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Just for a checkup.
I was seeing mine every 6 months but now they are suggesting every 4 months, and I'm unsure whether they are trying to scam me.
I last went in 1989. Booked my next appointment forgetting that I'd have left the area to go to uni - never got round to re-registering anywhere.
Once a year normally.
Twice a year. With the plan I am on I can get hygienist appts. every three months but I never get around to that and just see them both at the same time.
badnewz - Member
Just for [b]a checkup.[/b]
I was seeing mine every 6 months but now they are suggesting every 4 months, and I'm unsure whether they are trying to[b] scam me.[/b]
How can it be a scam if a check up is free?
How can it be a scam if a check up is free?
Sorry my bad. I normally go for a checkup and they end up doing a clean up, normally comes to around £60 English pounds.
Every 12 months or so.
1999 as far as I can remember?
Was every 12 months but I'm on the naughty step this time and have to go back in 6 months.
How can it be a scam if a check up is free?
They're not free (in England).
[quote=seosamh77 ]How can it be a scam if a check up is free?
Is it?
They're not free (in England).
Given our national stereotype for bad teeth, the government should pay us to go to promote "Britain is Great".
Every six months now but he wanted me to go every three but hate the dentists......would rather break a bone....it may be fish to your age and receding gums or impending issues with your teeth.....my Idea would be to ask him/her they won't be offended.
I'm glad I have gone more regular, receding gums have exposed some roots of my teeth so he's back filled the exposed root areas to try and stave off the inevitable........I blame poor genetics....again 😆
Once a decade.
Every six months I pay about 40 quid to hear "yeah, all fine". Not a bad job that.
Umm. About ten years ago, I thought I had a toothache, but it was nothing.
I haven't been back, but I brush at least twice a day, and floss when I get a piece of apple peel caught that I can't get out any other way.
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badnewz - Member
How can it be a scam if a check up is free?
Sorry my bad. I normally go for a checkup and they end up doing a clean up, normally comes to around £60 English pounds.
Cost me £14 to get a clean last month.
When he lived opposite me I saw him most days, not so often now.
see the dentist every 6 months, I see the hygienist every 3 months
allthepies - Member
They're not free (in England).
Fair do's, didn't know that.
regards to the op, historically I've been terrible, not got the greatest looked after teeth, could do with some cosmetic work.
If I'd a time machine, one thing I'd do is go back and tell my younger self to pay more attention to them.
I've never got this going to the dentist for a check up thing. I don't go to the doctor every 6 months for no reason so why go to the dentist?
I would go if there was something wrong but my teeth are fine.
Gary_M - Member
I've never got this going to the dentist for a check up thing. I don't go to the doctor every 6 months for no reason so why go to the dentist?
I dare say if I had a proper scale and polish at least once a year, I'd have better teeth.
edit: double post
Every 6 months for £65 private No NHS subsidy.
£35 polish
£30 checking
Then whenever I need them.
edit: or £75 ... might be £40 & £35 ... arrghh ... anyway that's what I am paying.
Went a couple of months ago for the first time in 25 years. Its very much as I remember it, although if my dentist back in 1991 had the same combination of quite big boobs and quite short arms as my current practitioner my teenage self might not have let the checkups lapse so easily.
have you asked your dentist?
Generally there's no set guidelines for frequency of visits. what's right for a pt with periodontal issues isn't going to be right for some-one with healthy teeth and gums. If you've been seeing a dentist regularly over a long time [u]and you've got no issues[/u], I'd normally expect to see the time between appt. to be less rather than more frequent, but if the dentist has concerns over a particular tooth/teeth than more frequent visits might be appropriate if they want to monitor it/them. However that should have been explained to you, and you should have signed a treatment plan?
Hygienist every 6 months, dentist once a year (touch wood, I haaaaate going to the dentist!)
have you asked your dentist?
I should have phrased my original post differently, as I don't actually see the dentist.
I only see the hygienist, I'm wondering if she may be taking me for a ride with every 4 months rather than the standard 6, as I havent needed any work on them, no fillings so far.
Was every 6 months, now 12 months at the dentist's suggestion. Very rarely need any work other than a scale and polish.
