Dentist Help

Miroslav

barber1982 wrote:

Good luck hope you get some pain relief soon and you will be soon

I hope so. As much as I fear the dentist after the last chap (he's well known in my town for being an !!!!!!) I am looking forward to getting this sorted,

Toothsmith

Miroslav wrote:

I've just had a phone call and I can see an emergency dentist tonight (5.30), and they have found me a dentist in my town willing to take me on.

That's great.

Miroslav wrote:

I believe the NHS has just about halved it's costs recently, which is great, although if I can afford Private in the future, I will likely do.

The NHS has changed from fees for each item, into a 3 band system.

the charge (For those that have to pay) will be £15.50, £42.20 or £189, depending on which band the treatment falls into.

Therefore, if someone needs a mouthful of fillings and root fillings, they will pay £42.40. This is loads cheaper than it was before 1st April

If someone needs on single, tiny filling, they will also pay £42.40. this is about 4x the price it was prior to April 1st.

The real bummer for dentists is that the credit they get for doing a huge treatment plan is just the same as they get for doing a simple little treatment. Therefore there is no incentive at all to take on patients who need loads of treatment. Quite the opposite. They will require such a lot of work for such a little points credit.

This makes a difference to dentists, who have to achieve a points target if they are to maintain the same NHS funding next year.

I cannot think of any reason why a dentist would want to take you on on the NHS, unless he is really being held over a barrel by his PCT.

Just make sure that the treatment you are being offered is what you really want.

The simplest thing the dentist could do would be to take out every tooth with a problem and provide a denture. This would get him maximum points for minimum outlay.

Be careful to discuss all alternatives with him, and come up with a treatment plan you are happy with (Of course - you may well be happy with that option).

Miroslav

Toothsmith wrote:

That's great.




The NHS has changed from fees for each item, into a 3 band system.

the charge (For those that have to pay) will be £15.50, £42.20 or £189, depending on which band the treatment falls into.

Therefore, if someone needs a mouthful of fillings and root fillings, they will pay £42.40. This is loads cheaper than it was before 1st April

If someone needs on single, tiny filling, they will also pay £42.40. this is about 4x the price it was prior to April 1st.

The real bummer for dentists is that the credit they get for doing a huge treatment plan is just the same as they get for doing a simple little treatment. Therefore there is no incentive at all to take on patients who need loads of treatment. Quite the opposite. They will require such a lot of work for such a little points credit.

This makes a difference to dentists, who have to achieve a points target if they are to maintain the same NHS funding next year.

I cannot think of any reason why a dentist would want to take you on on the NHS, unless he is really being held over a barrel by his PCT.

Just make sure that the treatment you are being offered is what you really want.

The simplest thing the dentist could do would be to take out every tooth with a problem and provide a denture. This would get him maximum points for minimum outlay.

Be careful to discuss all alternatives with him, and come up with a treatment plan you are happy with (Of course - you may well be happy with that option).

So a dentist can refuse to take someone on based on how much work they need doing?

I would hope dentists cared about there patients enough, as my last one clearly did my mouth as quick as possible to waste as little time where he could be earning money elsewhere.

I'll discuss with the new dentist when I have definitely registered, and see what he comes up with, or I may have to go private in the future.

Toothsmith

Miroslav wrote:

So a dentist can refuse to take someone on based on how much work they need doing?

No - they can't.

There is a specific clause in the new contract that says just that. If you feel you have been rejected for that reason you could complain to the PCT.

When it will cost the practice far more in time and materials than they are getting in 'fees' (Fees don't exist anymore though, it is all points towards a target) you can see why a dentist would try to get out of taking on too many patients with loads of work needing doing.

Caring for patients doesn't come into it. You can't care for anyone when the bank repossesses your practice!

Personally though, I feel that any dentists stupid enough to sign this new NHS contract should play by the rules they have signed up to.

Miroslav wrote:

I would hope dentists cared about there patients enough, as my last one clearly did my mouth as quick as possible to waste as little time where he could be earning money elsewhere..

Again - a product of the system.

Miroslav wrote:

I'll discuss with the new dentist when I have definitely registered, and see what he comes up with, or I may have to go private in the future.

That's the best plan.

Be aware also that no-one is registered with an NHS dentist anymore. A dentist is only responsible for you whilst you are under treatment. As soon as you have finished treatment, you are 'unregistered' again.

