New dentists

[petewick]

I moved to Oban 7 years ago and they took me off the list without notification,
not because I had problems.

[Ship called Dignity]

FKN WASTE OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Can't agree with that Petwick. If everyone in the town had attended regularly instead of waiting until they had problems, the lack of facilities would have been highlighted long ago and we may have had this new surgery sooner. I think it's progress.

Agree in some sense Isa too. It certainly is progress, the facilities alone will be first class in comparison to the current set-up.

However, not too sure how everyone could attend reguarly if they couldn't attend in the first place? (and yes I know I am one of those fuds who missed an appointment and de-registered ) So in this regard the people who couldn't visit at all were surely key to highlighting the need? Like others I wrote and highlighted the need for more dentists in Campbeltown. And now my best chance will be some last year student (which I was told previously too).

On a related note the dentist in Tarbert is taking NHS registrations and offer a first class service. I've attended a number of times and their customer care is spot on. I only wish I did it earlier....

[EileenH]

In my defense, I went to make appointments for us as we hadn't been in a while. I was told the dentist was booked up 6 months ahead. I was assured as we weren't having problems, if we left it for a while we wouldn't be struck off. Few months later, we tried to make appointments for check ups only to be told we had been struck off. We were given bad advice.

[mermaid]

I always have a 3 monthly appointment at the local practice. After my last appointment, the dentist said, as usual. "see you in three months". When was the first available appointment?? SIX months away. The "regulars" can't be seen when they are supposed to be seen, toothaches have to suffer up to 23 hours then travel to be seen in Tarbert or Lochgilphead if it's the local dentists weekend off, and all these other people in the area are crying out for dental care:
Can somebody from the local practice maybe explain what the new Dental Centre is going to contribute to the area? If the Dentists coming to the area are final year students what treatment are they permitted to carry out? Do they need full time supervision and/or will they at least be able to help people in pain to save them a round journey of 100 miles if they have toothache at the wrong moment?
I am not slagging the local dentists, I have always been very well looked after, but surely, when the waiting list is 6 months ahead things must change??

[maxmix]

You have to be joking? I have to travel to Furnace (yes Furnace) to see the Dentist. I was told repeatedly to register elsewhere and to complain about the current situation in Campbeltown. So I did. To think now I contributed to the building of a new dental surgery that won't accept local people! Shame on you!

Got to agree with you.... £4 million on a town this size seems a total waste of cash....

Such a pity that new people coming to the town won't be able to attend the new Practice... Seems a bit ridiculous that if you want to come back from wherever you attend ATM, IE Tarbert, Furnace, Oban, Glasgow etc you cant....

I suppose if there are new jobs being created the £4,000,000 will be worth it.... It's not as if the money would have been spent anywhere better in the town !

maxmix

The Government will soon get the cash back into some kitty once the Schools start closing.....

[EMDEE]

This is not just a local problem. The management of dental services throughout the country has been a complete disaster for years now, resulting in many people all over the country having to travel ridiculous distances to visit a dentist, and practitioners apparently willy-nilly dumping patients from their lists because they're not making any money out of them.

It's bad enough having to visit a dentist without having the extra inconvenience (not to mention cost) of having to locate someone who will see you and then having to travel an outrageous distance for something that you don't particularly relish.

[EileenH]

Maxmix, the people moving into the town, if they are a current nhs patient automatically get added to the books here as far as I know. Maybe that's why folk like me got struck off, to make room for them? Here's a thought. If we get travel expenses to go up to hospital for treatment that can't be given here, can we claim expenses to go up for dental treatment on the nhs?

[FieldofStone]

I was an NHS patient when I moved here and when I asked to join the waiting list I was told there was no point as it was so long I would never actually get registered. For all the people that are 'struck off' does anyone actually know of anyone who has been taken on? My daughter (3) and hubby to be (a local) are registered here, I was hoping / relying on the new surgery.
I don't understand why should we have to travel to smaller towns such as Tarbert when we live in a town with a great hospital & A&E, a grammer school, major supermarkets, an airport..... surely we should be at the centre of local services...inc a dentist (especially when we will have a £4mill state of the art surgery right here that it seems many of us may not be able to utilise)???

