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

welshdent

Most dentists I know DO do an oral cancer check - we look and if anything looks odd - refer. We just don't specifically say "and now I will do an oral cancer check". Likewise I don't say now I'm looking for decay or gum disease. I just do it :-)

Toothsmith

HPV is a major cause of cervical cancer. This is why young girls are vaccinated against it now.

Oral cancer has, historically, been a disease of older smokers and/or heavy(ish) drinkers. (Not exclusively, but statistically more likely).

Oral cancer amongst younger people is on the rise, and this is now being linked to HPV and a general change in sexual behavior where oral sex has become much more popular, esp amongst younger people.

This could well make an argument for having ALL young people, both male and female, vaccinated against HPV. This would have to be before they become sexually active though.

brook2jack

It also has to be said that younger people are also now much more likely to be engaging in other risky behaviours than previously. Eg the greatest increase in smoking rates is in young women, alcohol intake and use of recreational drugs are also high in this age group.

As with any cancer the causes are likely to be multifactorial and it makes sense to remove as many of those factors as you can particularly if you have already shown some signs of oral changes.

In my part of the world oral cancer is more prevalent than cervical cancer so it makes sense to attend a dental check up regularly just as a woman would have a smear test regularly.

janian

Please help if you can. Sorry if in wrong forum but cannot find more relevant.

Despite regular check ups I have been diagnosed with periodontal disease within the last week. I am going for a consulation with a private dentist (previously treated on NHS). My question is does anyone know if I will be able to get any form of dental insurance now I have been diagnosed and if so how can I get the cheapest and best insurance? I would be very grateful for any help as feeling very anxious.

Toothsmith

If you think about how insurance works, and the need of a company to take in more money than they pay out - then you'll see why there won't be any policy you can take out that is likely to pay out more money than you pay in.

Historically, a couple of companies did try to offer a dental policy with no requirement to be dentally fit on joining, and no time period before you could claim. They were Boots and Tesco.

Both of them lasted less than a year before they had to place quite stringent changes and limits to the cover.

It might be worth looking for low cost loans if the bill gets too big.

How did this condition get diagnosed?

suki1964

Im just back from the hygienist and Im so happy :j :j

For the first time ever she was able to work on my lower teeth without an anaesthetic

For me thats a huge result because my teeth have been so sensitive because of the gum disease even the thing that squirts cold water in your mouth couldn't go near them .

My hygienist is extremely happy with me so at least I know I am doing something right

However the top teeth - no improvement at all - but no worsening. As she explained I will be losing them sooner then Id want to but we are working on keeping that day as far off as possible

I just wish I had quit smoking sooner - even more I wish I had never started. I think if I had known in my teens what I was going to be going through in my 40's I might have tried harder to quit

Anyways I just wanted to post because Im so pleased with myself :T

boozercruiser

Hello Hello Hello.....just when some people thought it was safe to go into the water....I am back!!!!

As usual I have a tale to tell about my most recent visit to yet another new Polish (I think) Dentist here in Machynlleth.

Went last Thursday for an early check up after only 5 months because I was having some discomfort in a top rear molar tooth. At examination he just said "Your Gums are receding around the tooth and this is causing the soreness, use good Dental Hygiene and the soreness will go away. (He had taken an X Ray of the tooth and said that there is no decay in it).

He said I don't need any Periodontal Treatment (Scale and Polish etc) so even I just accepted that, paid my £12 and scooted.

That evening a different top canine tooth was giving me some pain and discomfort so on Friday I arranged and appointment for 16.50PM this evening (13th February 2012).

Even after taking an X Ray of the tooth he could not see any problem with the Tooth until I asked him to have another look using a mirror for me to direct him to the rear of the Tooth and pain point and he finally established that there was a hairline fracture in the Tooth and he said that it would have to come out.

So he took the Tooth out there and then, finally to show me the two separate bits of tooth. No decay...just a split. My bad luck.

Then I was charged an extra £27 to make up the £39 I would have paid (Wales) if all this had been done at my first, and supposedly finished treatment.

Now then Friends, this booking was booked under a 'review' label and arguably I should not have been charged extra as my further need for treatment was miles under the 2 month guidance in respect of no extra charge if further treatment is required.

I am not making a big deal about it, and if I should have paid extra then that is that and I will easily accept it.

BUT.....I was not impressed with my original diagnosis for treatment or that I had to really push to express to the Dentist that there was something badly wrong with the Tooth this evening that eventually had to come out.

So then, should I have had to pay that extra £27, or perhaps under the circumstances it should have, could have been waived?

Any thoughts Guys?

Thank You.

PS...not even any fuss over lack of Scale and Polish!!

brook2jack

You should have been charged the difference between band one and two, the dentist was right. The no extra charge within two months is only if the treatment is in the same band otherwise you could have a crown and only pay a check up charge which would be ridiculous . You had band two treatment so you paid the difference.

Cracked teeth can be really tricky to see and diagnose. The crack doesn't appear on x rays and can be very difficult to spot in the mouth.

welshdent

You can only have a continuation of the same course or lower. I am puzzled as to why they didnt charge the full 39 to be honest unless they kept the original course of treatment open.

You can continue from band 1 to band 1 or 4, band 2 to band 2,3,4 and band 3 to 1,2,3,4. You can not go band 1 to 2 3 or 4.

The initial appointment would have been diagnosis and does not cover treatment. As brook said, cracked teeth are a nightmare to diagnose and do not always become apparent until something breaks ultimately.

Strictly speaking you should have been charged the initial £12 for either a band 1 or 4 depending on the allocation and then an additional £39 for the band 2. So It sounds like you did quite well
The fact they didnt spot a crack (which wouldnt show up on the x ray) is separate from the fact you then subsequently needed an extraction. Now had they decided you needed a filling on vist one and you paid £39 and then after within 2 months the tooth broke and needed extraction then you would have had THAT covered as the continuation. It doesnt allow top ups.

mda99das

You cannot have a cont of treatment for urgent treatment following band 2
e.g x LA of tooth. band 2
pt comes back with dry socket band 4
2 separate COT .
If you were feeling kind you may do it as a script for 0.75. Call the BSA