Dental Insurance

BimboDonnax

Not just that - but if you need something doing, can you really afford to wait 3 months (QP) or find somewhere with a dental plan before the problem gets worse?

bank_of_slate

One of the problems that we have at the moment is that due to the high demand and low NHS capacity, emergency treatment via services such as NHS direct are there ONLY to get you out of pain as a temporary measure so it's hard to find a service that will not only do this, but complete any necessary work to make you 'dentally fit' so that you would then qualify for a payment plan.

In some cases patients have been round the emergency system several times to obtain antibiotics and or a temporary restoration to get them out of pain, once they are out of pain they find it almost impossible to get another emergency appointment because they are then technically 'not in pain' so they are not given a further appointment until they are in pain again!

On another note I urge anyone who is offered an NHS appointment to attend!
I was in one of my practices yesterday who had taken 21 patients from our PCT waiting list and NOT ONE had attended for the appointment!
In this day and age, patients are given one chance only, fail to attend and you are not offered another appointment.
...Linda xx

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

I glad i found this thread.

My dentist has written to me today saying that 'they are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the standard of care to which I am entitled and they are committed to'.

They go on to say
'we have decided that we are no longer able to provide NHS treatment for adult patients at this practice. Treatment for childrne up to the age of 18 years will continue to be provided under the NHS'.

They then have gone on to 'offer our adult NHS patients private dental care with Denplan. Denplan Care is a maintenance and pvention orientated programme which allows you to budget for your dental treatment. the majority of our patients have monthly payments between £14 and £19 depending on their dental history and expected treatment needs'.


So I have some questions now
a) am i correct in thinking my 4 year old is still covered by my dentist 9he is registered there too)
b) Is DenPlan any good?
c) there is more chance of me finding rocking horse poop than another NHS dentist here as they are all full so where am i supposed ot find that money??

Me and my partner are on a low income and were on exemption cards for our dental treatment and now finding another dentist would be impossible as there are alot of people on low incomes i the area and now they all have to change dentists so not likely to happen.

Plus if my son remains covered with this dentist (she is very nice) then i would rather know his place is safe and keep the high quality care that she gives him and us (ok so he hasnt needed any care yet but she is very friendly and he seems to like her which helps as i am scared sh@tless of dentist and shes the only one who has been sympathetic that i like) and was wondering if Den Plan is any good to go with???

EDITED TO SAY : I have jsut looked at their website and it says I have to be 'orally fit' before i can be excepted onto a contract. Well I know that I need at least 2 fillings before i am 'orally fit' and bf wimped out of treatment - he was due one extraction and 3 fillings. but if I get myself up to scratch first then it is goign to cost me a small fortuen and am i better off jsut setting up anotehr account with money in it for such treatments?

bank_of_slate

Hi sammy,
there is a chance that they will only keep your daughter on as an NHS patient if you agree to attend as a private patient!
You need to ask them.
If you are not satisfied, contact your local Health Board who should be assisting the practice's NHS patients to find alternative NHS provision (providing there is some locally!)
...Linda xx

sammy_kaye18

Thanks BoS

I will give them a ring on monday morning to ask if my son will still be covered or under their care still as he is only 4 years old.

Scary stuff - I know so many people who dont have dentists here and they are all NHS patients so I dont think I woul dhave a chance in hell of finding one for 3 of us. But liek i said if my son is covered until he is 18 under our current dentist then I will somehow find the money to keep us all there

whatatwit

Hi Sammy, check with your dentist as to whether or not the Denplan is compulsory.
It may be that you can pay as go as a private patient.
Are you able to get the work done on NHS before they go private or have you missed the boat.
They should have a price/treatment list available and as far as I know, you won't both have to stay there, just one of you to keep your son registered there.

lynn2

I think I can guess the answer:( but thought I would ask....NHS dentist wants to do a deep clean on my partner which would cost around £200.....we can't afford it, but if we took out dental insurance now I guess it would come under the clause.....

"The following is not covered: - any pre-existing conditions;"

The cheapest insurance I found is HSA @ £7.35 a month

whatatwit

Tesco doesn't have any clauses, but you would need to check if covered in the terms and conditions.
Surely though if the treatment is necessary, it should be covered by the NHS charges
Toothsmith, stop laughing.

lynn2

I wish it were covered, but that is what the dentist has told him...thanks for that, I will look @ Tescos

phizzimum

I have a quick query about Tesco dental insurance.

I've been reading through all the blurb on the website about how much they'll pay for this and that. I'm thinking of taking a policy for the whole family. Do these amounts apply to each individual or to the total amount across all of us? (does that question make sense?)

I know I need to ring up and check all the details with them before signing up. I just wanted a rough answer from you guys before I do, as I'm worried they'll give me the hard sell as soon as I ring up, and I am easily persuaded so I wanted to have the facts first.