The appeal of private dentistry as fewer patients see NHS dentists

dentist

Studies show that more and more of us are now opting to go private when it comes to our dental care, choosing to pay more for our oral hygiene than rely on the good, old NHS.

But what’s the reasoning behind this and are there any improvements that can be made to the current services that improve dentistry for all?

This article will take a deep dive into some of the services available on the NHS as well as private dentistry and find out which one is the true winner. Whether it’s a higher-standard of treatment or quicker appointment times, there are many reasons why private dentistry is now beginning to come out on top.

What’s the appeal of private dentistry?

In recent years, the cost of NHS treatment for dentistry has rapidly increased along with a decline in services that surround the actual practices that dentists are offering. That’s not to say NHS dentists are any better or worse than private dentists, we’re just saying that private dentistry doesn’t differ as much in cost as it once did – and it’s now often much easier to get an appointment than with an NHS dentist.

Private dentistry is often completed by former NHS dentists who’ve grown unhappy with the working conditions available to them, which has created increased demand on the private industry and lowered the overall cost associated with it.

Is it really better than the NHS?

According to the Independent newspaper, as above, a recent Citizens Advice report indicated that more than seven million people in England and Wales had been unable to get an NHS dental appointment in the past 20 months. This delay and congestion has led to many opting to go private and pay the increased financials as a means of nullifying the tooth pain that they’re in.

This study highlights the failure of the NHS and the funding behind it that has allowed private healthcare to become a more viable option than state-funded dentistry. There’s not much difference in the standards of treatment – it’s the services around the treatment where private dentistry really comes out on top.

What can private dentists offer that NHS dentists can’t?

There are of course some different treatments that NHS dentists will simply be unable to offer. While both NHS and private dentists provide the same high quality treatments, private dentists are sometimes more qualified to work on cosmetic dentistry, dentures and facial aesthetics, or more specialised treatments.

With NHS delays causing more and more issues, private dentistry is increasingly being turned to for their services. Some dental issues are time sensitive, and if you’re looking to get braces in London by Ten Dental, then you’ll understand the flaws that exist within state-funded dentistry within the UK.

It seems like the next pressing debate to hit the country will be healthcare reform once this whole Brexit debacle surpasses. While private healthcare seems to be currently coming out on top for now, we should work together to ensure that NHS dental treatment rises to the top again. Although NHS treatment is free for certain groups, waiting times are simply too long for people not to opt for private dental care in their time of need.