So, this dentist will see you for this appointment for the emergency treatment tonight, for which he will get 1 point. Now - that will be it for that treatment. If it is the same dentist who is 'taking you on' you will then go back for an examination, and it is there that the treatment will be discussed. When you have agreed the treatment, you will then make more appointments, and you will the be 'his' patient until that treatment is finished.

If he starts talking about stuff that will be done in a 'few months time' then he is probably splitting up the treatmnet, as if there is a gap in the treatment of more than 3 months, he can claim a fresh batch of points and make it more worthwhile.

Again, this is breaking the rules. As you don't pay the charges, this will make little difference to you though.

Maybe best to go with it. He does have a practice to run after all.

Miroslav

Toothsmith wrote:

No - they can't.

There is a specific clause in the new contract that says just that. If you feel you have been rejected for that reason you could complain to the PCT.

When it will cost the practice far more in time and materials than they are getting in 'fees' (Fees don't exist anymore though, it is all points towards a target) you can see why a dentist would try to get out of taking on too many patients with loads of work needing doing.

Caring for patients doesn't come into it. You can't care for anyone when the bank repossesses your practice!

Personally though, I feel that any dentists stupid enough to sign this new NHS contract should play by the rules they have signed up to.




Again - a product of the system.



That's the best plan.

Be aware also that no-one is registered with an NHS dentist anymore. A dentist is only responsible for you whilst you are under treatment. As soon as you have finished treatment, you are 'unregistered' again.

So, this dentist will see you for this appointment for the emergency treatment tonight, for which he will get 1 point. Now - that will be it for that treatment. If it is the same dentist who is 'taking you on' you will then go back for an examination, and it is there that the treatment will be discussed. When you have agreed the treatment, you will then make more appointments, and you will the be 'his' patient until that treatment is finished.

If he starts talking about stuff that will be done in a 'few months time' then he is probably splitting up the treatmnet, as if there is a gap in the treatment of more than 3 months, he can claim a fresh batch of points and make it more worthwhile.

Again, this is breaking the rules. As you don't pay the charges, this will make little difference to you though.

Maybe best to go with it. He does have a practice to run after all.

Well, apparently one dentist is taking people on, so if he/she is, then great.

I can see why dentists may not take on too many people, but then that doesn't help the patient. After my last dentist, my self esteem took a major battering, knowing my teeth weren't the same as they were when I went to see him. It's the patients that have to live with the rush jobs that some provide. I'm sure many are very good, but I had a right stinker last time out.

Thsi dentist tonight is a 'dental access centre' which treats emergencies and people with physical/mental problems before passing them on to an NHS dentist.

I don't need loads of work done, but I need a bit. As you say, i'm not paying at the moment, but I hope that will change very soon when re-build my life. If I can do that, i'd be very happy to be able to pay for my treatment

I'm not worried if i'm not paying that he wants to split things up. He may find I need more done than I think, and it's not as if anything apart from a coupl of things are visible or causing me pain. As long as I get my treatment and am treated well, then that's all I care about.

Miroslav

Well, it was 2 inflamations caused by a loose crown, which I didn't know was loose. Apparently it was digging into my mouth and causing it to swell up.

I now have some anti-biotics, one less crown, and still quite a bit of pain, but hopefully the swelling will decrease now.

barber1982

How you feeling today any better ?:D

Miroslav

I'm not in pain at the moment and one inflamation has all but gone already, the other is still there, but last night my mouth bled and bled, and I collapsed Luckily I was just about to get back in bed, so I collapsed there and I woke up about an hour ago.

Not sure if it was due to losing so much blood, the anti-biotics or the stronger painkillers.

Thanks for asking

Toothsmith

Doubt it would be blood loss Miroslav.

8pts is a hell of a lot to come out of a bit of swollen gum.

Bleeding in the mouth always mixes with the saliva and looks like 10x more than there really is.

Probably more likely to be lack of sleep combined with the painkillers combined with the reief that it didn't hurt so much anymore combined with the panic at seeing all that red stuff!

Glad you're on the mend.

Miroslav

Toothsmith wrote:

Doubt it would be blood loss Miroslav.

8pts is a hell of a lot to come out of a bit of swollen gum.

Bleeding in the mouth always mixes with the saliva and looks like 10x more than there really is.

Probably more likely to be lack of sleep combined with the painkillers combined with the reief that it didn't hurt so much anymore combined with the panic at seeing all that red stuff!

Glad you're on the mend.

I've no doubt you are right, it made me panic a bit and when I started feeling lightheaded, I was very worried.

I prefer this weak feeling to the pain though, so look on the bright side