you can claim for treatment
www.healthsure.co.uk

Maisie OOOOOOH! Talk about drawing your back teeth out OOOOOOH!

Thanks twinsmum will have a look.
We are supposed to be having Dentists 2 in total coming from Poland, they were going to start FEB. One fellow got so fed up he went, wait for it to POLAND to get his tooth sorted, he said it was much cheaper than here even with accommodation and flights.

A couple of weeks ago I made a complaint to the Primary Care Trust, consequently they sent me a letter which was dated 4th May requesting me to ring the number provided before a date which turned out to be the one I had just received the letter by. 12thJune06. Anyway this number was my new dentist they were very good and I have had very good treatment from a lady Polish Dentist, she was very thoughtful and kind to me and my treatment is now finished for 6months.

That's no doubt a great relief to you Dita

Give us a smile!

Here you go Monsy NO! NO gaps now. No toothache, it is bliss. But I cannot whistle.

My dentist is our only health professional I have confidence in.

The GPs and hospital consultants have made so many mistakes over the years, it is difficult to trust. Before someone jumps down my throat, I am not including nurses here.

Once again, today, the dentist had referred me urgently to Oral Clinic because there is a 1 cm lump on the side of my tongue. It needs to be biopsied.

Nearly ten years ago,there were mouth lesions and he referred me. The biopsy showed benign, but that condition was very resistant to treatment. Years of trying topical steroid medications went by, then there were three years remission and a hospital instruction to keep monitoring. Now here we are again and the dentist says hopefully it may be benign again. I said, even more hopefully, "I am a singer and couldn't cope with a partial glossectomy."

He is a Sikh and so very caring, and STILL NHS! Today I had an inspection, scale and polish and the referral letter. Only £15.50. Times like this, I am prepared to pay out whatever it takes.

WoW! Vannin I do hope all goes well with you, it must have been a lousy ordeal for you in the past and now for things to start up again and it is not very pleasant having your mouth groggled with at the best of times.

Since my recent treatment I have had very little pain but now I have 2 more loose teeth and think it will not be long before they will have to be extracted. At least this time I have a dentist, all this may have been avoided if we were not let down in the first place. Anyway Good Luck Vannin