NHS Dentistry Watch: English Pulling Own Teeth as NHS System Collapses
William Kelly, 43, extracted part of his own tooth, leaving a black stump. He plans to pull one more.
English ‘pull own teeth’ as dental service decays
Falling numbers of state dentists in England has led to some people taking extreme measures, including extracting their own teeth, according to a new study released Monday.
Falling numbers of state dentists in England has led to some people taking extreme measures, including extracting their own teeth, according to a new study released Monday.
Others have used superglue to stick crowns back on, rather than stumping up for private treatment, said the study. One person spoke of carrying out 14 separate extractions on himself with pliers.
More typically, a lack of publicly-funded dentists means that growing numbers go private: 78 percent of private patients said they were there because they could not find a National Health Service (NHS) dentist, and only 15 percent because of better treatment.
“This is an uncomfortable read for all of us, and poses serious questions to politicians from patients,” said Sharon Grant of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.
Overall, six percent of patients had resorted to self-treatment, according to the survey of 5,000 patients in England, which found that one in five had decided against dental work because of the cost.
The British NHS Dental Health Care System is clearly not working. Flap has been documenting the inevitable collapse of this “SOCIALIZED” system for years now.
With only a little more than half of UK dentists participating in the NHS, the government must facilitate changes unless they prefer stories like this.
Hints to the Labor Government:
1. Eliminate the NHS dental system gradually
2. Allow dentistry to be a private system like in Australia, Canada or South Africa
3. Establish a government paid voucher system which is redeemable at ANY dental office in the UK for the truly poor, disabled or infirm.
4. Cut taxes for the dentists and patients that pay for the abysmal NHS dental system.
5. Convene a panel of dental economists to privatize the UK dental care industry, including dental education.
Stay tuned………
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Chuck McKay
Until three or four generations ago people in the U.S. did a lot of their own dental extractions, too. That doesn’t bother me. I wonder, though, how someone with a cavity would have to treat himself? By extracting that tooth, too?
Flap
But, we are in the 21st century.
It is the health care system that has failed and the UK government has done nothing to improve the lives of their poeple.
There lies the real shame.
LARRY WEAVERLING
I HAVE LIVED IN ENGLAND, UNDER NATIONAL HEALTH, MY SISTER STILL LIVES THERE AND ALL I CAN SAY IS LORD HELP US IF WE GET NATIONAL HEALTH OR SHALL WE CALL IT ‘UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE’ THINK ABOUT IT, DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT MILLIONAIRE’S ARE GOING TO GO TO AND WAIT FOR THE SAME DOCTORS THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR, SOMETIMES FOR HOURS, NO THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO TO PRIVATE DOCTORS WHO WILL WORK PRIVATELY AND ONLY TAKE CASH OR PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE WHICH THE REST OF US CAN’T AFFORD AND THOSE DOCTORS THAT THE RICH SEE WILL BE THE BEST IN THEIR FIELDS LEAVING US WITH SUB STANDARD DOCTORS. THINK ABOUT IT, YOU ARE A GOOD DOCTOR AND YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING EITHER $25 DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERALLY RUN PROGRAM OR YOU CAN GO PRIVATE AND TAKE THE $50 DOLLAR PAYMENT FROM THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHICH ONE YOU WILL TAKE…. LIKE I SAID I HAVE LIVED THE SYSTEM, MY SISTER STILL LIVES THE SYSTEM (BY THE WAY THEY ONLY TAKE HER BLOOD PRESSURE ONCE A YEAR NOT EVERY TIME SHE HAS AN APPOINTMENT LIKE OVER HERE NOW), BUT DON’T GET ME WRONG I AM SCARED OF WHAT UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE WILL NOT ONLY DO TO US AS A SOCIETY BUT ALSO THE COST OF SUCH A SYSTEM.. ALL THIS BEING SAID I WILL VOTE YES FOR THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THE WAY THAT I SEE IT, WHY SHOULD I PAY EACH MONTH FOR HEALTH CARE WHILE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE ILLEGALLY GET FREE HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OUR GOVERNMENT IS TOO SCARED OF DOING THE WRONG THING EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
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