Dentists N4
  • minouminou
    Hello, can anyone recommend a good (and not pricey) NHS dental practice in our area? I know there's the Hornsey Dental Centre on Hanley Road - anyone had any toothsome dealings with them?

    Thanks!
  • Ian

    What is it about the last couple of months and teeth?

    Threads here and here

    I changed dentists from my one in Camden to Shah on Stroud Green on the strength of these threads. Went last week and there were no problems with my teeth. Surgery was a bit dated compared to my last one but that isn't a clincher, he was a good guy and people here have no complaints.

  • minouminou
    Thanks, I'll give Shah a whirl. And sorry for not checking other threads first!
  • Slabber
    I once went to that dentist near the Beacon Book Store and my tongue was black from drinking red wine the previous night. She said "Do you have AIDS?" It was a little unnerving.
  • Ali

    After previously recommend them I having a few issues with Hornsey Dental Centre on Hanley Road. Got a crown done Feb 2009 , got loads of problems with infection 10 months ie Mid December Turns out to be a Root Canal issue so got that Treatment which cost £500 and included drilling through my 9 Month old crown which itself had cost £500. When I got told I needed a Root canal the Dentist said he would fix the Crown up so it would not be compromised. Got that done last night and they wanted £56 for the work even though I have spent £1000 their already. Three different Dentists involved and the one who did the crown left just after he told me it would get fixed.

    The interesting stuff which has come out this so far is that Private Treatment costs 2.5 times than NHS and has less of a “Guarantee” (ie non) than NHS which is Year see

    http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Chiefprofessionalofficers/Chiefdentalofficer/DH_4138821

    Form FP17DC is the NHS Dental Plan form which gives you a one Year guarantee.

    The lady of who is chasing me for the money is unable to tell me who is responsible ie who I have a contract with. I think they are implying it is each Dentist and they have no responsibility. All very shady.

    It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

    First step is to follow practice complaints procedure, they it is the Dental Complaints Service and then the BDA.

    I really want to see who it is you contract with and what the Ts & Cs are.

    Pity as I have found the Dentist okay there and I feel sorry for the one who is loosing out on this from last night.

    The “shady” world of Private Dentistry is about to be pursued for answers.

  • Donna

    I've got a great dentist but he's not local. I tried a local place and they hurt me, I can't remember which one it was, but it was on Stroud green road. So I went back to my old dentist, when we used to live in West Hampstead. He's based in Kilburn and he's NHS and he's open on Saturdays. He NEVER causes me any pain. And that's saying something.

    Here are his details: http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/Dentist.aspx?oid=de_5K5003&pid=000001_NW67JG&JScript=1

  • Misscara
    The big one on Upper street next to Strada is really good. Ask for the Danish guy, he is so gentle and has small hands. I had some treatment a couple of years ago and thought it was going to hurt like hell but I hardly felt anything at all. And the place is really clean and professional. They do NHS as well.
  • tosscat

    Small hands = serial killer.

  • katiejane
    @ Ali - I'm beginning to suspect they're ripping me off too. I won't go into detail, but in the last twelve months, I've had three fillings (one of which left me with really bad toothache, although they denied any responsibility), and they couldn't wait to book me in for another two at a cost of £93 each. I asked if I could go over to NHS and the receptionist got really stroppy, said I'd have to book in for another check up, even though I'd had one as a private patient at a cost of £25 two days earlier. I also think it's highly suspect how they a) take a £20 deposit for any work and b) really push their dental plan.

    Oh - I did go into detail. Anyway, I've decide to find another.
  • ActionVerb
    Hmm. Dodgy wisdom tooth is causing a slight concern. I had one removed a few years back, and was told that if the others are starting to cause problems, I'll have to go for a full blown operation to cut up my gums for an extraction. Or something similarly appealing.

    Is Dr Shah still the go-to local Dentist?
  • andy
    A chunk of my tooth fell out over the weekend. Expect a dental review soon.
  • NoOne
    Dr Shah is wonderful. I've seen my fair share of dentists and he's by far the best.
  • Liz

    @ ActionVerb. I was given the same advice after having a wisdom tooth out about five years ago. Needless to say, I didn't go to the dentist for the next five years. Managed to pluck up the courage to go late last year as one of them was hurting quite a lot - Dr Shah said reassuringly everything was fine and seemed unperturbed by the fact that it hurts sometimes. Most reassuring.

  • Ali

    Still in dispute with the Hanley Road crowd.

    I am in correspondence with their Practice Manager who is just not getting what the issue is.

    I have now got from them their Complaints process which is not much good but has given me the name of the Practice Principle.

    I have asked them 4 times for a copy of the Terms and Conditions of Business so it can be clarified who it is that your contracting with i.e. the Practice or the Dentist and what guarantees are in place for Private Patients.

    Nothing has been forth coming so I guess I will now try the Practice Principle before moving on to either something legal or the Dental Complaints Service BDA etc.

