Dental treatment on Income Support

welshsue

I currently receive free dental treatment as I am on Income support and various other disability benefits.
My query relates to teeth polishing and cleaning. The last time I went to the dentist she said I needed a clean but she no longer did this and I would have to see the dental hygienist and they would charge me for this. Apparantly even though I get free treatment I still have to pay for the hygienist.

Does anyone else know about this please. I'm sure in the past my dentist always used to do the clean and polish as part of the check up. Now it seems, its a quick 5 min check and a way of getting you to pay when you should not have to.

DX2

welshsue wrote: »

I currently receive free dental treatment as I am on Income support and various other disability benefits.
My query relates to teeth polishing and cleaning. The last time I went to the dentist she said I needed a clean but she no longer did this and I would have to see the dental hygienist and they would charge me for this. Apparantly even though I get free treatment I still have to pay for the hygienist.

Does anyone else know about this please. I'm sure in the past my dentist always used to do the clean and polish as part of the check up. Now it seems, its a quick 5 min check and a way of getting you to pay when you should not have to.

So your dentist does NHS patients, but your hygenist doesn't. A scale and polish is more cosmetic.

montymud

I think different detists have different rules. I am on NHS and I am going in to have my bridge finished on the 4th of August and my dentist is doing a clean then. Perhaps you could ring around to maybe find one that does it through the dentist raher then the hygienest? Best of luck.

Toothsmith

Cleans should be available on the NHS if you NEED it. It depends how the dentist worded it.

If it's just to clean off a bit of staining that's not causing any health problem, then it could be argued that it's 'cosmetic' and so you'll have to pay. If you 'NEED' a clean because a build up of plaque and tartar is causing gum inflammation and bleeding, then it is available on the NHS and either the dentist should do it, or refer you to the hygienist on the NHS.

Dontknowanymore

I had mine done the other day but then he did say there was a build up of plaque and slight infection, first time at the dentist in about 6/7 years and that was all I had to have done, I was bloody surprised!

Make-it-3

I'm on maternity exemption at the mo and went to see my dentist this week. My old dentist would happily do a quick clean as part of the check-up, but she's left and I was told I needed a hygienist appointment. I got my check-up and filing covered but was told the hygienist constitutes private treatment so I would have to pay if I decided to go ahead. So I simply said no thanks.

welshsue

Certainly not for cosmetic reasons.
I have gum inflammation and the dentist has said I have gingivitis therefore need to see the hygienist for this... I had a feeling I shouldn't be paying.. will have to see what I can do. I was lucky to get this dentist on the NHS, this was the only one in my area of wales taking on NHS patients when I joined them a year ago. No choice with who I use unless I go private.