For those who can't get a NHS dentist (and that's everyone not on the register now) the private dentistry system is based on a payment for service model. In other words, you pay upfront in full for everything with cash or debit card. No credit, no loan, no insurance. The dentist I go to will refuse any payment by credit card, they want to know you have the full cash amount upfront before they'll see you. Anyone who does have insurance has to wait until treatment has concluded before they can claim the cost back - insurers can not pay it upfront. This creates a barrier where only those who can afford treatment upfront can get it.

If universal and social healthcare systems fail, that's the system we will end up with. Leaked NHS Scotland documents and rhetoric from President Macron in France suggests that is the system they will implement if their systems fail. If you think the US healthcare system has its flaws, wait until that is implemented. In some way, if it isn't covered by the NHS, it already is in the UK.

Surely they were lying. I once saw a redditor post that they broke their leg, went to a hospital, got taken in immediately, got all fixed up, and left without paying a dime.

And because that one unverifiable post must be true, and because it only affected one person, then the entire NHS must be functioning properly and anyone who says otherwise is a liar and a literal hitler who thinks health care isn't a human right.

(/sarc, but I believe there are people out there who genuinely think like this.)