honeymommy

Thought I'd post this here to prewarn people moving back to the UK.

We have been back almost 6mths and the children have been for to the dentist for their check-ups...

I was not impressed.. basically the dentist looked in their mouths and commented on her impression of their cleaning method. 3 good one not so good. That was it... No cleaning, no offer of sealents for new pernanant teeth, no cavity check, no flouride, no x-ray..

One of my children has a really noticeable underbite and 3 permanant teeth have come through behind the baby teeth that have not fallen out yet. It is bad enough to cause eating problems... It wasn't until I asked about orthodontic referral that she actually took any notice.... Even then I had to push for the referal.

The eldest had one permanant through behind a baby tooth also.. Not to bad but after the hassle with other son, I decided to push for a referal for him while I had the chance....

Both were seen by the Orthodontist who was wonderful (In private practise with a small quota of NHS, plus it's a new surgery.).. Totally different attitude and obviously very experienced and up to date.... Eldests tooth was removed to allow permanant to come foward... Other Son was fitted with braces within 2 weeks, and allready there is a huge change in both his ability to chew and his attitude...

Eldest lost 2 baby teeth a week ago. I could see the inside side of the adjacent molars were black with decay.. I took him to the first dentist.. She had her nurse take x-rays.. We went in, I told her my concerns... She said he was fine, no cavities. She hadn't even looked in his mouth!

At that point I pointed out that if she actually looked in his mouth she may see differently.... Even then she didn't, and again said they looked fine on the x-ray... Sooooo.....

I told her I knew it was the NHS, that I also worked for them as a nurse, and they had limits on what they could do, but surely it did not stop her actually looking inside the patients mouth to see the real picture and not a fuzzy poorly taken x-ray!!!!
Only then did she look, and said Oh it could be a cavity... She said she would fill one but leave the other... She then said it was good job she could do it now before the permanant molar came through or she would have to drill through the top and not the side.... Soooooooooo..
I pointed out that she should do both fillings then so she didn't have to dam well drill through the top of his tooth in 6mths time when the x-ray showed it finally as it was now bigger!!!!

She filled both finally!!!!

I was amased and disgusted. Had I not known a little about dental treatment through my training, I may have happily accepted her treatment and left each time.. To the detrement of my children....

So having got that off my chest.... I warn anyone coming back to the UK, be aware of the problem and have an idea of the solution before going. Do not put up with shoddy care. It is definately a case of.. If you don't ask or even put your foot down, you don't get.

The NHS is free, but we pay out of our wages anyway (Before anyone starts. LOL) It doesn't mean that shoddy care should be acceptable....


OK Rant over ... Have a nice big shiney smiley day!!!!!

Just read this... Please move to the take it outside section if this area is not appropriate..... LOL

callé

Thanks for the warning HM. I am getting all our check-ups and screenings done before we leave. First because we have insurance so might as well use it, and second I figure it's going to be so much to do getting used to different system and dealing with everything else ( jobs, rental, school), That I at least dont want to worry about meds and dental for awhile.
BTW, my daughter has braces, which will come off around April, but do you know about follow up care? I ask because her orthodontist says she'll need to have a retainer for awhile to keep her teeth into place. Will it be any problem following up on something started over here?

honeymommy

I would advise getting any x-rays, moulds made and notes etc from your dentist and bringing them back to the Uk with you, as you would with medical records....

If a retainer has been fitted before you leave with instructions on how long to wear it, basically all the new orthodontist will have to do is check tooth placement and changes. Having a mould will give him/her a guide to any movement, so treatment can be changed if necessary...

I would advise registering with an NHS dentist as soon as you return, especially if you have a child with braces, as she will need an orthodontist referal. There is a shortage of dentists accepting new NHS patients so get in as soon as you can. The other problem could be if you need emergency treatment you may have to go private if you are not registered as you may not be able to find a dentist that will take you on the NHS... There is a fee of £35 for first NHS consultation for adults here, but children are free to register. May be different in other areas though.

callé

good advice. Thank you. I'll just add all this on my 'to do' list. I suppose I'll need to sit down and make several phone calls or visits before we leave. I will also try to get all school records that I can get my hands on. Hopefully no one will give us any problems with giving us our records. I dont know exactly how it works, I just remember when my children where small and we changed dodtors once, they would not give us the records. Said they only send them over to new doctor at request. I cant see why you wouldnt be allowed to have your own records though.

honeymommy

You can get your records.. I had to complete a request form and they photocopied them at a cost..... There's allways a cost..

