Re: Finger Points to Fillings in UK Dentistry Crisis

From: CWatters (colin.watters_at_pandoraBOX.be)
Date: 11/21/04 

Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 22:45:19 GMT

I had a UK NHS dentist for several years before moving to Belgium. The
difference is amazing...

My UK dentist had two chairs in adjoining rooms in a small semi detached ex
council house. The waiting room would frequently have 6 people in it when
you arrive and you might have to wait an hour if the dentist is running
late. He would normally work on two people at once and always did so while
waiting the 5 mins for your anaesthetic to take effect. The instant he had
finished with you (and while you were still horizontal in the chair) he was
off backing through the door to avoid contaminating the new gloves his
assistant had quickly changed. She would then come back and sort you out
while the dentist was drilling the next guy. The assistant wrote your
appointment in a diary like book and you had to pay by cash or cheque.
Shortly after giving me root canal I gained a cyst on that tooth.

Here in Belgium we have to pay 1/3rd of the costs (the other 2/3rds we get
back from the Mutuality) so it's not quite the same cost structure as the UK
NHS. Overall we pay slightly higher taxes here but there's not much in it.
The dentist has an office attached to the side of a huge 5 bedroom detached
house of almost unbelievable quality (stone detailing, solid oak period
windows and doors etc). I've never seen anyone else waiting in the waiting
room and normally I never have to wait more than a few seconds before the
dentist is ready for me. An appointment for a filling is allocated about
three times as long as the UK. The dentist has time to chat and it feels
like he works slowly with more precision. Appointments are stored on
computer which is linked to other in the building by wireless LAN. You can
pay by credit card or by Bank Contact (eg like Switch in the UK).

The difference is so great that when we move back to the UK I may still come
back here to see the dentist!

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Finger Points to Fillings in UK Dentistry Crisis
    ... >council house. ... >waiting the 5 mins for your anaesthetic to take effect. ... >appointment in a diary like book and you had to pay by cash or cheque. ... Overall we pay slightly higher taxes here but there's not much in it. ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Finger Points to Fillings in UK Dentistry Crisis
    ... populations of dentists impossible? ... > waiting the 5 mins for your anaesthetic to take effect. ... > appointment in a diary like book and you had to pay by cash or cheque. ... Overall we pay slightly higher taxes here but there's not much in it. ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Finger Points to Fillings in UK Dentistry Crisis
    ... Except if Jan Drew is analyzing it., Then BOTH DENTISTS are the ... >> waiting the 5 mins for your anaesthetic to take effect. ... >> appointment in a diary like book and you had to pay by cash or cheque. ... Overall we pay slightly higher taxes here but there's not much in it. ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Visit to the Doc
    ... >>> Reported to the desk (no appointment day) ... >>> Five people in front of me, I estimated 50 minutes tops for waiting. ... diseases rather than simply wielding a stethascope or writing ...
    (soc.culture.irish)
  • Re: Queueing Theory Course Outline.
    ... If their staff is mishandling their schedule, ... fire them. ... but there are other issues than waiting. ... It's bad manners, you understand, ill treatment, to make an appointment ...
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