Dentists arrgh!!!

[pibbleb]

I've just tried to book an appointment with my dentist! Now I've had a fear of dentists for as long as I remember and this is aggravated by not having a lot of money to pay for the work that is likely to be needed!

I know I'm partly to blame but below is the basis of a conversation I've just had with the dentists.

They are bloody sharks!!!!!!!!!

This is how the conversation went.

Me: I used to be a patient with you but my wife informs me that I wouldn't be anymore as I've not been for a while.

Them: Let me take some details (details given). No, your wife is correct, but as if luck would have it we are taking new NHS patients on today.

Me: Sarcastic tone Oh that's lucky! What does that entail.

Them: Well as a new patient we need to take a £20 deposit so that we can take you on and book an new patient appointment in March. Can I take your card details?

Me: March!!!!!!!!!!! sarcastic tone replaced by shock and surprise!

Them: yes, in fact it's more likely to be around the end of next month and as you will be an NHS patient you will only be able to see the dentist between 9 - 4.

Me: Oh but I have a broken tooth and I'm in some pain.

Them: great I'll book you in for tomorrow at lunch time. Can I take your card details?

Me: that's lucky, sarcastic tone returns. Can't I just pay the £20 tomorrow when I come.

Them: No, laughs out loud, how can we take the payment if you are a no show. Oh Mr Brown I see that you still owe us £15 form a missed appointment a couple of years ago.

Me: But I'm a new patient, how can I owe you money, sarcasm starting to get the better of me!

Them: Can I take your card details?

Me: With throbbing pain in my mouth and wallet, yes here they are!

Paul

 

[andy_e]

Little Shop of Horrors got it right - dentists are on the whole Eeeevil!

 

[Shewie]

My dentist moved out to the sticks a couple of years ago and left me searching for a new practice. There weren`t any in Leeds taking on NHS patients so I had to go back to my childhood dentist who was happy to take me on again luckily. The only problem is it`s now a 118 mile round trip from work so nipping out for a quick checkup can take around 3 hours now. The boss put a stop to it after the second appointment so now i have to book a half day holiday, plus the cost of fuel and the extortionate dental bills on top of that.

I hate dentists


Rich

 

[Eric_Methven]

I consider myself lucky. I got the last of my gnashers whipped out a few years ago when I was on the dole and got it done for free. I also got a free set of plastic teeth paid for by the dole as they said a gummy smile was not conducive to good interview techniques, therefore having plastic teeth might help me get a job better.

Six months later and my gums had shrunk so much the teeth no longer fitted. The dentist quoted me £450 for a new set. I told him not to bother and I have managed just fine with a gummy smile since. I might go in for the local gurning championships this year. I've been told I can make small children cry just by looking at them so I might be in with a chance.

The plastic teeth have now been relegated to the kitchen where the wife uses them to crimp pies.

Eric

 

[pibbleb]

I consider myself lucky. I got the last of my gnashers whipped out a few years ago when I was on the dole and got it done for free. I also got a free set of plastic teeth paid for by the dole as they said a gummy smile was not conducive to good interview techniques, therefore having plastic teeth might help me get a job better.

Six months later and my gums had shrunk so much the teeth no longer fitted. The dentist quoted me £450 for a new set. I told him not to bother and I have managed just fine with a gummy smile since. I might go in for the local gurning championships this year. I've been told I can make small children cry just by looking at them so I might be in with a chance.

The plastic teeth have now been relegated to the kitchen where the wife uses them to crimp pies.

Eric

My Aunt Jessie in Tow Law used to make me scream with laughter when she smiled because her front teeth used to drop out! They nearly fell in the fish pond during grandda's funeral!

Pib

 

[rancid badger]

I consider myself lucky. I got the last of my gnashers whipped out a few years ago when I was on the dole and got it done for free. I also got a free set of plastic teeth paid for by the dole as they said a gummy smile was not conducive to good interview techniques, therefore having plastic teeth might help me get a job better.

Six months later and my gums had shrunk so much the teeth no longer fitted. The dentist quoted me £450 for a new set. I told him not to bother and I have managed just fine with a gummy smile since. I might go in for the local gurning championships this year. I've been told I can make small children cry just by looking at them so I might be in with a chance.

