Dental treatment in France

[Caz<H2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>Carole (87)<FONT><H2>]

Have searched on dental treatment in France but not come up with much so I wonder if anybody could throw some light on this topical subject.

We are still only second home owners in France and recently I had an infection in a capped tooth which I panicked to get treatment for in the UK before a visit to France at Easter. Trying to get an urgent appointment in the UK was far more difficult than trying to get a GP appointment but I did get one eventually albeit I wasnt that pleased with the treatment and the antibiotics didnt work while I was in France so I still suffered (especially eating French bread). I am now waiting for another appointment in the UK because the treatment hasnt worked, my cap has fallen out leaving a nice gap in my front teeth and I am forced to stay at home to avoid scaring the public.

My question is, beside 'filling' you in with my dental problems, should I have panicked to receive treatment in the UK or might I have been better visiting a dentist in France while I was there? Would it have cost me any more as its pretty expensive in the UK even under the NHS and might I have been more confident in the treatment?

I have come back to find articles in the press about parts of the South coast planning to ship UK residents out to France for the day to get dental treatment as we have such a shortage of dentists in the UK at the moment (Im not overly sure of my facts on this issue as I only have a scanned article sent to me out of the Isle of Wight News or similar).

Would be interested to hear the views of people who have used French dentists.

Caz

[Will]

LAST EDITED ON 16-Apr-04 AT 10:02 AM (GMT)

I heard that story - it was featured on BBC South news. It made me laugh a bit because somebody had organised a party from the Isle of Wight who would go en masse on the boat to Cherbourg for dental treatment that they could not get on the NHS at home - the venture even had a name, Tooth Ferry would you believe.

The rather strange thing was that Cherbourg is in Manche (50) and there was a story in Ouest France recently about the severe shortage of dentists in Manche making it difficult to get treatment. I was in fact reading it in the waiting room of our dentist in Mortain (50) who seems to manage to see you reasonably quickly, especially for an emergency.

As regards payment, you pay the dentist for the treatment and the pharmacy for any medication. Treatment of an abcess and a couple of extractions as a result seemed pretty cheap, while the consequent bridges, counting as cosmetic work, were expensive, but still cheaper than private UK dentists. Residents claim back a proportion via CPAM and topup health insurance.

Presumably if you are visiting and have a dental emergency you can claim the cost back via the E111 form.

Will (50)

[LesLauriers]

At the first dentist we used, we were not impressed by her ability. We have since been recommended to a dentist in Prigueux who is very good. I found the treatment that we have received to be cheaper than that I've experienced un the UK. I would point out that they don't tend to use anaesthetic unless it's really serious, such as extraction/root canal etc, unless you start to feel pain in which case you can have some!!

[Lindsey]

I too have been particularly interested to find this thread, having just got back from a discussion with my dentist (UK), on the options for long-term replacement of a crowned tooth that is no longer viable. The ideal solution would be an implant - in fact I would need two to fill the gap - and he has given me a ball-park estimate of 2000 per tooth(!) So my first thought was that it must surely be cheaper in France. The trouble is, I have no idea where to look for this sort of pricing information, or how I might set about finding a reputable, and friendly dentist.

My dental practice produces a small brochure listing the charges for different treatments (implants being, unfortunately, the only item that is POA), so I am wondering whether anybody out there has a similar list from their French dentist, and could give me any idea of what the cost might be? Also, do they all work to a fairly standardised price structure, or are some more expensive than others? Obviously, I would be paying as a straightforward private patient - not expecting to claim anything back from anywhere.

Any advice on any aspect of the matter will be most gratefully received!

Regards, Lindsey.