dentist cost on the NHS

ksmum

Hi all
I went to the dentist today and was told that my two botto wisdom teeth are both growing at an angle which was cause impactation on my other bottom teeth if i dont get treatment.

The problem is, i have a 3 year old and am on income support and i was told that i need to pay £45.60 in referral fees to see a dentist at a hospital to get them dealt with, however my normal dental treatment is free and i will struggle to get this sort of money together. Is it legal to be charged to be referred for treatment you need? its not for cosmetic reasons but for prevention of future problems and i am in pain. surely it would cost the nhs more if my teeth were to get impacted and i needed treatment to get them straightened out again?

I have perfectly healthy teeth (apart from this problem) and i dont want my other teeth to be damaged so i am willing to save up to get the referral sent off but i was wondering if anyone knew of any help i could access to pay for the fee or even if this charge is legal? I have searched the internet but cant find anything.

Please dont reply saying get a job because i am deserately searching and send off applications every week but i do not get interviews as there are so many more experienced people out of work at the moment and applying for the same jobs. All i get is rejection letters (some stating just that).


Thanks for taking the time to read my problem and i hope i can get some answers

brightonman123

if on income support, i dont think you should be paying any dental fees- unless this was a private appointment?

had one right angles wisdom taken out when i was younger, done at the dentist (had to have mum take me home in a taxi, mind!) - no need for a referral..

check with NHS direct.. think your dentist pulling a fast one(!)

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Dentalcosts.aspx

LondonDiva

Contact the local PALS team at your PCT.

https://www.nhs.uk

Barneysmom

I don't think that's right. My daughter had 2 wisdom teeth out at Birmingham Uni hospital and it never cost her a penny (apart from parking charges).

ksmum

Thanks every1, looks like i got some phone calls to make

anamenottaken

ksmum wrote: »

Hi all
Ii was told that i need to pay £45.60 in referral fees to see a dentist at a hospital to get them dealt with,

Interesting. I hear that an increasing number of dentists are referring patients to hospital for extractions. It seems they are becoming less willing to do that type of work (maybe it isn't as remunerative as other activity or they are less skilled at it because fewer extractions are necessary these days than they were in the past?). And, of course, if you are seeing the dentist as an NHS patient, you shouldn't be asked to pay for a hospital referral.

Kimitatsu

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brook2jack

anamenottaken wrote: »

Interesting. I hear that an increasing number of dentists are referring patients to hospital for extractions. It seems they are becoming less willing to do that type of work (maybe it isn't as remunerative as other activity or they are less skilled at it because fewer extractions are necessary these days than they were in the past?). And, of course, if you are seeing the dentist as an NHS patient, you shouldn't be asked to pay for a hospital referral.

More dentists are referring to hospital as the rates of litigation against UK dentists is the highest in the world and so makes them less likely to attempt "difficult treatment". Unfortunately dentists have to practice defensive dentistry and referrals to specialists of all kinds is likely to increase.

If you pay for dental treatment the referring dentist is technically able under NHS rules to claim payment for treatment referred elsewhere... a strange quirk of the current system and one few dentists use.

welshdent

Are you actually having any problems at the moment? The charge quoted sounds like a band 2 charge. The very fact your dentist is referring you out indicates to me they do not feel able to provide such treatment. I never do difficult wisdom teeth. In fact I try and avoid easy ones!!! LOL

ksmum

welshdent wrote: »

Are you actually having any problems at the moment? The charge quoted sounds like a band 2 charge. The very fact your dentist is referring you out indicates to me they do not feel able to provide such treatment. I never do difficult wisdom teeth. In fact I try and avoid easy ones!!! LOL

Hi, im in pain with my bottom 2 wisdom teeth in question, he took an x-ray and he said that they are perfectly healthy with no decay whatsoever but that they are growing towards my other teeth and not straight up and this is causing me pain and concern as i dont want my bottom teeth which are straight to be impacted. i can feel my bottom teeth being pressured.
i understand that due to the angle that i will need to go to the hospital to get them sorted out but my friend was reffered with a tooth that need to be extracted within the last year and didnt need to pay anything for the refferral as he was on benefits. Im on benefits too and the charge seems extortionate. do your patients hae to pay this fee?

Thanks for your reply

jugglebug

ksmum wrote: »

Hi, im in pain with my bottom 2 wisdom teeth in question, he took an x-ray and he said that they are perfectly healthy with no decay whatsoever but that they are growing towards my other teeth and not straight up and this is causing me pain and concern as i dont want my bottom teeth which are straight to be impacted. i can feel my bottom teeth being pressured.
i understand that due to the angle that i will need to go to the hospital to get them sorted out but my friend was reffered with a tooth that need to be extracted within the last year and didnt need to pay anything for the refferral as he was on benefits. Im on benefits too and the charge seems extortionate. do your patients hae to pay this fee?

Thanks for your reply

If you are exempt from NHS dental charges then you are exempt from NHS charges. End of.
You shouldn't need to pay to be referred to hospital as long as it is within the NHS system.
However dont be surprised if the NHS hospital don't want to do the extractions as they will follow Guidelines set down by NICE which advise not to extract wisdom teeth that are not causing any problems. You say you are in some pain with this so you may be OK but you will need to make this clear when they see you. I had a patient that had recurrent infections but because he was the type to not complain too much he kept being bounce out of the system because at the assessment appointments the clinicians didn't realise how much he was troubled by them.