I aim for a check up every 4 months but I rarely make it as I usually Need some form of treatment in the meantime as my teeth just seem to tall apart even though I avoid sugar as much as possible.
Isn't it about £17 odd quid in England.. And did you know, a polish should be INCLUDED in that cost...
It's gone up - from NHS website:
[i]Band 1 course of treatment – £18.80
This covers an examination, diagnosis (including X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, [b]a scale and polish if clinically needed[/b], and preventative care such as the application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant if appropriate.[/i]
DrP
Approx 25 years ago for me (no fillings so far), although I could do with a scale and polish so keep meaning to register...
Dentist twice a year, hygienist twice a year because my oncologist says so. 😕
I see my dentist twice a week in the gym and twice a year in her surgery unless I have something urgent that needs sorting.
Once in the last ten years, the only problem I had was pain when chewing on a filling I was given (unnecessarily IMO...) over 10 years ago.
Whilst she was in there she replaced the old filling, gave me another couple of fillings and cleaned/scaled/polished one side of my mouth as she ran out of time.
Since then the only problems I've had had been greatly increased sensitivity on the side that she polished (thankfully this has eventually diminished) and occasional pain on that same old filling that she replaced, which I never though I needed in the first place 🙁
I've religiously brushed twice a day since childhood and am pretty light on fizzy drinks.
Safe to say I'm no conflicted, part of me wants to believe that the fillings I've been given are preventing worse damage to my teeth, but part of me just believes I've paid for fillings I didn't need which so far have a 1 out of 3 track record for giving me further problems. Grrrr
as I don't actually see the dentist.
ever?
ok, ask the hygienist then... smart arse 😆 . If they think that you need extra cleaning, there may have been some change in your oral health, I'd be expecting the hygienist to recommend an appt with the dentist though rather than just up the cleaning regime...You can see a hygienist without a prescription and they can do simple fillings, but they're not an alternative service, you should be still be seen by a dentist, even if that's just once a year
Isn't it about £17 odd quid in England.. And did you know, a polish should be INCLUDED in that cost...It's gone up - from NHS website:
Band 1 course of treatment – £18.80
This covers an examination, diagnosis (including X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if clinically needed, and preventative care such as the application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant if appropriate.DrP
I wonder how many of those at £18.80 need to be done per hour to match the practitioner's required hourly rate to keep their business/practice going?! Not sure I would entrust the care of my mouth to a conveyor belt system that the NHS fee rates seem to require.
Little wonder the drill and fill mentality comes to the fore, gotta boost the income somehow.
As for the OP, if you don't trust the judgement or advice from your existing medical professional, perhaps seek a second opinion?
I am neither a dentist or hygienist, but I do wonder sometimes at the low value some people place on their personal health, yet will happily spunk hundreds of pounds per month on material possessions. Still, your life, your values 😀
I'm another sceptic about check ups. I'm convinced it's a racket.
Three years since last visit.
Lucky to have strong teeth though.
NHS dentists are not 100% NHS, they take a certain proportion of their patients as NHS. Don't feel too sorry for them, you don't see too many poor dentists kicking about.
I think the cost of a check up and scale and polish as an NHS patient quite reasonable. The problem with teeth is that they were not designed to deal with the onslaught of sugars and acids that we shovel down our throats these days, so in answer to the comment about not seeing a doctor every 6 months for a check up, it's not an apples to apples comparison. You're teeth are under constant attack. I am pretty thorough about cleaning my teeth daily, and I still need a scale and polish when I visit the dentist every 6 - 12 months.
I wonder how many of those at £18.80 need to be done per hour to match the practitioner's required hourly rate to keep their business/practice going?!
Generalising massively...
check up: 1 UDA (unit of Dentistry Activity)
filling: 3 UDA
Most things that involve a lab: 12 UDA
CCGs will give each dentist a rate/UDA it varies but on average it's £20-25/UDA, most high street NHS practices will have a contract of 25-30,000 UDAs per dentist. A day's activity (per dentist) needs to be a 33-40 UDA's to meet the target. On top of that there are private pts. then there's all the usual costs of running a business. Bear in mind that NHS density is all about "fit and function" rather than a Broadway smile....
it's a money spinner for sure 🙄
I don't like mine. He sees me and says "fine, now go and get a hygienist appointment."
