Asked for Dental NHS Scale and Polish.Told "Go to Hygienist at £25 extra"

Garetha

boozercruiser wrote: »

So far, this is the only reply that I have had. It doesn't really answer my concerns so I will just wait and see what happens on my visit.
I just hope that he doesn't have a pneumatic drill handy!!:D

"Just to confirm your appointment in November is for a Scale and Polish which a charge of £12.00 for this visit under the NHS regulations.
As you have been offered the service of a Hygienist on a private basis as the Dentist feels that this would be of a real benefit to you , But obviously we are more than happy to carry out a Scale and Polish on the NHS for you.
Thank You"
Practice Manager

I've been following your saga with interest. Please report back how it works out.

Toothsmith

I think that's a pretty good result.

boozercruiser

Garetha wrote: »

I've been following your saga with interest. Please report back how it works out.

Thank you Garetha. Yes, of course I will report back though I have changed my appointment to February so then it will be the full 12 months since my last proper check up.
(The last was just to have a filling re done). Thanks to you Toothsmith as well for your comment.

However, I spoke to the Practice Manager today and she was as nice as pie with me.:p
I wanted to kiss and make up, but I don't fancy her!:rotfl:

alison999

boozercruiser wrote: »

Thank you Garetha. Yes, of course I will report back though I have changed my appointment to February so then it will be the full 12 months since my last proper check up.
(The last was just to have a filling re done). Thanks to you Toothsmith as well for your comment.

However, I spoke to the Practice Manager today and she was as nice as pie with me.:p
I wanted to kiss and make up, but I don't fancy her!:rotfl:

then surely you'll be due a exam by then as well as needing a scale & polish?

boozercruiser

alison999 wrote: »

then surely you'll be due a exam by then as well as needing a scale & polish?

Yes, this has been arranged thank you:j

I just have to get my value out of this, and I await to see exactly what he does for the Scrape and Polish.

I am half expecting him to use a Sandblaster!:rotfl:

boozercruiser

Ah well, I am finally going for this appointment on Monday 23rd February.

Can some kind person advise me exactly what a Scrape and Polish should consist of as my last memory of this guy was just a scrape inside the back crevices of my bottom teeth and that was it?

My memory before this particular Dentist was for a thorough Scrape of the crevices of both upper and lower teeth and then a Polish with some sort of a rotating rubber probe of all of the teeth.

On his last reckoning before my complaint the Dentist said that this would be a Hygienist' job as he did not have the equipment there to carry this out.

Further, since my last appointment I have had quite a large back tooth filling come out, which if my memory serves me correctly this Dentist put in, so it looks like I am going to get clobbered with charges anyway, Pensioner or no Pensioner.

Any further input is most appreciated as forearmed is Forewarned.

bluegreenworld

There was a post about FLOURIDE by a dentist advising people not to use fluoride free toothpaste.

I FEEL OBLIGED TO SAY if you have a chid with ADHD or AUTISM in fact any brain connected challenges at all read about FLUORIDE. It used to send my child potty.

There are some very interesting facts about fluoride which people should know. Not just the good ones.

Toothsmith

There is also a shedfull of b*ll*cks written about it.

How do you know it was the fluoride? Did you try eliminating any of the other ingredients in the toothpaste?

A lot of the fluoride free ones are also free of the artificial sweeteners and flavours as well. I would guess that these were more likely to be the cause of the problem at the dosages anybody is likely to be exposed to.

I wouldn't go fluoride free just based on the writings on t'interweb. To people with such problems, fluoride in a toothpaste would be helpful to thier dental health. I wouldn't throw it out unless it had been propely tested and shown to be the cause. (Which I'm not dismissing - just get it tested properly)

cooky43

Hi
When I went, I paid £39.00 or normal treatment but was told I would need to see a Hygienist and the cost would be £95.00 - I challenged this as this seemed to be the regular speel coming from this particular dentist - my partner, sister in law and several friends had been told the same thing and took it - this seemed to only be for"paying customers". Other people I know who recievd free treatment were not offered this " treatment" - when I went for the second part of the treatment, I took the info below - for BAND 1 and BAND 2 and when I pointed it out to them on the printed sheet - low and behold I got the scale and polish........
I did report this to my local office and hav since recieved a letter that the dentist has been investigated and 75% of his records for paying customers show that they have seen the Hygienist at "£95.00" a time. They have said that they will be monitoring the dentis more closeley in the future.
Needless to say i have changed dentis.
Please see the link and list below and the next time you go, take a print out of the charges and treatment - they won't like it but it works.

Cooky

PS I live in Wales



http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/small/en/home/localservices/dentistsinformationandlinks/frequentlyaskedquestionsaboutdentists

This from the NHS Direct Wales Site :

How much does NHS dental treatment cost?
Since 1st April 2006 NHS dental treatment costs have been organised under a simplified system which groups treatments under one of three price bands. The following list, which applies to Wales, includes examples of how current price bands (which remain unchanged since 2006) relate to some common dental treatments, procedures and services;

Band 1 = £12
Examination, case assessment and report.
Advice, diagnosis and treatment planning.
X-rays and reports.
Instruction in the prevention of dental and oral disease including dietary advice and dental hygiene instruction.
Scaling, polishing and marginal correction of fillings.
Adjustments to and easing of dentures or orthodontic appliances.

Band 2 = £39
Permanent fillings.
Extraction of teeth.
Transplantation of teeth.
Oral surgery including surgical removal of cyst, buried root, unerupted tooth, impacted tooth.

Band 3 = £177
Crowns including any pin or post aids to retention.
Bridges including any pin or post aids to retention.
Full or partial dentures.
Orthodontic treatment and appliances.
Other custom made appliances excluding sports guards.

Charges will be for a course of treatment, so, for example, if three fillings are required, you will still only pay the one treatment charge.
If you need more treatment within the same charge band, for example an additional filling, within two months of completing a course of treatment, you should not have to pay anything extra.

:T :T :T :T :T :T

Toothsmith

Good post - but just to add, these are the WELSH charges.

In England, it's £16.20 £ £44.60 and £198.

Scotlad and NI have the old system still where each treatment has an individual price.

The joys of a NATIONAL health service eh? !!