Dental Insurance Disscusion

up here in darkest st andrews i am sc--wed for 46.12 a month for myself and "her who must be obeyed "to have check ups and fillings ! with anything like crowns not covered. but only were offered this one policy from practice and am worried if i cancel we will lose dentist . They are like hens teeth up here ! some old bloke

For that sort of thing normally it's 21 days notice to stop. I would keep it going until you get set up with your alternative though - you never know!

Hi,
I too have just been to the dentists after arriving home from spending a year in Canada. I have been told I need 2 fillings and a Crown, for this and an x-ray I have been quoted 741 quid!! Is this a reasonable private treatment charge for this work?? I have to pay 42 quid for each appointment just to get through the door which gets up my nose.

I honestly don't know what to do for the best, I understand most insurance companies won't touch you if you have treatment planned.

I stay clear of sweets almost religiously since I was a kid but my girlfriend bought me a toffee, I ate it as I didn't want to seem rude and wouldn't you know it, it pulled my root filling. So 430 quid for a crown due to one toffee.....Add to that that my other filling is apparently due to the fact that i've been brushing too vigorously (ironic considering I was always told I don't brush enough) and i'm a little frustrated.

Never again will anything remotely toffee like pass my lips!!!

Anyone got any advice on how I could possibly claim any of this money back? Thankfully I start a new job on tuesday otherwise I would be utterly screwed.

Thanks all

I have a question.

I went to the dentist today. It wasn't my usual dentist, but it was in the same practice. He seemed very irritated, not with me, but with the Government! Usually when I walk in it's a case of "Please take a seat" and he'll ask me questions. Today, he started talking about costs. Asked me if I was NHS, if I was receiving benefit, and to tell him what the problem was. I explained I had a painful tooth last week which had all but gone only because I wasn't really eating on that side of the mouth. He then said, "Well, I can have a look but it will be £44.60 minimum, do you want to think about it?" I said I needed it to be looked at (I knew a check-up was £16.20 and I believe he was telling me that work would cost £44.60).

Anyway, he had a quick look, told me I had a cracked filling and that it needed a crown. Cost: £198.00. He explained 80% of the tooth was filling and a repair wouldn't last long.

Two questions.

1. He looked only at the offending tooth, for my £16.20 should I have had a proper check up? I believe I should. Apparently, the £16.20 is deducted from the £198.00. If I go ahead, should I insist on a check up?

2. Is there anything I can do to lessen the cost of the crown?

I notice that Martin's Dental Insurance page has the wrong figures for the charge bands. I've e-mailed Martin about this. The charges today are:

Band 1: £16.20 - check up, scale and polish, X-rays, advice, prescription
Band 2: £44.60 - Fillings, root canal treatment, extractions, denture additions, (this also includes all Band 1 items)
Band 3: £198.00 - crowns, bridges, inlays, dentures, (this also includes all Band 1 and Band 2 items)

Thanks for that.

Would it make any difference that I was booked in as an "emergency"?

I phoned last Wednesday because my tooth was aching and I wanted an appointment as soon as possible. They gave me today's appointment. They classed it as an emergency because they fitted me in to a five-minute slot. I have a feeling that if I mention the lack of a check up he'll say he didn't have time and saw me because I had complained of toothache. Do you think he'd be justified in doing that?