Dentist - hooked with NHS, slapped with private for hygienist

Money_saving_Martyn

Hi toothy people,

Just wondering if this is allowed/normal/common.

I registed as an NHS patient today at a dentist. I got a checkup which lasted less than 5 minutes. The dentist said there were no problems - a bit of scale and I could consider visiting the hygienist.

When I got downstairs to pay, I was told it was £17.00 for today and this is the estimate for the hygienist (£42ish) because that's private treatment.

The receptionist explained that that NHS only cover the cost of the dentist scrapping your teeth a bit with a scrappy-pokey stick (I'm paraphrasing!) whereas what I needed was a more thourough going over with scrapy-pokey stick and water jets and someone to explain preventative care to me.

I explained at my last denist, I got a session with the hygienist for scrapy, pokey, polish and holding a toothbrush lesson and she didn't believe me.

She spoke to the detist (who had said there wasn't really a need to) and he gave my teeth a poke with his stick and said he'd like to see me again in 6 months and then 12 after that if everything is ok.

Is this allowed?

geri1965_2

It's pretty common practice, I think - my dentist do the same thing.

Toothsmith

Huge rambling thread on this here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1211081

Basically, read my answer on post #5 on that thread.

It all depends how your dentist put it to you.

If you NEED the attentions of the hygienist, then it (or the dentist doing the required treatment) should be available to you o the NHS, either within the Band 1 £17.00 charge, or maybe the band 2 £42 (Including the check up, not £17 + £42) would be charged if it was a bigger job.

If, as you say, it was just suggested to you that you might like to visit the hygienist to remove a bit of tartar that would make things LOOK better - then that can, legitamately, be sold privately.

The key is whether you NEEDED the treatment for health reason.

Money_saving_Martyn

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-91/episode-1

This is quite interesting.

Thanks Toothsmith.

How can you find, before hand, if a dentist will actually give you the NHS stuff first - before trying to sell you extras? I wouldn't expect to go to the doctors and him say "you can wait for that body part to drop off, or you can buy this". I don't feel I can trust a dentist who is either 1) only willing to do things privately or 2) advicing unnecessary treatment which is private.

welshdent

They should do an examination of you and normally carry out a simple examination called a BPE. If you have a score of 2 or above in a sextant you qualify for "need". If you have 1 or 0 or if there is just some staining then you do not qualify for NHS work. NHS work is to secure health so that examination should highlight your diagnosis thus need.

roddydogs

I always insist on a Scale & Polish in with the checkup, and I have never been refused.
Of course they will try to get you to use a Hygenist if they can, its all about money.

welshdent

roddydogs wrote: »

I always insist on a Scale & Polish in with the checkup, and I have never been refused.
Of course they will try to get you to use a Hygenist if they can, its all about money.

actually its not. Its about what the NHS will accept as for health gains or not. Personally I usually just do them because if there really is that little then it doesnt take me 2 secs to polish off a bit of stain... but that doesnt mean I HAVE to do it and its made clear to us that in those circumstances it IS permissible to charge privately.

Toothsmith

A dentist (in fact any healthcare provider) is obliged to discuss all options with you as part of the process of 'informed consent'. Whether you want some things or not, whether you can afford some things or not.

brook2jack

If you need a scale and polish it is very unlikely you will be referred to a hygienist unless it is a band two treatmenet £39 to £47 ish as it is not economically viable any more to use a hygienist for NHS work.

In most cases you will see a dentist to have any scaling work done. You cannot "insist" on a scale and polish, if it is clinically necessary it should be done. If it is cosmetic ,as the department of health and audit commision insist the majority are then the dentist cannot provide it on the NHS.

Whether this actually relates to prevention and best clinical care is ,at best, debatable but the department of health committed to fewer and simpler courses of dental treament in the new contract and this is what they are getting.

wearside_2

As the worlds worst Dental Patient who at the grand age of 61 has NEVER visited the denstist alone, not even for a check up:eek:, I always refuse to see a Hygenist as this could cause me pain. Last check up in August 2010 I was told that I needed a filling for a chipped tooth. As this has never bothered me, I refused. I am due my next check up in two weeks. I now have two chipped teeth, neither of which hurt me. No doubt I will be told I need two filling and a visit to the Hygenist, both of which I will decline.

roddydogs

welshdent wrote: »

actually its not. Its about what the NHS will accept as for health gains or not. Personally I usually just do them because if there really is that little then it doesnt take me 2 secs to polish off a bit of stain... but that doesnt mean I HAVE to do it and its made clear to us that in those circumstances it IS permissible to charge privately.

I never ment to imply they HAD to do it, but my practise uses newly qualified Dentists always Asian, and are happy to oblige. They only appear to do 1 year, then they go, presumably to more profitable climes.