NHS Dental Scam?

r_i_c

sheramber wrote: »

understanding dental charges

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx

help with dental costa

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Dentalcosts.aspx

Thanks.

Well first off they stung me for this - on my first visit ever to this 'nhs' surgery:

"Band 2 course of treatment – £51.30
This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth."

So why was I hit with Band 2 without starting out at Band 1 I wonder?

Obvious to me it seems - I can claim 'low wage' since I am currently on zero wage - JSA is paid in arrears by default. I have no money coming in at all and am whopped for 50 quid, I really feel like I have been mugged, that's exactly how I feel at the present moment in time.

I've ordered the refund form any way.

elle_may

Have you tried your local dental hospital. They have student dentist and are looking for people to experiment on for low cost or free. I know a person who does this as he is a tight wad and does not mind the procedures.

xylophone

They have student dentist and are looking for people to experiment on for low cost or free.

:eek:

I'm speechless (better than possibly toothless after the above).....

r_i_c

Elle, your post may be in light humour or not - I cannot tell - but I seem to recall the authorities were quite fond of 'experimenting' on people in pre-war Germany during the 1930s. Have we come to this I wonder? :-|

Blackpool_Saver

It is virtually impossible to get on with an NHS dentist in my area, and so there is a type of in between (not nhs not private) type one. You see the hygienist and they do the initial exam/xrays/scale and polish and a dentist comes in during the exam to sort of oversee. He is available for very complicated or cosmetic work also. They charge £35 for initial exam etc, another £15 or so for scale and polish, but the expense kicks in if you need a filling etc.
I wonder if you have attended somewhere like this?

evenasus

r_i_c wrote: »

Elle, your post may be in light humour or not - I cannot tell -

I doubt the poster was trying to be funny.

http://www.nhs.uk/Services/Hospitals/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=1327

I know that student dentists used to work there.
My mother used to go there in the 50's & 60's - why i don't know. Back then I don't remember having to pay at a normal NHS dental practice.

suki1964

If you have already paid the £50 odd quid, then you would be foolish not to attend for the treatment that that band covers

Hygeinists are not covered by the NHS. I see the dentist NHS and he will do the scale and polish which is nessecary to maintain oral health to NHS guidlines, but I pay privately every three months to the hygeinist, as shes doing her best to keep the teeth I have. The NHS will just whip them out

Mersey_2

suki1964 wrote: »

If you have already paid the £50 odd quid, then you would be foolish not to attend for the treatment that that band covers

Hygeinists are not covered by the NHS. I see the dentist NHS and he will do the scale and polish which is nessecary to maintain oral health to NHS guidlines, but I pay privately every three months to the hygeinist, as shes doing her best to keep the teeth I have. The NHS will just whip them out

If your dentist still does the scale and polish, what does your hygienist do - just have a look in your mouth? Or are paying for an extra scale?

elle_may

r_i_c wrote: »

Elle, your post may be in light humour or not - I cannot tell - but I seem to recall the authorities were quite fond of 'experimenting' on people in pre-war Germany during the 1930s. Have we come to this I wonder? :-|

No i was not joking, sorry, mabe experiment might have been a bit strong, but here in newcastle they have a teaching hospital for dentist's and my friend has been going to this for a long time.

r_i_c

suki1964 wrote: »

If you have already paid the £50 odd quid, then you would be foolish not to attend for the treatment that that band covers

Hygeinists are not covered by the NHS. I see the dentist NHS and he will do the scale and polish which is nessecary to maintain oral health to NHS guidlines, but I pay privately every three months to the hygeinist, as shes doing her best to keep the teeth I have. The NHS will just whip them out

Sorry, there's something wrong going on somewhere or something I just can't fathom. The lady dentist - surrounded by a flurry of young girls in white coats - rattled out the costs to me which I was unable to take in due to my bewilderment at being faced with them. She definitely mentioned 'bands' of payment because that rang a bell when I saw the various bands mentioned.

The dentist definitely mentioned a 3 figure sum for the capping of the molar, that's when she added that the treatment 'couldn't be done unless you book an appointment with the hygiene team'.

Now all I had was a look in my mouth & 3 x-rays, each lasting about 15 seconds, no scaling, nothing else. My gums were poked about about a bit and the dentist said they were 'bleeding due to plaque which was weakening the gums'. That sounded odd to me, I tasted no blood in my mouth. Next morning I flossed all my teeth - upper and lower - I did the same this morning: no blood. The dentist used the 'blood' to introduce into the examination the subject of her hygiene team which she said 'was not NHS'.

But why have I been charged Band 2? Have I been charged for treatment in advance? No-one said a word about this to me. What if I fall over tomorrow and can't attend the Band 2 treatment anyway, will it be put on standby till I can be seen?

Guess I ought to phone the smart young girls in their starch-white coats, behind the immaculate reception desk tomorrow, and ask for a blow-by-blow account of what exactly I have been charged for and why Band 2?

Take good care of my teeth and gums btw, apart from the collapsed molar all the other teeth were a-ok. My last checkup was about 3 or more years ago, there were no cavities.

I just want to know what's going on.

Thanks.