France in Focus

Dunno what it's like in other places but seemingly not to bad in my commune.
I went to arrange an appointment for a check up this morning telling the receptionist "no problems so no rush" & got a rdv for about 5 weeks time.
I mentioned that following a good wisdom teeth etc sort out in hospital I had not needed to see a dentist for about 6 years & was told "actually it's been 10." "Shows what a good job everyone must have done previously" I replied adding " Actually I'm terrified of dentists".
Just got to muster up as much confidence as possible for this appointment & hopefully I'll be OK for another 10 years, if I live that long.

I feel your pain. I'm petrified of Dentists. Comes from childhood trauma.

There is about a 2 month delay with our local dentist for regular check-ups. Husband was referred to an Implant specialist and the wait for that appt. was 4.5 months.

Best of luck with your upcoming visit. I find that by the time the appt. day has arrived I have spent so much time agonizing over it, I've resigned myself to the fact: it is what it is.

The situation is pretty dire around here. Scarcity of dentists and longish waits if you can find one. Had a good one just up the road but only for a about a year then she moved on. She patched and did an implant and re-did a few loose fillings but they didn't last but about 6 months. Had to drill out so much to do the fillings there was too little strength left in the teeth and they eventually broke up. The implant made a bid for freedom and I couldn't find it. I have a couple of gaps where teeth used to be. Makes eating a bit of a strategic challenge but at least they don't show.

Lucky here there are lots of dentists. I would be surprised if I couldn’t get an appointment in a couple of days, next day if urgent.

Lucky here as well. DaveW,
But one dentist,due to retire so what happens after is in the clouds.
In our 37 years in France we have been well cared for in a number of ways, always treated very soon, like for my cateracts, both done in a month after the optician said they were needed.
A long time friend of ours back in the uk has just decided to go Private for hers at a cost of £3000 each, that's after being told she wasn't allowed to drive as her eyes were so bad, the waiting time on NHS being 6 months to get on a referal list for the specialist.

Doug wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 11:52 am Lucky here as well. DaveW

I guess it might be luck of the draw. When we moved to Beauregard in December 2022, I called more than 30 Dentists in Brive and none were accepting new patients. I then had to delve out further. Even the dozen I called in Périgueux weren't accepting new patients. In the end, we found a sympathetic one in Montignac who took us.

At that time, I had a broken crown and was desperate to find someone to fix it. It was really frustrating to make call after call after call (explaining my predicament) and be told call 15.

And, as of this morning, it appears I have another broken crown !!!!!!!!!! I don't get it. I had a cavity under a crown in 2020. Had that fixed in September of that year (dreadful Dentist in Sceaux); horrible experience. Then broke a crown just as we were packing up to move in Dec. 2022. Dentist in Avignon said he would not have enough time to complete the repair as we were moving in 4 days time.

Now, this... What the Hell !! And I have not been eating popcorn and nuts. And we do try to take good care of our teeth. Brush, floss, jet dentaire....



And our Dentist's cabinet is closed on Fridays !