Dental charges

kenshaz

I telephone my NHS dental practice and told them that a crown had come out and I wished to make an appointment with my dentist . They arranged one next day ,when I arrived it was not my usual dentist that I saw,and I was charged £16-20. I was then given an appointment next day to see my usual dentist ,he gave me an X ray and arranged an appointment for two weeks later . In the mean time the crown was found and brought to the appointment and replaced. I then received a bill for a further £32 .40
A total of £48.40 for recementing a crown

staffie1

kenshaz wrote: »

A total of £48.40 for recementing a crown

Yes! A bloody disgrace seeing as we're all taxed up the hilt.

girlsmum

£48.40? this is not an NHS charge,
£16.20 is for a check up and or emergency treatment.
ask what the £32.40 is made up of, and how they got that figure. are you sure they have not charged you to have it done private

markelock

it is an NHS Charge. Check the dentists, it will or should be displayed quite prominently.

if it was private, you wouldn't have got change from £100.

dmg24

markelock wrote: »

it is an NHS Charge. Check the dentists, it will or should be displayed quite prominently.

if it was private, you wouldn't have got change from £100.

Wrong. £32.40 or £48.40 are not NHS charges.

The NHS bands are:

Band 1 £16.20 - this charge includes an examination, diagnosis, and preventive advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, scale and polish, and planning for further treatment.

Band 2 £44.60 - this charge includes all the necessary treatment that is covered by the £16.20 charge, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment, or extractions.

Band 3 £198.00 - this charge includes all the necessary treatment that is covered by the £16.20 and £44.60 charges, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures, and bridges.

markelock

dmg24 wrote: »

Wrong. £32.40 or £48.40 are not NHS charges.

The NHS bands are:

Band 1 £16.20 - this charge includes an examination, diagnosis, and preventive advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, scale and polish, and planning for further treatment.

Band 2 £44.60 - this charge includes all the necessary treatment that is covered by the £16.20 charge, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment, or extractions.

Band 3 £198.00 - this charge includes all the necessary treatment that is covered by the £16.20 and £44.60 charges, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures, and bridges.

I stand corrected

LittleVoice

And Bands 1 and 2 are increasing next Wednesday - to £16.50 and £45.60 respectively.

Toothsmith

kenshaz wrote: »

I telephone my NHS dental practice and told them that a crown had come out and I wished to make an appointment with my dentist . They arranged one next day ,when I arrived it was not my usual dentist that I saw,and I was charged £16-20. I was then given an appointment next day to see my usual dentist ,he gave me an X ray and arranged an appointment for two weeks later . In the mean time the crown was found and brought to the appointment and replaced. I then received a bill for a further £32 .40
A total of £48.40 for recementing a crown

Are your figures completely correct?

I ask because £16.20 + £32.40 is £48.60.

Only pence I know, but these figures are very close to NHS figures, and pence make all the difference between them being NHS fees or not.

On your first appointment, it would have been an 'emergency' session, where the dentist would have done something temporary I assume? £16.20 is the perfectly correct fee for this.

On the second visit, that was the examination with your own dentist, and he took an x-ray to make sure all was well with the tooth - £16.20 would be the correct charge for this (You say a further £32.40 was charged is that right? Or is £32.40 the running total?) If there was no crown at this stage, then the dentist would have been booking you in to make a new crown, which would have been the Band 3 £198 charge.

As the crown turned up though, (Where was it by the way?? Did it 'work it's way through??;) ) all he had to do in the end was recement it - which would probably be a Band 2 charge, so they charged you the extra to make the fee up to £44.60.

This is all a bit close to proper NHS charges to really make a fuss over. They seem to have acted properly to me, and if there's a slight error in your memory of the charges, it could easily be completely correct.

Oh - and markelock, I'm completely private and not the cheapest in my area, but if a patient of mine had lost a crown that just needed sticking back on, it would be £29. If I needed to take an x-ray as well, it would be £43.
If it was a casual patient (one who wasn't a regular of mine) it would be £39 or £50 with the x-ray. Plenty of change from £100!!!

kenshaz

Toothsmith,
It is definately NHS and the pence is just me not being exact.
When I telephoned . I asked to see my own dentist no mention of emergency, the loss of a crown is not an emergency,on Monday saw the dentist on Tuesday,she put a dressing in it. Then told me that my dentist only works on a Wednesday,and I would have to see him to replace the crown and further treatment.
I saw him next day , Xray and made a further appointment for a replacement.
I found the crown and rang and told them ,they said keep the original appointment and we will reduce the time from 45 minutes to 20 minutes
Crown replaced ,and no appointment for hygenist after my own dentist had stated that it would be all in .
I have now paid £16 20 x3

I feel that the practice is using the emergency treatment part of the contract to generate revenue.
I really needed to see only one dentist under band 0ne including recementing and deep clean. The dentist still gets IDU' s

Caterina

Hi

I had the same thing happen to me and I rang the Dental Health Foundation to ask whether there should be a charge and they said that if the crown had been put in on the NHS and it was within 1 year the work was guaranteed and there should be no charge.

As it happens, it was NHS but more than 1 year, nevertheless my wonderful dentist recemented it for free, no problem no fuss! But I suppose I am just lucky I attend a very good practice.

Toothsmith

kenshaz wrote: »

Toothsmith,
It is definately NHS and the pence is just me not being exact.
When I telephoned . I asked to see my own dentist no mention of emergency, the loss of a crown is not an emergency,on Monday saw the dentist on Tuesday,she put a dressing in it. Then told me that my dentist only works on a Wednesday,and I would have to see him to replace the crown and further treatment.
I saw him next day , Xray and made a further appointment for a replacement.
I found the crown and rang and told them ,they said keep the original appointment and we will reduce the time from 45 minutes to 20 minutes
Crown replaced ,and no appointment for hygenist after my own dentist had stated that it would be all in .
I have now paid £16 20 x3

I feel that the practice is using the emergency treatment part of the contract to generate revenue.
I really needed to see only one dentist under band 0ne including recementing and deep clean. The dentist still gets IDU' s

Had you got the crown on that first appointment, it would probably have been £16.20, job done.

As you didn't, then a temporary fix had to be done and then book you in for a much longer appointment to make a new one.

I can't really understand why there was so many appointments, but this doesn't strike me as a practice 'on the make'.

I think you've been seen quickly, dentists have done the right things (taking x-rays and everything - you'd probably not be surprised how many places don't bother!) and you have the crown back on.

I can't see how the dentists here are milking the system, they're not giving the hard sell on private things and telling you things aren't available on th NHS.

I cannot fully explain exactly why you were charged 3 lots of £16.20, as I don't have anything to do with the NHS anymore. It's even possible they just charged you the £44.20 Band 2 charge for all of it. That would be right if the recementing of the crown was a bit more complicated than just a bit of cement - which is easily possible, even if it seemed 'simple' to you.