Unfair dental charges?

sunshine01

I am having a similar problem, but partly because our dentist has a new computer system, and that is causing problems for them, and cannot get the matter clarified.

I had an emergency dental appt for a cracked tooth, I was told the cost would be £45.60 and I could pay £16.50 on that day, and the remainder when I returned for treatment a week later. I paid the balance of £29 at the following appt, although the computer asked for £45.60, and I have now had a letter asking for the balance. Could someone clarify whether I do owe them anymore money. Nobody has rung me back, at the surgery and when I ring they say it should be fine, but when I took the receipts in as requested, they say I still owe them money. I am confused. Thanks

welshdent

Sounds like something you are going to need to go in and speak to them about if it is an in house problem. If they were going to band 4 then band 2 treat you i.e. dress the crack and then permanently fill later then they would have asked for 2 lots of payments rather than a balance payment

coldstreamalways

I agree Welshdent. In essence, if you go in pain, you are accessing a different service, which costs £16.50. Say for example, you went to an emergency dentist session (like the one I've just finished running!) and they put a temp filling in, that will cost you band 4 charge of £16.50. They say "go to your dentist for a proper filling", your own dentist will then charge a band two charge of £42 odd (not sure, I only do the £16.50 charge!!).

If you have had a treatment plan arrived at after a six month check up, that should be a total of a band 2 charge (or band 3). Not the emergency fee (which is the same as a check up fee) plus the band 2.3 charge.

Hope that makes sense, probably not!!

I would agree that leaving a tooth for a while after RCT is a prudent course of action and I would argue that with anyone!

mda99das

I do my RCTs and crown preps as one COT, as pts once they are out of pain dont bother coming back to have a crown esp if its going to cost them £198.

I am confident in my RCTs and spend on average 2 hrs on them.

welshdent

I would suggest the OP comes to see you then! LOL. Thats fine. I think we should offer patients options we would be a) happy to provide and b) happy to have ourselves. Personally I have every confidence in my RCTs and have bought a microscope and ultrasonics to make life easier/better. Having been away on numerous conferences and courses however I have been quite bothered by just how much we cant access and as such prefer to err on the side of caution especially when larger costs are involved for the Band 3. That said I do take a case by case approach and DO do all inclusive band 3 endo and crowns if I think its indicated