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MSE News: OFT calls for dentist industry shake-up

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  • Toothsmith
    Toothsmith Posts: 10,105 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    picardygirl wrote: »
    He was charged £30 for the emergency treatment, and i asked him if this would come of the total bill ...... and he said NO. He needs the treatment done over 3 appointments, the first one he had made for next week, I may go with him to ask more questions!


    Where do you live?

    The dental charge bands do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.
    How to find a dentist.
    1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
    2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
    3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
    4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
  • picardygirl
    picardygirl Posts: 558 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Toothsmith wrote: »
    Where do you live?

    The dental charge bands do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

    Outskirts of London, we are not entitled to any benefits etc would this make a difference?
  • picardygirl
    picardygirl Posts: 558 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Could they be trying to charge private charges (but would have assumed private charges would have been alot higher) ......??
  • welshdent
    welshdent Posts: 2,000 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    People often ASSUME private charges would be higher. Much of that assumption is not based on reality but on scaremongering stories in the press. There is no national price setting cartel. Private practices set their own fees based on varying factors from staffing and material costs, lab fees etc. it's variable.

    An interesting point for me is direct access to a hygienist. As a matter of interest who think that direct access like this should be on the nhs? Who assumed that's what the report is advocating?
  • Toothsmith
    Toothsmith Posts: 10,105 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    picardygirl wrote: »
    Could they be trying to charge private charges (but would have assumed private charges would have been alot higher) ......??

    They aren't English NHS charges. So they probably are private charges.

    As Welsh said though, the reports you see of 'private' charges in newspapers are never really representative of actual prices!

    It's very like restaurants and prices.

    A restaurtrant will set it's prices depending on it's location, the quality of it's staff and ingredients and the type of client it's trying to attract.

    So you will get a good mix of restaurants in any location at various different price points, and the odd one that to most resonable people would seem to be very expensive.

    This is the dental practice that the papers tend to base their figures on when they give 'private' prices. Not so much an 'average' as the dearest price they've found when they've rung around a few places!
    How to find a dentist.
    1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
    2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
    3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
    4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
  • scotsbob
    scotsbob Posts: 4,632 Forumite
    On a radio phone in programme this morning the dentists council put up Tony Lamb as their spokesman. For a whole hour people phoned in with their complaints about private dentists and he pooh poohed every one of them.
    At the end of the hour the presenter pointed out that every one who phoned had complaints and despite this and the OFT report he just refused to accept there is a problem.
  • scotsbob
    scotsbob Posts: 4,632 Forumite
    Toothsmith wrote: »
    Well I've managed to vote 'No' 5 times in the last 2 mins! So hardly a good poll!

    I've voted "yes" 6 times to balance up your trying to cheat the poll.
  • Toothsmith
    Toothsmith Posts: 10,105 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    scotsbob wrote: »
    I've voted "yes" 6 times to balance up your trying to cheat the poll.


    Well, we've both shown it to be about as valid as a North Korean election then! :D
    How to find a dentist.
    1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
    2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
    3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
    4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
  • picardygirl
    picardygirl Posts: 558 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Toothsmith wrote: »
    They aren't English NHS charges. So they probably are private charges.


    Thanks for your help ....... I'm beginning to wonder why they are wanting to charge him so much money ....... been online to NHS choices and the specific dentist is and still accepting NHS dentists ..... so i wonder why they are wanting to charge private charges ........ something to investigate! If we need to pay private charges I'd much rather go to a nicer dentists (our specific dentist is a lovely chap, but the practice itself is awful).

    I do know, last year before my son (14) had his brace fitted, he required a small filling in a back tooth, and was told he could have a white filling but we would have to pay, fair enough, but that was our choice out of vanity !

    My OH's dental treatment hasnt started yet, his first appointment is next week!
  • Toothsmith
    Toothsmith Posts: 10,105 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    scotsbob wrote: »
    On a radio phone in programme this morning the dentists council put up Tony Lamb as their spokesman. For a whole hour people phoned in with their complaints about private dentists and he pooh poohed every one of them.
    At the end of the hour the presenter pointed out that every one who phoned had complaints and despite this and the OFT report he just refused to accept there is a problem.


    Did they ask for any positive stories? Did they want to put any through?

    It's a 'bash the dentist' day - they wouldn't want to spoil their phone in with positive stories.

    But the overall message of the Office of Fair Trading report - which is what this is all about - is that in general, the majority of people are happy with their dentists!
    How to find a dentist.
    1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
    2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
    3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
    4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
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