NHS Dental treatment. Paying in advance?

Pennylane

Any other people expected to pay in advance for dental treatment?

We go to NHS dentist and I went for check-up a few weeks ago. Lightening fast scale & polish by dentist (which was nowhere near as thorough as our previous place where a hygienist did it). Said I needed one small filling.

Went to make appointment for this on way out and receptionist said "that's £44.60 please" I said "crikey that's a lot for an examination & clean" and she said "that's also for your filling." I said "but I haven't had it yet." and she said everyone has to pay up front now.:mad:

I guess I could have said I didn't have my card with me or not enough cash but I'm not very good at telling fibs so I paid up but told her that I thought this was a bit unfair because what happened if there was a problem with the filling and she just said I'd have to take it up with the dentist but she was sure he'd sort it. :rolleyes:

DH has been today and exactly the same thing has happened to him. One small filling to be done - £44.60. He's self-employed and there's no way he could ask people to pay in advance for work HE was going to do for them.

annie_d

A couple of times over the years i have forgotten my debit card when i went to the dentist and once their machime was broken....each time the wonderful receptionist just said to drop the money in the next time i was passing. I love my dentist i do.

alison999

its quite normal in some places to pay upfront. whether it was a large/small filling etc is irrelevant because that is a nhs price for a filling. have you ASKED them why you have to pay upfront? even if you did have a problem with the filling you wouldnt know that until after youd had it done anyway.

nhs dentists cant charge for failed appointments anymore so they probably do it to make sure you'll turn up.

Toothsmith

Yes - they are allowed to do this.

Dentists on the NHS get a fixed amount per month for doing NHS work. What you pay to the dentist is knocked off this monthly cheque. So in effect, the patient payment is paid to the government, not the dentist, (Bit like the prescription fee on medicines) So they're keen to get it!!! Which is why it's written in the contract that it can be collected in advance of work.

Paying in advance isn't really that rare.

You do it when you buy stuff online. Many companies and services require a deposit. You do it when you buy train and plane tickets. You pay to see a film on the way in - not the way out.

Pennylane

Thanks for your replies. I wouldn't mind paying a DEPOSIT Toothsmith but I think paying for it all in advance is unreasonable.

How would you feel if your mechanic/electrician/painter & decorator/builder said "I can fit you in in a fortnight but I want paying in advance."

alison999

Pennylane wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. I wouldn't mind paying a DEPOSIT Toothsmith but I think paying for it all in advance is unreasonable.

How would you feel if your mechanic/electrician/painter & decorator/builder said "I can fit you in in a fortnight but I want paying in advance."

but they're NOT any of those things they are your dentist and with their payment structure being what it is i cant blame them.

violetta

Our dentist's receptionist hinted the other week that they have such difficulty getting paid by some patients once the treatment has been completed, that they take the money up front to avoid bad debts: because of the difficult payers, all patients have to stump up pre-treatment and it saves a lot of bother for the Practice in the long run.

After all, they cannot come round and repossess the goods if someone refuses to pay!

Pennylane

Alison - I don't understand your point Why should one occupation take preference over another? Would people be happy to pay their hairdresser in advance or their beauty therapist?

Would you care to enlighten me on their "payment structure?"

Violetta - I could understand it if patients have anything on their record about problems with payments, or even not keeping appointments but we have been with them for several years and have always paid our bills and kept all appointments.

Hairdressers, chiropodists, beauty therapist, alternative therapists ..... any "hands-on service" is the same, none of them can reposess the goods can they?

Toothsmith

The bottom line really is that for any business, getting your customers to pay in advance is the ideal state of affairs.

It improves your cash flow, eliminates bad debts, ensures attendance (or compensates for non-attendance) and a whole host of other advantages.

If you are in a position where you CAN ask for payment in advance, then any business that didn't would be making life unnecessarily difficult for themselves.

If paying in advance is that much of a worry to you - go elsewhere.

violetta

Pennylane wrote: »

Violetta - I could understand it if patients have anything on their record about problems with payments, or even not keeping appointments but we have been with them for several years and have always paid our bills and kept all appointments.

I paid by credit card and took the view that with the check up and appointment for the filling just a week apart, it did not matter much whether I paid in advance or afterwards. In fact it was nice to be able to simply walk out after the filling was done, rather than have to chat to the receptionist with a numb lip!

alison999

Pennylane wrote: »

Alison - I don't understand your point Why should one occupation take preference over another? Would people be happy to pay their hairdresser in advance or their beauty therapist?

Would you care to enlighten me on their "payment structure?

Toothsmiths already said it - "What you pay to the dentist is knocked off this monthly cheque. So in effect, the patient payment is paid to the government, not the dentist, (Bit like the prescription fee on medicines) So they're keen to get it!!! Which is why it's written in the contract that it can be collected in advance of work."

Also, as Ive already said you cant CHARGE for failed/late cancelled appointments on the NHS so to get you to pay upfront means that theres less chance of you doing this which means that they're more likely to hit their UDA targets