  • ActionVerb
    @ Liz - thanks for the re-assurance. I have a strong suspicion that I've got a nice infection going on. I'm booked in to see Dr Shah tomorrow - hopefully just a dose of anti-biotics for me!
  • magicP
    Another vote for Dr Shah here. Excellent.
  • drumbeg
    This is interesting. I've been with Hanley Dental Practice for the last couple of years, but am now looking to change. They seem to recommend unnecessary treatments constantly in an attempt to squeeze more money out of me. I do not feel that they have my best interests at heart. Also, the guy who saw me last there (Ali I think) seemed a little inexperienced.

    I might give Shah a try.
  • Ali

    My issue with Hornsey Dental Centre has moved on a bit. They have agreed to drop the extra £59 charge for the restorative filling in my crown.

    But interestingly they have not yet produced and copy of Terms and Conditions of Business and seem to imply that your Contract is with each individual Dentist which is incorrect as you pay the Surgery so I believe the Contract is with the Surgery.

    It also seems that there is no guarantee with Private work while there is a 12 month one with the NHS so what is the point of paying double to go Private when the only benefit is that they will see you sooner.

    They have agreed to drop the charge “without prejudice on either side” so it will be interesting to see if I will get the check-up letter in 6months!

    Make you own conclusion about HDC.

  • checkski
    I am facing a tooth removal, or root canal job, with Dr Shah. Most people speak highly of him, but I don't know about his surgical skills, nor about how much he hurts. I'm a bit scared and worried! Can anyone reassure me?
  • ADGS
    I can't comment on extractions specifically, but I had my first visit to him recently and he was certainly more dextrous than any other dentist I've had in 20 years, so I would think you're in safe hands. He seemed to still believe in the NHS ethos, too, including all sorts of stuff as standard which a lot of other bastards would have tried to upsell.
  • drumbeg
    After the glowing reviews for Shah, I have changed to his surgery from the Hornsey Dental Centre. Last night I visited Hornsey for a check up and clean; my teeth were cleaned nicely, but they identified an area in a molar where they thought I may need a filling. I was fine with that but the dentist then went on to talk about the possibility of root canal work. I just felt like I wanted a second opinion on this as they have a history of recommending unwarranted treatment and the tooth in question is not causing me any pain at all.

    The attitude of Dr Shah's surgery on the phone did seem pro-NHS and they were very nice and booked me an appointment straight away.
  • Geekytati
    Hi,

    I went to Denchic in Crouch End (123 Tottenham Lane) for the first time two weeks ago. They were accepting NHS patients. The clinic is brand new, amazingly clean and the dentists are very nice and competent. Before I went, I tried to get some info on them and they seemed be quite experienced dentists too. I really liked them.

    I went to Hornsey Dental Centre around two years ago but I didn't like it very much. The dentist was not very helpful and a simple cleaning was quite painful.
  • checkski
    Re my root canal/crown replacement, a few posts back: Mr Shah was excellent. No pain, very thorough and, 4 months on, everything is hunkey dory. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how little I paid - suffice it to say that he is one of the few dentists I know to respect NHS patients, no matter how poor they are. I have recommended him for an award, locally.
  • dawnage
    Another yes to Shah! Good chap.
  • drumbeg
    I've just been to see Shah. A world of difference from Hornsey Dental Centre. I've not been treated yet, but found Shah to be upfront, articulate and helpful.

    I was at H.D.C last week and they spotted tooth decay in one of my molars after I had a routine x-ray done. I was told that in order to repair this, the filling on the adjacent tooth would need to be removed first and that root canal was a strong possibility.

    Mr Shah on the other hand had identified the same cavity without the need for x-ray (although he took one afterwards) and has advised that he will perform a filling WITHOUT infringing on the adjacent filling. Read into this what you will. I asked about the possibility of root canal and Mr Shah after close examination of the x-ray suggested that it was a possibility, but pointed out that since I am not showing any symptoms (tooth pain) it is likely that my nerve has not been compromised by the decay.

    Mr Shah came across as being a very experienced dentist. I was left with no questions surrounding the diagnosis, treatment or cost.

    Will let you know how treatment goes.
  • ADGS
    I begin to fear that a cartel of the area's other dentists are going to hire a hitman to take out Shah. He seems to be the last honest dentist in the district, if not the city, and he must be murder on their profits.
  • sincers

    I went to Weston Park yesterday and have always found them reasonable. He was recommending a treatment of building up a chipped tooth, but after we discussed it briefly he simply filed one on the top row. It took only a few seconds and he didn't charge me for it.

    Dr Songra if anyone's interested.

  • Emma
    I went to see Shah today as well! He was ace as always.
  • drumbeg
    Went to get my filling today from Shah. Quick and painless. Good advice too. He knows what he is doing.
  • Eliz

    Oh dear, I hope no one's used this SGR dentist with the 'dirty surgery' http://www.hornseyjournal.co.uk/news/stroud_green_dentist_disciplined_over_dirty_surgery_1_829197

  • JaneDoe
    Eliz - I went there when I first moved to the area. I had the first appointment of the day (before work), I waited 40 minutes past the appointment time and when the dentist still hadn't arrived I gave up. Sounds like I had a lucky escape.
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