Today, I arrived 15 minutes early while in significant pain and waited approximately 30 minutes. During this time, I felt that my situation was not acknowledged with urgency.
At a previous visit, I had been prescribed antibiotics twice for what I was told was an infection. When I returned for ongoing tooth pain, including pain in a different area, I was told during the consultation that it was unclear why I was experiencing pain where I described it. The examination involved repeated probing of both the upper and lower areas, which I found quite uncomfortable and distressing.
I was told that the pain should be located in a different area than where I was feeling it, and the possibility of referred pain was mentioned. However, I left feeling that my concerns about the location and severity of my pain were not fully understood.
During the appointment, I was in visible distress and asked about alternative pain relief options, including a topical product. I was advised to take standard over-the-counter medication, and when I explained my long-term use of stronger prescribed pain medication, I was informed that no additional or stronger medication would be provided. I felt uncomfortable during this exchange.
I also asked again for the area I believed to be an infection to be examined. This was eventually checked, which involved further probing that caused additional discomfort. I was then told it did not appear to be an infection and that I would be referred to a specialist, with photos taken for this purpose.
During this process, images of the inside of my mouth were taken using a personal mobile phone. This raised concerns for me regarding privacy and how these images would be stored or used.
After the consultation, I returned to reception still in distress and expressed that I needed treatment rather than a cost estimate. I was informed that the earliest available appointment was in four days. When I asked about emergency options or alternative providers, I was initially told there were none available. I was later given a contact number, which I later realised was for an emergency dental service, although this was not clearly explained at the time.
Following the visit, I spoke to a pharmacist regarding pain management and was advised that the topical product I had asked about would not interfere with my existing medication, as they are different types of treatment.
Overall, I left feeling unsupported, in continued pain, and unclear about the next steps for treatment. This experience was distressing, and I felt that my concerns were not fully addressed during the visit.
