Regardless of whether you pay privately or use the NHS system when it comes to dentistry in the UK, there’s a cost involved; it’s just that through the NHS, the costs are on the whole less. In recent years, private dentistry has become more and more popular, with more people opting to pay a little bit extra for the service. Some people think this is just down to price, but there are lots of things that can contribute to a person turning to private care. So, what are the benefits of visiting a private dentist in Nottingham?
More treatments available
NHS dental appointments are much shorter than private ones, so the treatments that are available become far more limited. The NHS can only really provide restorative care like crowns, bridges, dentures or standard fillings to fix teeth. If you opt to go private, there are more user-friendly options available like white fillings and teeth whitening. If you want to improve the look of your teeth, then private dental care is likely the way to go.
Waiting times
We’ve all gone to ring the dentist to be greeted with a three-week waiting list for a checkup, which is really less than ideal. Our lives are constantly moving forward, and planning weeks or even months in advance can be a real pain. Choosing private practice often means that you will experience a far shorter waiting time for your next appointment; this is much more convenient to your lifestyle as private practices frequently offer better out-of-office hours too.
Specialist services
Like lots of things, the government has an impact on limiting the amount of NHS dental treatments a practice can perform a year, with more cost-effective equipment used as opposed to the best available on the market.
A private dental clinic is more likely to have technologically advanced equipment available to them, making both diagnosis and treatment better and more convenient for the patients. Not to mention, they have more time to focus on and accommodate nervous patients.
Longer appointments
We have briefly touched upon this already, but it is a serious benefiting factor that persuades people to go private over the NHS. Feeling rushed when you visit the dentist can be a stressful and anxious time. Private care gives the patients the ability to spend a good amount of time with their dentist to discuss in depth their needs and what they are wanting to achieve through any dental procedure or cosmetic dentistry work.
Availability
It wouldn’t be a cause for shock if you are unable to find an NHS dentist local to you, in recent years as soon as a place becomes available for NHS patients it’s gone in no time. There is such a limited number of NHS patients allowed on a dentist’s books that sometimes going private is the only option; either that or you’ll be travelling miles for your next appointment. And when you break down the travel cost and time lost, the extra money spent is likely few and far between.
