Comments on: Public dentistry versus private

By: Barry Brownstein

Barry Brownstein — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:25:17 +0000

Let me explain further. In the U.S mercury fillings have virtually disappeared from dental practices. Private markets do not tolerate antiquated equipment and treatments.

When I was younger, I worked for the postal service. While FedEx and UPS were revolutionizing deliveries, I was still sorting mail in a mail cages that Ben Franklin designed.

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 10:30:10 +0000

Barry, I fail see how the logic breaks down. The dental surgery I use treats both NHS (public) and private patients in exactly the same building, using exactly the same equipment and with exactly the same staff possessing exactly the same skills.

What does private money buy the patient at this surgery? It buys more time with the dentist and better quality materials - so white fillings instead of amalgam. That’s it.

It’s only when you have access to serious financial resources that you can buy access to state-of-the-art surgeries with highly skilled staff who at the forefront of dentistry.

By: Ballibeg

Ballibeg — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 08:34:23 +0000

My solution is that as the taxpayer pays £125k to train each dentist that either a newly qualified dentists spends 5 years in the NHS or they pay back the £125k.

Job done.

Dave

By: Angela

Angela — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:55:44 +0000

We’re moving up to Aberdeenshire next month, having lived in Hertfordshire for 7 years and prior to that I lived near Bath. In Bath I had a great NHS dentist (Ive always been a bit phobic) and his surgery is lovely and the staff are all lovely.

I visited a new NHS dentist once I moved to Hertfordshire and was horrified at the treatment. I rang up the Bath people and asked in desperation if I was still registered - thankfully I was. Since then I have been using my holiday days to travel to Bath for any dental treatment. When I move to Aberdeen I will probably, crazily, have to continue to do it!!

I feel so sorry for people with no NHS dentist, it is a disgrace, toothache is the most painful thing (along with earache) and everyone should be able to register with someone locally. it’s time it was sorted out.

And given the knowledge about what our grey fillings are doing to us, white fillings should be the only ones they put in mouths and its awful people having to make that choice!

By: Barry Brownstein

Barry Brownstein — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:53:41 +0000

When you write: “But would my treatment have been any better if I’d been a private patient of the same surgery? I would have been treated in the same run-down surgery, by the same staff using the same slightly dilapidated equipment (drills and suction have both broken down when I’ve been treated there),” that is where your logic breaks down.

Private enterprise has incentives to employ modern state of the art techniques and equipment. In the U.S. for instance dental implants are now routinely done in one visit in a sterile environment with no more discomfort than a filling.

Consider the technology used by FedEx or UPS vs. the technology used by the mail system. Are they the same? Of course not!

By: uphilldowndale

uphilldowndale — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:50:39 +0000

Duhh, ‘deceased leaves behind’

By: uphilldowndale

uphilldowndale — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:49:53 +0000

Oh that we could get a NHS dentist, it is a case of waiting for ‘dead man’s shoes’
or at least the space (or should I say cavity!) the deceased behind.
We all go to a private practice, but he will treat the boys on the NHS, but should they need a filling you have to pay because NHS will not pay for a ‘white filling’ and he refuses to use anything else for children.
I am not happy with the practice, but can’t find a better solution.
Teeth=tedious

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:01:51 +0000

And one further refinement:

No politician or senior civil servants in the NHS would be permitted to use private dentistry during their in office or in post, or for two years afterwards.

That should encourage them to sort things out.