Nhs dentistry vs Private dentistry

Here at Dental & Skin many patients tell us that while being at a Nhs practise they felt their appointment was rushed and the maximum time for treatment they would get would range from 10-15 mins for examination. At Dental & Skin we pride ourselves in hourly appointments even for an examination as we feel its most important to get to know the patient, their case, their history and their fears, if any. We carry out a detailed exam checking- extra oral (facial joints, muscles), intra oral (in mouth soft tissues).

We look at your diet and sugary intake, snacking, and habits like nail biting, excessive chewing of gum and lots of other things that may affect your oral health on a daily basis. Then after we have gone through everything. The dentist will discuss ways of improving your oral health and educate you on how to maintain a healthy mouth. Here at Dental & Skin we focus on educating you the patient on how to look after your teeth. As we believe it’s the most important thing for you to understand and know how to maintain a good level of oral hygiene.

Many private dental practices such as Dental & Skin now offer evening and weekend appointments for routine check-ups and treatments to make it easier for you to fit your dental care around your busy life, not the other way round. NHS dentists are often not able to offer this flexibility, although there may be exceptions.
It is likely that should you need a course of treatment over several appointments, you will be offered dates and times that reflect the ideal gaps between each phase of your treatment rather than long waits until the next available time slot.

While the low, fixed price of NHS care is beneficial to patients, it puts dentists in a difficult position. Dentists are incentivised to reach targets based on completed treatments they perform and so generally very few offer comprehensive advice. There is no incentive in the way they are paid to treat patients with complex dental needs.
This can limit the time you spend with an NHS dentist and is the main difference from private dental care.
If you need extensive dental work, private dental care is usually the best option because you will have more experienced dentists who have invested considerable amounts of time and money to focus on cosmetic options. If you just want to see a hygienist for regular cleaning, then choose private as very few hygienists work in the NHS sector.
If you’re looking for a low-cost way to get regular cleanings and minor treatments, the NHS is a simple alternative that offers clear pricing options for basic care. You might find however that with a limited amount of NHS dentists accepting new patients that you may have to travel some distance to see one.
Here at Dental & Skin we offer affordable prices and the best quality and care.