[russanros]

Maxmix, the people moving into the town, if they are a current nhs patient automatically get added to the books here as far as I know. Maybe that's why folk like me got struck off, to make room for them? Here's a thought. If we get travel expenses to go up to hospital for treatment that can't be given here, can we claim expenses to go up for dental treatment on the nhs?

Don't think so we were advised to stay on books of our dentist in yorkshire, the hospital can give a&e treatment . I dont like to think us white settee dwellers would be deprimental to the dental situation

[EileenH]

That used to be the case. When we were struck off I knew of someone who just moved to the town but were taken on. I'm not getting a dig at the folk who aren't local - I'm not local! It's the nhs who have done this, not our local dentists. I'm told they get updates as to who has been struck off by the nhs. It's those who work there that receive our complaints but there's nothing they can do.

[maxmix]

I was an NHS patient when I moved here and when I asked to join the waiting list I was told there was no point as it was so long I would never actually get registered. For all the people that are 'struck off' does anyone actually know of anyone who has been taken on? My daughter (3) and hubby to be (a local) are registered here, I was hoping / relying on the new surgery.
I don't understand why should we have to travel to smaller towns such as Tarbert when we live in a town with a great hospital & A&E, a grammer school, major supermarkets, an airport..... surely we should be at the centre of local services...inc a dentist (especially when we will have a £4mill state of the art surgery right here that it seems many of us may not be able to utilise)???

I suppose it all comes down to money at the end of the day.... If the dentist takes a look inside and sees £££££ to be made over (Say the next 12 months) dont worry, they will find a place for you on their books....

If your a once every 6 month.... or year person and they are lucky to get a scaling out of you, you will soon be off the list....

This is a business.... I have never met a poor dentist all my days..... Lets face reality.... It's the world we live in nowadays....

maxmix

[Kintyre Forum News]

NHS Highland

Campbeltown Dental Centre

Argyll & Bute Community Health Partnership

The above facility is due to open early next year. Patients from South Kintyre wishing to be considered for treatment at the university wing of the new centre should call:

0845 601 3533

Your details will be added to our waiting list and we will contact you by letter prior to the opening of the centre.

Please be aware that the university wing of the centre will only be offering registration to individuals who are not currenly registered with a dentist.

[Isa]

If your a once every 6 month.... or year person and they are lucky to get a scaling out of you, you will soon be off the list....
maxmix

That's a ridiculous accusation against the surgery here in Campbeltown. Can you back it up with facts ?

[maxmix]

If your a once every 6 month.... or year person and they are lucky to get a scaling out of you, you will soon be off the list....
maxmix

That's a ridiculous accusation against the surgery here in Campbeltown. Can you back it up with facts ?

EileenH's post about 8 up from here sums it up....

''I went to make appointments for us as we hadn't been in a while. I was told the dentist was booked up 6 months ahead. I was assured as we weren't having problems, if we left it for a while we wouldn't be struck off. Few months later, we tried to make appointments for check ups only to be told we had been struck off. We were given bad advice''

That says it all....

Or are you trying to tell us Isa, that this is the way the Dental Practice should operate ! If you don't use us in a while
your struck off ! Shocking if you ask me.....

maxmix

[smiles]

NHS Highland

Campbeltown Dental Centre

Argyll & Bute Community Health Partnership

The above facility is due to open early next year. Patients from South Kintyre wishing to be considered for treatment at the university wing of the new centre should call:

0845 601 3533

Your details will be added to our waiting list and we will contact you by letter prior to the opening of the centre.

Please be aware that the university wing of the centre will only be offering registration to individuals who are not currenly registered with a dentist.

I read this with disbelief on Friday morning. So £4million pound is spent building a new state of the art Dental Centre and the only option for new patients is to register with students! (no offence to students) Plus you can only register if you are NOT registered elsewhere!!! So, I have to unregister with my Dentist in Furnace and take the chance I might get registered with the university wing? What an absolute joke!!