I had a checkup with my NHS dentist in May 2022. The next was scheduled for January 2023. This was postponed until April and, last week, I was told this appointment is cancelled. I now have to ring the practice in November 2023 to arrange an appointment for 2024. We currently have a Ukrainian refugee staying with us. She returned to Lviv for Christmas and saw her dentist while there. I am thinking of joining her on her next trip home as it is clearly easier to see a dentist in a war zone than it is here (Rotten, with no quick fixes: the state of our mouths reflects the plight of NHS dentistry, 2 March).
John Lovelock
Bristol
• I enjoy the challenge of the daily Wordiply, but I must object to Saturday’s answer (4 March). “Anesthesiologists” is an Americanism, and I would not have guessed it. Why? I’m a retired NHS consultant anaesthetist.
Nigel Puttick
Great Broughton, North Yorkshire
• If increasing hardness of hearing is proof of middle age, I may be guilty as charged (Letters, 27 February). While chatting to the lady on the adjacent mat before the start of our yoga class, I misheard “Having been to Cuba” as “Having been a cougar”. A certain confusion ensued.
Tom Stubbs
Surbiton, London
• On the theme of the white van man (Letters, 3 March), I recently followed one such vehicle into Glastonbury High Street. I was rather amused to read the message on the back doors: “The only tool in this van is the driver.”
Kevin Caveney
Glastonbury, Somerset
• Re Irish names (Letters, 3 March), my name is not Marie.
Máire Davies (pronounced Maura)
Cardiff
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