I have cancer checks every 6mths.. x-rays and ultrasounds... Basically.. My doctor said just take them with you.. (nice guy) So no problems there.. He wrote the new doc a letter and gave it to me to hand over here in the UK. Great doc and sooooo Gorgeous!!!!

CaliforniaBride

We're going the opposite direction and I find dental care here in the US, especially for children, to be far better. BUT look at what it costs, seriously if you were paying that much for NHS treatment then you could expect the same care. I sympathise with your experience but I think it's unfair to compare the NHS with a highly competitive and extremely lucrative business, that is private US dental treatment.

CaliforniaBride

GRRRR! My pet peeve! Doctors HAVE to give you your medical records. I had to argue with mine and bring in the relevant laws.

My doctor smugly asked me why I thought I needed them and then flatly told me I couldn't have them.

When I returned with the information I had said I would he couldn't/wouldn't see me.

I had to leave and 'wait for his decision'.

When the areshole realised he had made a twat of himself and his staff I finally got my records. Admittedly the staff we apologetic and embaressed that the doctors at the practice had kept them misinformed.

Doesn't say much for ongoing job training does it??

Anywa, here's a link to start with. ANd don't give up! They are legally obliged!!!!! The same Act that allows you access to your police record allows you access to records kept on you.

http://www.patients-association.com/...calrecords.pdf

honeymommy

I do agree with you on the comparison... But considering the experience here in the UK I believe the care was substandard to say the least. She didn't even bother to look in his mouth till I insisted! As far as cost in the US, all the kids got white fillings when needed and the cost was actually less than I will have to pay here. The only thing more expensive so far has been the braces... Here in the UK they are free, and the orthodontist was exceptional.

HiddenPaw

That dentist sounds quite shocking. From what I have heard, NHS dentists are so few and far between that they are completely overloaded with patients and standards seem to be slipping.

I was fortunate when I returned to the UK that I was granted NHS dental care as I was 6 months pregnant. However, I needed a filling and since pregnant women are not allowed mercury fillings, I was obliged to pay for a white filling. (Mercury is perfectly safe for the rest of the population, but not pregnant women!!!) Even as an NHS patient, there must still be limitations on what you can have for 'free'.

Last week I got a letter from the dentist saying that they were stopping all NHS care and taking only private patients. They said it had been a "heart-wrenching" decision to stop NHS care. Heart wrenching my a**e!!!

jad n rich

Coming from australia where we pay :scared: dental fees, even with private health cover.

Used to spending almost $5000 a year in OZ thats $2000 approx for health cover, about $3000 rung up in docs, dental, prescriptions for kids, gaps, etc and on top of that my medicare levy so in actual fact way way above $5000, thats with nobody really sick, just bugs dental type stuff.

What then are we looking at to cover a family of 5 privately in the UK, living there previously all we did way use the NHS and must say totally happy with it too, but the world is changing, more onus is on the individual everywhere to pay private health, so anyone got any idea how much? we might be looking at should we return to UK.

Herman

I would recommend going private in the UK. My employer runs a scheme, which costs £28 per month for my wife and I. For this we get two check ups per year, two scale and polishes, two X rays and all treatment covered. In 2004 the scheme cost us £336 and we have claimed back over £1,000 in charges (my wife had old Eastern European mercury fillings replaced with white ones). We can choose whichever dentist we like and once you tell them you are a private patient you can have your choice of appointment times and everything is done to a very high standard.

callé

Anywa, here's a link to start with. ANd don't give up! They are legally obliged!!!!! The same Act that allows you access to your police record allows you access to records kept on you.

http://www.patients-association.com/...calrecords.pdf[/QUOTE]


Thanks for the link California Bride. Think I'll print it out...Just in case.

CaliforniaBride

Just wondering how it went? Did you stick it to them?

Gremlin

Just had my check up today. Usual excellent treatment, hi-tech surgery, brilliant dentist - NHS as well. They're not all bad.

AdobePinon

A key difference is this:
A. When an NHS dentist tells you that you have a cavity, you have to fight tooth and nail to get it filled within six months.
B. When a US dentist tells you that you have a cavity, you can usually make it disappear by seeing another dentist (although a cavity might suddenly appear in a different tooth).