Why Do People Turn To Private Dentistry?

With NHS dentistry arguably in crisis, now might be a good time to consider our Epsom dental practice

Since the closure of dental practices for all but emergency treatments during the Covid lockdowns, many practices have struggled to continue, especially NHS dentists.

It has been almost impossible to escape the disturbing and upsetting stories of people who have pulled out their own teeth as they couldn’t get an appointment. Nobody wants to see people in this kind of distress and at the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre we hope that we can help people avoid this kind of pain.

Not only do we offer general and routine care, but, along with other private dental practices, we can also offer other treatments alongside, which can also help you have great looking teeth and also younger looking skin.

What’s gone ‘wrong’ with NHS dentistry?

This is a big question but one of the key factors is that NHS dental care is subject to politics as it depends on large swathes of its funding from government sources. Whilst some governments may be willing to part with large amounts of cash, others may be much less so. NHS dentists then can only provide whatever their budget allows them to. This means that only routine dentistry can be provided and certainly no cosmetic procedures.

There is also the problem of staffing and the return of a number of overseas dentists post Brexit hasn’t helped the situation. This has meant that as well as having to wait much longer for an appointment, the time allocated for each person is less than might be ideal in some cases.

Private dentistry

Our private dental practice in Epsom is much less restricted in the treatments that we can offer and naturally, our main concern is with the health of our patient’s teeth. We put a lot of emphasis on preventative dental care and where this doesn’t prevent issues like tooth decay from occurring, we still offer the usual routine treatments such as fillings etc.

Private patients not only have a wider selection of treatments available to choose from but should never be in the situation where they feel they are being treated in a hurry to get them out of the chair and the next patient in. Whilst few patients want to hang around a treatment room any longer than is necessary, it is fair to say that we all like to feel that care is being taken when we are receiving treatment, and a relaxed environment makes for a much more comfortable visit, especially for those who feel a little anxious about their visits. We don’t expect patients to actually look forward to their visits to our clinic, but we do want them to feel relaxed and well treated while they are here.

Cosmetic dentistry

We mentioned earlier about the availability of cosmetic dental treatments that are available at private practices but not NHS ones. These open up new possibilities for people who receive these treatments with many finding that not only do their teeth look better and their smile brighter, but that it gives them more confidence when interacting with others, to say little about improving how they feel about themselves. There are a wide range of treatments available for all scenarios. Whether you need a straightforward teeth whitening procedure or a more complex one such as implant placement to replace missing teeth, you can be sure that you are in good hands with us.

What about the cost?

One of the main barriers to private dentistry for some people is the cost and there is no getting away from the fact that it is more expensive to use a private dentist. This is due to there being no government subsidy so all costs have to be paid for in full. Although this can be off putting, it is worth remembering that you need to balance this against the high quality care and choice that you will receive and fast access to advanced services where required.

A number of payment plans are also available to help you to spread the cost of any treatments that you may need. If you are considering ‘going private’ but have concerns about the financial aspect of it, please do talk to us so that we can discuss the best payment plan for you to make it more accessible. If you are currently struggling to get an NHS appointment to see a dentist, why not come and have a chat with us and see what we have to offer you? We think that you will be pleasantly surprised by the treatment options and the friendliness and professionalism of our team.

To arrange an initial meeting with us, please call the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre on 01372 720136.