Dental Prices

[bertiesmile19]

A while back someone asked why can't dentists be salaried like doctors? I would love that!  £105K a year and no overheads - heaven! Then I can happily do my best work while someone else pays for the best materials and equipment - absolute heaven!!
Cost to set up and equip a basic surgery (just the one room!) -just done it and it cost over £30 000 and I had quotes to £50K+ . This excluded all the necessary small instruments and sterilisation equipment that the practice already has. There is a certain basic level that the public expects and it keeps changing. Take for example the advice that all dental practices should have a defibrillator on site (not something I disagree with) - average cost for these is in the region of £1000. In a 4 mile radius where I practice that would mean a £10 000 outlay between the 10 practices. Guess who will be expected to pay for this? Yep, the patient!
In the UK we have certain basic requirements, based on General Dental Council guidelines, Department of Health guidelines, PCT (NHS) requirements, labour law(minimum salaries) - this may not be the case in other countries, hence the massive price differential in some cases.
Life in the UK is expensive and it is just as frustrating for dentists as it is for patients.