Hi there.
Was just wondering what people thought about their dental treatment in the area.
I recently had my first appointment with a dentist in Forest Hill. I had to have two fillings and got told I have early signs of gum disease. They told me to go and see the hygienist, which is private, at £40-odd a session.
Now my wife went in just after me. She has no fillings and takes good care of her teeth. A quick scan round the mouth and she's told to go and see the hygienist. She had the same experience at her last appointment and so she asked if she needed to see a hygienist this time and it seemed to be the case that it wasn't necessary, but good practice?
I made an appointment, clearly concerned with the talk about gum disease, as I hadn't seen a dentist for a couple of years, although now I think about it, dentists have been telling me this for years with no worsening of it.
Thing is, neither of us had a scale and polish and I've always had one at previous dentists. I'm now thinking that maybe I should have just asked for a scale and polish or have expected one, considering the talk about gum disease.
I'm a bit confused about the hygienist and what it provides that a normal scale and polish would not and I see that the NHS is quite clear about the scale and polish being part of the band one treatment.
If your dentist recommends a scale and polish, it should be provided under the NHS (Band 1, £17.50), whether it is done by a dentist or a hygienist. If your dentist says a scale and polish is not clinically necessary but you want one anyway, you will have to pay to have it privately.
An NHS scale and polish should be carried out as thoroughly as a private one.
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSser...ments.aspx