Dental Exemption help

otron

I have a disorder called X-Linked Hypophosphatemia, (XLH) which mainly down to a chemical imbalance that takes physical effect on the skeleton and muscles throughout my body.

This condition has also severely affected my teeth and dental formation.

So far, to keep this short, I'm currently 26 and have had approximately 18 tooth abscesses, 13 teeth extractions, and a hand full of root canal treatment and crowns.

Since graduating from university in 2008 I've had to personally foot the bill for excessive amounts of dental treatment, unfortunately it has taken a serious impact on my finances and well-being.

After just getting over my 18th tooth abscess, my dentist has informed me that in January next year I am needed to go in for further treatment. Specifically to crown NINE of my rear teeth to prevent further decay and infection. At £209 for basic crown x9 = £1881, or a £600+ per tooth for a ceramic tooth totals over £5000.

For someone who has tried to take the best possible care of his teeth with regular dental visits, professional cleans, brushed twice daily, and mouthwash I find myself distressed once again.

I've tried to be referred for hospital care at Guy’s St.Thomas, Kings College and Eastman’s but in any previous attempt I fail, usually their excuse is that they can only offer a limited service based on case complexity and suitability for education training.

I'm here because I want advice on who to contact to get XLH on an exemption certificate list for people with this condition get a reduced or better, free, dental work.

I actually already own a Medical Exemption Certificate for Prescriptions, but it doesn't get me anywhere really. I obviously can’t get pregnant, I've left home, and I can’t be 18 again. So do I really need to pay for this all myself?

It’s worth noting, this is not the view of just one dentist, I've seen four dentists in the last ten years. All have tried to refer me. But nothing. Some have taken my treatment on special cases because of all the hassle I've been through and completed root canal treatment for free.

Any help or advice at this time I would appreciate a lot.

Regards

Oliver

brook2jack

Unfortunately there is no medical condition that qualifies anyone for free dental treatment. Your case would be the first and only of its kind.

The only place worth trying is if the pct will fund treatment for you at a dental hospital because of extenuating circumstances . However they may just argue that your treatment is being carried out in practice.

Other than that try your mp to get treatment at dental hospital, but I do not think you will get exemption from dental treatment costs on the grounds of your condition, it would open the flood gates and require an act of parliament to change the statutes on dental charges.

Poppie68

Maybe try posting on the health forum...someone else may know where to find it. I have seen posts on there from dentists and dental nurses, hopefully they will have advice.
Are you registered as an NHS patient or private?

Richie-from-the-Boro

Help exists, clearly it is income dependant and means tested :

- are you saying you already have a HC1 and that you can't get free treatment ?
- or are you saying that free treatment via the HC1 exists, but your preferred more expensive treatment can not be paid for on a HC1

brook2jack

Op has a medical exemption for prescriptions. However there is no such thing as a medical exemption for nhs fees for dental treatment.

You only get exemption from dental fees on income grounds not on medical grounds.

To add a medical exemption to nhs dental fees would require a change in the statutes and a massive discussion over who should be eligible. Unlikely to happen, therefore ops best bet would be treatment in the hospital system.

Unfortunately financial pressures make it very difficult to get a patient treated by a dental hospital and most referrals are knocked back. So the ops best hope is to persuade the pct they are a special case and get the pct to fund hospital or specialist care in eg a community clinic.

Richie-from-the-Boro

brook2jack wrote: »

Op has a medical exemption for prescriptions. However there is no such thing as a medical exemption for nhs fees for dental treatment.

You only get exemption from dental fees on income grounds not on medical grounds.

To add a medical exemption to NHS dental fees would require a change in the statutes and a massive discussion over who should be eligible. Unlikely to happen, therefore ops best bet would be treatment in the hospital system.

Unfortunately financial pressures make it very difficult to get a patient treated by a dental hospital and most referrals are knocked back. So the ops best hope is to persuade the pct they are a special case and get the PCT to fund hospital or specialist care in eg a community clinic.

The HC1 can deliver completely free dental NHS dental treatment if the O/P meets the 'means tested' criteria I mentioned.
The O/P should approach s/he's GP and politely request an appointment with his local NHS Orthodontics department

- Use form HC1 to claim for full
- HC2 or partial HC3 help with NHS dental cost

Toothsmith

Hi Oliver,

I'm surprised that you've found it so hard to get referred. I would have thought this condition would be something that a dental hospital would be interested in taking care of. But we do live in an age of ever tightening budgets, and whatever the actual needs of your condition, they will be expensive for whoever takes you on.

Is there a support group for XLH at all? If you can locate and join such a group they might have some experience of getting the right dental help for it's members?

brook2jack

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

The HC1 can deliver completely free dental NHS dental treatment if the O/P meets the 'means tested' criteria I mentioned.
The O/P should approach s/he's GP and politely request an appointment with his local NHS Orthodontics department

- Use form HC1 to claim for full
- HC2 or partial HC3 help with NHS dental cost

Actually orthodontics will do no good at all , that is the specialism of braces . It will also do no good gp trying to refer as dentists already have and the referrals (four I believe) have been knocked back. As dental hospital restorative departments need complex information to decide whether to take patient then gps don't know the knowledge to take the appropriate referral.

The only other option may be for your dentist to investigate the community service. Some have endodontic and restorative dentists who provide treatment for people on medications that mean taking teeth out is hazardous. There is no charge for community dentistry but again cash restraints have limited their scope of practice.

From the sound of it op does not qualify for help on means testing. However they are hoping for help because they will continue to need complex treatment which does have a financial effect.