The plastic teeth have now been relegated to the kitchen where the wife uses them to crimp pies.

Eric

Honestly, he's not with me! well,..... he is but only till I get him back to matron!!


cheers
Steve

 

[gregorach]

You found someone willing to take you on as a NHS patient? Congratualtions! NHS dentists are rarer than solid gold hen's teeth round my way...

 

[Chainsaw]

ahem, my wife's a dentist (I have a fear of dentists too, fainting etc so I married one! what's that all about!!?)

She used to run an NHS practice up Stirling way but it got so bad, it started making less and less of a profit some months, it never made a loss but let's just say she was making less than me, so it went 'independent' aka private. She didn't like it (PITA patients) and sold it to her partner and now works in the local NHS hospital (which is the most inefficient and wasteful thing I've ever heard about, I wouldn't mind but it's my tax pounds!)

The feeling in the dental community is that it's a definite strategy by last few governments to edge out dentists, the with the introduction of mandatory new cross infection controls with no compensation. One of the proposals is that every patient should have a set of instruments to themselves but there would be no extra cash to pay for these, the dentist would have to stump up, think of it like titanium KFS, mug, plate and s/s billy for 4000 patients. There's also talk of rooms, yep rooms to be built for dirty instruments, instruments getting cleaned and clean instruments. The nanny state and various HSE rules coming in a hitting dentists hard.

My wife advises everyone she meets not to become a dentist! She also says patients are evil

Just putting the other side of the story

Cheers,

Alan

PS dentists are evil, I know I married one! (that'd make a good sig!)

 

[Tonedef]

Ahhh denists, used to hate them until I found out I was a lucky one, NHS dentist 10 mins from my house, been with him for 25 years. seen him every 6 months except a when in the army.

 

[pibbleb]

That's fair enough there are always two sides to every argument. It just seemed to me that that everything was money led!

Old patient! No you need to pay me to be a new patient! You'll have to wait until March for an appointment. Oh you have pain chi-ching! I'll get you in tomorrow so we can make some more money out of you.

Sounds like SWMBO is fighting the dark side from the inside though! :AR15firin

lol

Pib

 

[Boxy]

I suppose I really should go, but I've not been to the dentist for about 18 years (since the RAF last forced me to go), never had any serious tooth pain, (touch wood).

I shudder to think what I will be charged for my long absence (and what horrific tooth/gum diseases the dentist can invent for me in an attempt to part me with my cash).

 

[pibbleb]

Just got back a little while ago. I'm such a sissy!

It is going to take two root canal's with matching caps and about five fillings! Not that bad said the dentist, I asked how much it would cost, he said that they don't tell us they have someone send us an itemized costing. I guess it saves on kicking off in the dentists office!

Not sure whether to laugh or cry! I know ultimately it's my fault, if I wasn't such a girl about going etc but I don't always have the money to pay for a check up and I'm certain I ain't going to have the funds for this.

Oh well! the worst of it is I can't even cry in my beer coz the antibiotics he's put me on say you can't drink!

Pib

 

[Silverback]

Given the work you have just identified Pib, I would seriously consider inviting your bank manager to dinner and attempting to get on first name terms. I had quadruple root canal recently and whilst it was physically the least painful treatment I have ever had the financial pain was by far the worst, even with my 10% denplan discount

Sorry to be the molar, sorry, bearer of bad news

 

[Salix]

I consider myself lucky. I got the last of my gnashers whipped out a few years ago when I was on the dole and got it done for free. I also got a free set of plastic teeth paid for by the dole as they said a gummy smile was not conducive to good interview techniques, therefore having plastic teeth might help me get a job better.

Six months later and my gums had shrunk so much the teeth no longer fitted. The dentist quoted me £450 for a new set. I told him not to bother and I have managed just fine with a gummy smile since. I might go in for the local gurning championships this year. I've been told I can make small children cry just by looking at them so I might be in with a chance.

The plastic teeth have now been relegated to the kitchen where the wife uses them to crimp pies.

Eric

That's just made my day :You_Rock_



Pib, sounds like financial agony, i had a root canal done some years ago, never felt a thing, in fact i was still waiting for it to happen when he told me i was done

Does your bank manager like bannock ?

Mark