NHS Dental Charges... Seeing the Hygenist - Is this included?

gilesdavies

Hi Guys...

I was lucky to find an NHS densist taking on new patients where I live in Northamptonshire and took up the offer in a snap!

I visited the dentist today and was very impressed with their new shiny premises and ouzzing technology... I have my check-up and it all seemed a little quick - I was in and out of the Dental Chair within five minutes and assured everything with my teeth was in order and needed fillings. (Phew!)

The dentist did however ask I book an appointment to see the hygienist to have my teeth "Deep Cleaned" as he called it, as there was one or two areas of plaque build up... I thought no problemm andthis was all part of the basic £16.20 tier charge for NHS dental treatment.

I go down to reception and they book me in to see the hygienist in a few days, it was only with me asking out of curiousity, the receptionist advises me the charge to see the hygienist for a clean is an additional £49(!) and only available as private treatment. She advises me only the check-up is available for the £16.20 lower NHS tier fee...

My question is, am I been ripped off??? I read a couple of websites and it states:

"Band 1 course of treatment
£16.20 - This covers an examination, diagnosis (eg: x-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, and a scale and polish if needed."

Surely what I am having is a Scale and Polish and should all be included I paid in the £16.20 fee today...? Is it likely my dentist being selective what treatment they offer and trying to recoup their costs by private treatment.

Am I just being cynical and what the dentist is doing is correct?

alison999

I wouldnt say that you were being ripped off, as im sure you'll get a great service for that price HOWEVER if you NEED this treatment then your dentist is obliged to carry this out on the NHS.

If I were you Id call the practice manager tomorrow and ask why
a) this is not being offered to you on a private basis and
b) why you were only told the cost/that it was private when you asked

The £16.20 includes your exam, scale & polish (this can sometimes be a band two though) and xrays.

Toothsmith

And there's no way you can do a proper 'new patient' check up properly in 5 mins!

It takes 1/2 hour with me (But I do charge £89)

But with 1 UDA (NHS target point) being worth about £20 then 6 'NHS' check ups every 30 mins would be earning me far more than my private one! Especially if I was then forcing people into a private deal afterwards.

If only I could churn out crap and not care!!!

LondonDiva

If I were you, I would have the deep clean treatment and only pay the £16.20 once and no more.

The practice are in breach of their contract and on the shady side of good conduct.

If the practice insists on the additional payment after the deep clean, you need to contact the PCT's complaints manager and ask them to inform the dental contracts manager of your concerns as stated above and that the dentist (who has an NHS contract and knows you are an NHS patient) is breaking his contract by:

1 - identifying treatment neccessary to maintain oral health and refusing to provide it under the NHS contract he signed unless you pay additional money as a private patient;
2, informing you that although a deep clean is neccessary to maintain oral health and is only carried out in the practice by a hygienist rather than a dentist (which is a choice the practice has made), he has informed you that NHS patients are not able to access deep cleans unless they go private - he made it clear you could not access the neccessary deep clean otherwise.

Inform the PCT that you wish to make a formal complaint about his interpretation of the contract and that you are worried that NHS patients are deliberately being provided with substandard care because the practice is manipulating the contract.

However, make sure you first get the treatment without making a fuss, ensure you are v clearly an NHS patient by NOT pay the private fee in advance. If afterwards you do feel awkward about refusing to pay and making a fuss, I'd pay and copy the receipt to the PCT. Ask the PCT how they intend to take this breach of contract forward immediately rather than waiting for the practice's annual contract review. Ask them to pass your concerns to the practice and also for feedback as to what the PCT have done to ensure compliance with the contract and what mechanisms they have put in place to measure it.

Here's to shiny beautiful teeth & fewer dodgy dentists:D:D:D:D:D

alison999

I wouldnt say they were nessicarily (sp?) dodgy, if the patients are told its private in advance and if they were given a CHOICE over who they saw for the treatment then I thinik thats fair enough.

If my gums were bad enough that I would need a 'deep clean' then I would rather see a hygienist who specialises in the care/treatment I needed and probably wont feel as 'rushed' as the dentist and get a better service then I would.