Dentist

Final part of the root canal treatment completed today, and I am sporting a good-as-new molar!

After the first appointment I would happily have had the thing pulled out and was in some shock at the amount of pain, but although the following two appointments were uncomfortable, they weren't painful. Bravo dentist - I'm very grateful, and as I am an NHS patient I paid less than £50!

However....

At the same practice, my husband, also an NHS patient, sees a different dentist, and last week he was referred to a private specialist (also in the same practice) for possible root canal treatment. A consultation - no actual work - with said specialist is going to cost us £100! If further (root canal) treatment is recommended then we will be taking out a second mortgage....

Why could his dentist not have referred him to my dentist - who clearly DOES do root canal treatment on the NHS?

Is there ANY regulation on dentists? At the moment it seems to us that an individual dentist can whimsically decide that they don't fancy doing a particular job...and pass it on...and thereby make the practice a fortune...

I'd like to believe that they not just charlatans, but I'm not convinced?!