Once a year for the dentist and twice a year for the dental hygienist treatment (personally think these are far more valuable for a more frequent visit especially if you don't floss or use interdental toothbrushes).
My last phone call for a check up appointment went something like this:
Me: hello I'd like a check up appointment please
Receptionist: we can book you in for 2 months from now if it's an NHS appointment or as soon as tomorrow if it's a private appointment.But its the same dentist practice and the same dentist and probably the same amount of time taken. It's not a dentist that excludes NHS patients, the scarcity in appointments is entirely artificial and if I valued a private checkup enough to pay the premium I'd go to wholly private practice rather than support a dysfunctional hybrid business model.
I do treat myself to the wholly private dental hygienist treatment because the price difference has been relatively minor and also felt like a lot more time / attention to detail was provided.
site23 wrote:(Also, this is just me being whingy, but I get resentful about the whole thing because dentistry should be nationalised...)
It's not whingy, it's a fair thing to be irritated by, but even getting a private dental hygienist treatment would be worth it whilst getting the slow process of an NHS registration sorted. No point making your teeth into martyrs!