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

pingua

So, if I go to the dentist 2 times a year and the hygienst 4 times how much should I be paying for this lot??( Sorry)

pingua

Oh one last one, if I have on going gum problems, what treatment gets done?? I know I am the one there but I am not sure what they do.

Will keep a very close eye tomorrow and try and remember everything.

brook2jack

If you are treated for periodontal disease (gum disease) then you pay for check, x rays, any fillings necessary etc hygienist in total £47 ish (less before April 1st 2011.) Often a practice will get to you pay for your check up when you have that done (£17 ish now) and the remainder when you come back for treatment.

pingua

boozercruiser wrote: »

I take it that your Dentist has said something like "You have some gum disease, so you need to see the Hygienist."

If you see that Hygienist then you will no doubt be charged.
Don't forget that once you are on that hygienist 'Merry Go Round' you are stuck on it...because you will probably be advised to visit again and again and again and..............................................

And YES.....you ARE being fobbed off!

Please do not allow your self to be done!:eek:

See now I am getting confused again - lol.
I don't mind paying to be honest - IF I need it and they are doing a proper job and not taking the pee.

brook2jack

I thought you were only going twice a year. As to what should happen.... it depends on what, where and how active your problems are now. Active gum disease needs more treatment than gum disease that is under control. Gum disease is never cured only controlled , so if you have had it you will need monitoring for life and be meticulous in cleaning for life.

The only people who can answer these questions are your dentist/hygienist .. so ask the questions tomorrow and try and get some understanding of what your problems are and how you can keep them under control.You need to communicate with your dentist/hygienist if you don't understand what your treatment needs are and why. Write down any questions you want to ask before you go so you have an aid to remember.

As to how much this will cost per year it will vary on what level of disease you have so four visits a year could cost from £68 to £188 ish on the NHS in England.

boozercruiser

pingua wrote: »

See now I am getting confused again - lol.
I don't mind paying to be honest - IF I need it and they are doing a proper job and not taking the pee.

As far as I can see you have been told that you NEED it.... and your Dentist can do a proper job... and if you Pay for a Hygienist then that last word you wrote means that you are going to get

Soaked:rotfl:

P.S. Dumped on springs to mind as well dear! (Or is one not supposed to use that rather endearing term now?)

P.S. I guess that you are of a certain age like me. Up to recent years I always saw the Dentist ONCE a year. He give a check would do whatever was required and ALWAYS finish with a Scale and Polish

However in recent years many Dentists try to wriggle out of the Scale and Polish and push the patient off to the Hygienist so they don't have to it and at extra cost to the Patient.

If you are being treated on the NHS and have been told that you have Gum Disease then the treatment comes under the relevant bands...possibly band 1.

Please please please....don't fall for this rubbish....insist on full NHS treatment. The Dentist may not like it...but so what....you keep around £40 in your purse to buy hubby a few beers!

brook2jack

band 1 or band 2 . Treatment of periodontal disease is more likely band 2.

if your husband is seeing the same dentist and the same dentist does a scale and polish that is a band 1 treatment.

If you see the same dentist but need more than that ie you need to come back for the hygiene visit then it is more likely to be band 2. Particularly if you have needed visits every three months in the past.

it is unlikely the dentist is trying to wriggle out of providing simple necessary scaling if they are willing to do it on your husband is it?

The simple thing is talk to your dentist and hygienist rather than relying on random people on the internet who may or may not know what they are talking about. If you don't trust what your dentist says... move.

boozercruiser

"The simple thing is talk to your dentist and hygienist rather than relying on random people on the internet who may or may not know what they are talking about".

I do believe that Brook2Jack is talking about me here who I guess some regard as a know nothing whippersnapper!

I respect Dentists but not all of them are perfect either in what they know or carry out.

I don't think I am too wide off the mark though and you can pays your money and takes your choice!

brook2jack

BC if you re read the OPs posts it would appear the dentist is not trying to wriggle out of scaling on the NHS.... they are carrying out this treatment for her husband , but bringing her in for treatment of "gum disease", this is legitimately a band 2 treatment and so total cost of treatment is in England £47 since April 1st less before then.

This would roughly equate to what she is paying. As we don't know when in time her three monthly visits were and what was done then the three monthly visits on the nhs could have legitimately have cost between £17 ish and £47 so her annual four visits to the dentist and hygienist on the NHS could justifably have cost anything between £68 ish and £188 ish.

As to advice to OP this is an internet forum , you may make assumptions about people but you have no proof they are who they say they are , or do for a living what you think they do. Also they do not have the liberty of seeing you in the flesh and post on the basis of sketchy, at best, information.

welshdent

If you are seeing the hygienist privately it may well be because that works out cheaper than repeated band 2's - I often advise seeing ours in that manner and tell patients if anything else becomes necessary to let me know and I can do it all then