Why is the dental profession such a complete joke in the UK?

Question

This situation is crazy.
Are these people medical professionals or just 9 to 5 office workers? Hospitals and Doctors are working 24 / 7 to deal with emergencies but you try and find a dentist after 5:00pm. No chance.

During the holiday season they are supposed to provide emergency cover. So you phone the surgery and are given the two emergency contact numbers. You then phone them only to be informed that they are also closed and you just go around in circles. I have been trying for 5 hours without susses.

OK so I have given up now and will just overdose on pain killers until after the New Year. I am strong so I can deal with it. But what if it was my 6 year old child? How do you explain to a 6 year old that he is going to have to suffer until Tuesday?

I don’t think these morons should be allowed to setup private practises if they can’t even sort out something as basic as the emergency cover schedule. Yet again the A&E departments will have to step in and take the strain.

Hi Yeehaw. WOW give me your number and I will let you be my dentist :)

Seriously. I would not expect a Dentist to be on 24 / 7 call or give out his home number. The GP's have a very good system called EmDoc. They work on a schedule where maybe once week every 2 months the GP provides out of hours emergency cover. The system works and is quite good. Dentists tell you they have emergency cover, but in practice it’s not true because there is no coordination. It’s not difficult.

BarryBoys: Yes I agree and I did try NHS direct. Unfortuantly the message said that they were so busy they were only dealing with emergency calls. what I think they really mean is that they have a reduced number of staff on at the buisest time of the year as they dont want to pay the overtime.

Answer 1

welcome to england

Answer 2

My dentist provides out of hours cover. You could check around for those in your area and move to one that does. I know that doesn't help you now but it's a good precaution for any future issues.

Also, I live in Brighton where we have an excellent out of hours emergency doctor service. You give them a call and they'll talk to you on the 'phone, make a home visit or suggest you come into the local hospital where they're able to diagnose the problem. They can write prescriptions or advise on non-medicinal treatments. Everywhere should have this service.

If it's a dire emergency many hospitals have dental cover although generally it's stuff like maxillofacial surgery for burns or accidents involving the jaw etc. You could give A & E a try (it's what you pay tax for after all) but get in early to avoid the drunks later today....

Answer 3

Aah, the good ole NHS. It's no wonder it's on its last legs. The problem with dentists is that they whinge on about wanting big pay rises but they want to work a 9 to 5 shift with every weekend off on top of taking on private patients. It's high time there was a proper shake-up of the dental services in this country because we all pay taxes so we should get decent service.

If your tooth is still bothering you, however, I'd go up to A&E and see if they can either do something about it or prescribe heftier pain killers to see you through to Wednesday.

Answer 4

I am not from the UK. I just think when you get in that much pain you should head to the hospital emergency unit. I use to be a dental assistant. You are right Dentist should have emergency coverage but most think you will go to the Hospital anyway. Hope you get the help you need!

Answer 5

I live in the U.S. and many dentists here do not provide emergency service either. My dentist gave me his home phone number, but that would not help anyone who was not already a patient. You could consider going to the emergency room and having them inject the area around your tooth with Novocaine (or something like that); they could also give you antibiotics which would help.. I had this done once at a dentist's office. Apparently my tooth was too infected to work on and he wanted me to be on antibiotics before he worked on it. He also injected it with Novocaine. He gave me a prescription for antibiotics and painkillers. I didn't even need to use the pain pills. Once the Novocaine "calmed" my tooth down, I was fine until I went back in and had it fixed.

I am so sorry you are in such pain. I know how that feels. There is no pain quite like tooth pain.

Answer 6

Ring NHS Direct. Now. One of the few things it's useful for is out of hours surgeries.

There is still a few 'turn up and go' dental hospitals about, I used one in Newcastle 7 years ago. I also found a weekend surgery in Birmingham as well so they do exist.

As I say, NHS Direct is the source.

Answer 7

Yes, I feel you on that one. Dentist unlike doctors are not on call and do what they please. When I graduate from dental school, I will personally see any one of my patients who has an emergency. If I was you, I would go to the hospital and seek one of the dentists who works there 24/7.

Answer 8

I also am resentful of the fact that I have to pay a monthly fee to see a NHS dentist and then get charged £48 for a filling.

The whole health service needs a shake up.

Answer 9

Yeah, it's lousy. Doctors aren't that much better, surgeries are closed at weekends and evenings.

As for home visits, forget it. They'll only come to write out a death certificate.

The only way to find a doctor on a weekend is to join a golf club.

Answer 10

Sir I am afraid that cash is king simply put. do not decieve your self any govt. that has the right to give you everything has the right to take everything from you