My wisdom teeth, which cause me regular grief he doesn't give a crap about - probably because that's no money for him, a referal to do and my wisdom teeth are probably causing problems with my other teeth that he can fix.
I am sure it's a racket - I missed an appointment for a filling about 25 years ago. Didn't have toothache then and had no problems since. My last visit after that was about 6 years ago when I had some pain in teeth - dentist couldn't see any issues and told me to use an electric toothbrush and to come back in a few years. Teeth still fine - as far as I know.
I got delisted from an NHS list because I haven't gone for a check up for about 3 years. Irritating. It's not like I'm costing them anything whilst not going for a check up. Now I am Dentistless. I'm SURE it's a scam.
In theory once every 6 month along with the hygienist.
In practice a lot more. Had a bad dentist do some bad work. Moved dentists and got it corrected but it means I've had a lot of drilling and spent a lot of money.
Interesting thread for me, I do research into how the dental profession is run. Main point to the sceptics is prevention. If you wait until you feel pain then treatment will be far more severe, think small filling versus root canal. So probably worth a regular check up. The evidence on frequency of attendance is very limited and very dependent on the patient, anywhere from 6 months to 24 months. Tooth decay grows slowly so should easily be identified over 2 years with decent xrays. Also don't worry about the conveyor belt thing, the NHS top up the £18 so that they achieve decent hourly rates.
Also don't worry about the conveyor belt thing, the NHS top up the £18 so that they achieve decent hourly rates.
Looking for the raised eyebrow emoticon.....
check up: 1 UDA (unit of [s]Dentistry[/s] Dental Activity)
As many fillings/extractions/root fillings as you need in the 'course of treatment' : 3 UDA
Most things that involve a lab: 12 UDA
Edit: And because I suspect what the OP is actually asking is "How often should I see my dentist for a check up?" I'm going to re-post [url= https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg19 ]this[/url] which is the guidance we have. Note that the interval between examinations should be discussed and agreed with the patient and should take into account risk factors including oral hygiene, diet, etc.
I see my dentists nurse everyday...... I see my dentist twice a year and a hygienist at the same time. Its a private dentist and have had a couple of fillings in the last 6 months and luckily the current wife being the nurse makes it mates rates, of nowt. Wife says that for a dentist to see you every 4 months, means you might have issues he wants to keep an eye on. She has patients who her practice sees very 3 months. She said to ask why he/ she wants to see you more frequently, as they should have told you the reason.
1998
2008
Need to make an appointment for in a couple of years time.
How I see it is every time you go they get the drill out and remove some of your teeth.......best not to too often!
I went in the mid 70's and again in 2008 and 2009.
When I went to the dentist in the 60's every time I got a filling, so I missed about 60 fillings by not going.
I've never been to a dentist in my life, not had the need.
Never had toothache, my teeth aren't loose or crumbling and my gums don't bleed.
Most of this historical over filling is because dentists used to get paid for each bit of work, so they would always do something and then claim on the nhs.
Drilling holes in teeth makes them weaker, the question is when to intervene.
Every 1-2 years is what my insider* tells me is a good plan. I've not been in 5, apart from a year ago when I had a crown stuck back on (last words pervious to that visit were "come back in a week and we'll check that's stuck on")
🙂
*NHS coordinator-type-person
Only when my teeth hurt.
Since school days and about 1980, the next time was 1996. Then the next time was 2010
On the two later visits they were horrified after I told them when the last time was I saw a dentist.
Both occasions they have me an all clear generally and maybe replaced a filling they dislodged.
Last visit the dentist chipped a tooth.
My opinion is that they usually cause more harm IME.
I am neither a dentist or hygienist, but I do wonder sometimes at the low value some people place on their personal health, yet will happily spunk hundreds of pounds per month on material possessions. Still, your life, your values
My personal health is 100% fine, I don't need to pay a dentist every 6 months to tell me that, nor do I need to go to a doctor every 6 months to do the same.
I brush well 2-3 times a day and don't drink fizzy drinks and my teeth are fine.
The interesting thing about this is how dental health affects heart health!