Dental work abroad v UK

Toothsmith

andrei wrote: »

On your last line: I think insurance covers for things like that, doesn't it?

Which insurance would that be?

The only insurance I know of that would put right botched dental work is the dentist's indemnity insurance - which all UK dentists have to have and you need to take the dentist to court to prove negligence in order to get it to pay out.

If it's a dentist in a different country, then you're up against a foreign legal system, and the possibility that it might not even be a requirement to be insured.

If the work fails just because it sometimes does - then no-one is to 'blame' and there is nothing that anybody is obliged to do. Although decent dentists should come to some arrangement with you.

I know of no insurance you can get that would cover this eventuality - but if you do please post details as I would love to be proved wrong here. Such insurance would be very useful, and I could recommend it to my patients.

andrei

Toothsmith:

There are a couple of medical tourism insurance companies operating such as Seven Corners, Compass Benefits (these are US companies). They are the easiest to come by.. Now in the UK there is Angelis Group and a website called Free Spirit Travel for Treatment.

But that's just my research from one google lookup.

Dental Treatment Abroad

Apollonia

andrei wrote: »

Toothsmith:

There are a couple of medical tourism insurance companies operating such as Seven Corners, Compass Benefits (these are US companies). They are the easiest to come by.. Now in the UK there is Angelis Group and a website called Free Spirit Travel for Treatment.

But that's just my research from one google lookup..

But did you read any of the policy details? I just asked for a quote from Angelis Group and the (not very) small print says:

THIS POLICY IS DESIGNED TO COVER MEDICAL TOURISTS AND COMPANIONS FROM THE U.K. FOR TRAVEL INSURANCE AND DOES NOT COVER MEDICAL EXPENSES OR LEGAL COSTS RELATING TO THE ACTUAL TREATMENT YOU ARE TRAVELLING FOR OR ANY UNDERLYING CONDITION WHICH MAKES THE TREATMENT NECESSARY.

DOES NOT cover ... legal costs relating to the actual treatment...

So, as Toothsmith said, if anything goes wrong with dental treatment abroad, who picks up the pieces and pays to get it fixed? This is only travel insurance albeit 'special insurance' for medical tourists, similar to needing 'specialist' travel insurance for skiing holidays or expedition type holidays.

andrei

Tried the other one Apollonia? I'm pretty sure they cover complications..

Dental Treatment Abroad

Toothsmith

http://www.freespirittravelfortreatment.com/

Certainly looks interesting.

I'd be keen to hear how much it costs - and even keener to hear once someone has successfully claimed on it.

It's not an insurance I've ever come across before, and certainly strikes me as one of those 'too good to be true' things.

I would predict that if premiums aren't exorbitantly high, and claims do get paid with no fuss, that this company won't be in business for very long.

andrei

Toothsmith wrote: »

I would predict that if premiums aren't exorbitantly high, and claims do get paid with no fuss, that this company won't be in business for very long.

Why is that?

Agreed it sounds too good to be true... However they were bound to exist, I mean the US has had insurance providers of this kind for longer than the UK, and apparently they're still in business. Do you have such a bad opinion overall of dental treatment abroad, or indeed medical treatment abroad? Seemed to me you were more balanced in your arguments.

Dental Treatment Abroad

Toothsmith

andrei wrote: »

Why is that?

Because if a company pays out in claims more money than it takes in in premiums, it will not be going for long.

That's why Boots dental insurance policy was withdrawn, and why the Tesco one now has much tighter terms and conditions than it did when it was first launched several years ago.

Having read the terms in a little more detail though, I notice that it only pays for complications arising within 31 days of the surgery.

That is a very short time span for the sort of work we're talking about here. Even a ham-fisted carpenter could make something stand up for a month.

brook2jack

My reading of these policies is they will sort out emergency treatment to get you home in a medical emergency arising from complications but will NOT fund remedial treatment if something goes wrong and certainly will not fund treatment once back in the UK.They are merely a replacement travel insurance since most are invaidated by travelling for medical treatment (same as for dangerous sports).

The reason we are so dubious about insurance is that to take eg implants which are a treatment many people look for quotes abroad. Many systems and clinics offer a "guarantee" however the terms are so stringent (attending for check ups and hygiene visits every 2 months for a few years) that unless you live in that country it is impossible to meet the conditions. Even then the guarantee only covers part of the implant.

The US produces these insurances to cover the horrific costs of hospital treatment, repatriation etc after medical complications but it is difficult to see how any company could calculate a premium to replace unknown treatment by unknown practitioners and take all the risks themselves.

Mark2spark

Hi, an update. At the end of August I had the lab made temp fitted to the upper, the difference in quality between temps made on the spot is remarkable. Apart from stronger, just such a better fit! and not feeling like lumps of sanded down cement either.
Dentist said he was using minimal cement to fix them in with, as they would be coming in and out as the treatment went on.
A week later they came loose and came out, at the weekend of course ;-) , so I glued them back in with Tootypegs myself.
Mid september had a check up to see how the gums were healing, dentist was pleased and said the next stage was a CT scan? done at a hospital, with the lab temp out and some sort of special x-ray prepped temp fitted, return to him same day for refitting of the lab one.
The idea was this scan would determine *exactly* how many implants were needed.
And basically that's it, - I haven't heard another word from the dentist since september!
Luckily this lab made temp is so good it's still in place from my Tootypegs repair, and functions well, - I had rib eye steak last night!
So, once again, it's easy to slip into a 'no need to go' frame of mind.
I've since purchased a water jet cleaner as well as an electric toothbrush, and my gums don't bleed much now when scrubbing my teeth.
Thanks for listening.
Mark.

Mark2spark

Hi, an update. Nearly a year on now, and the lab made temps are still in place, they have come out about 3 times, which I've re-glued back in myself with Toothypegs cement from Tescos (£5).
Dentist office sent a standard 'time for a check up' letter approx March. Unfortunately things had taken a downturn on the work front so much that I had put my house up for sale.
So much for the earlier insistence that I could easily afford £10 grands worth of implants as I was an Electrician!
Sold house and moved out in July, have been living in a caravan on a holiday camp on the south coast since then whilst we look for a smaller property... have found one and are hopefully moving in next week.
I realise that the temps will have a shelf life, have decided that I will explore straightforward dentures once settled/work picks up.
Still can't justify spending £10 grand on a set of top only dentures supported on implants.