We read in national newspapers all the time why dental surgeons would like to leave NHS, although most dentists earn around £100K, that is more than MPs, even Ministers earn. Dental surgeons, at the peak of their profession, easily exceed half a million mark and enjoy the highest living standard imaginable. Although dental treatment comes under NHS, it is not free at the point of delivery, unlike visit to GP surgery or A & E Department. Most of us pay at least £50 per visit and complicated treatment may easily set you back hundreds of pounds. No wonder patients fly as far a field as India, South Africa and East European countries where it may cost a fraction of what we pay here.
But treatment, especially cosmetic one may not be of our high standard. So often it may badly go wrong with NHS picking up the bill, providing emergency treatment. The recent trend in implants rather than dentures is one area of treatment that may badly go wrong, mainly due to infection, as the hygiene may not be up to our high standard.
While there may be a shortage of NHS dentists in some rural part of the country, it is certainly not the case in London, unlike GP shortages that is changing the demography of GP and hospital services. No wonder many OAPs going private for heap replacement, prostrate and cataract operations if faced with unacceptable wait. Fortunately most are reasonably well off to go private while others are helped by their family members. It is time for government to stop fooling people that NHS is free unless one is a refugee and stop wasting billions on Overseas Aid when it is badly needed on the home front with thousands sleeping rough on London streets with average lifespan of just 50 years or so.
Kumudini Valambia
By email
