Charged for kids dental oppointments

linesandlines

<on edit> Appointments! Oh the shame.

Hi All,

wondering if anyone can advise. At our last family dental appointment, the dentist recommended that we all have a hygienist appointment after 3 months, the mid-point between dental appointments.

I expected to, and did pay £33 for my appointment, but when my husband took the kids today, he was charged £66 for them :eek: He thought I'd agreed it, so coughed up, but I certainly hadn't. I assumed it was free for kids. If they'd said we'd have to pay for them, I wouldn't have agreed to the appointment. We can't afford it! All their other treatment is free on the NHS. Is there any grounds for complaint? (We're in England)
Thanks in advance.

System

linesandlines wrote: »

Is there any grounds for complaint? (We're in England)
Thanks in advance.

Yes. If the children are NHS patients and the hygienist appointment was deemed necessary it should have been done on the NHS.

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1786.aspx?CategoryID=74

You do not have to pay for NHS dental treatment if, when your treatment starts, you are:
under 18

Here are the charges for band A, B anc C treatments if the NHS patient has to pay.

mel48rose

Is it a private dentist?

linesandlines

mel48rose wrote: »

Is it a private dentist?

The practice does both NHS and private cosmetic treatments.

linesandlines

avogadro wrote: »

Yes. If the children are NHS patients and the hygienist appointment was deemed necessary it should have been done on the NHS.

Thanks Avogadro. I can't remember exact wording as it was in August/September, but at the last check up, the dentist said to make appointments for the 3 of us with the hygienist for 3 months time, so I did. It wasn't a suggested optional extra IYSWIM.

mel48rose

I would contact the dental practice next week and ask why you were charged for the children's treatment. Good luck.

System

he dentist recommended that we all have a hygienist appointment after 3 months

So it wasn't deemed necessary, only recommended, and was done as a private patient looking at the charges

FBaby

Very cheeky, surely good practice would have been to inform it would private care as recommended. I wouldn't be impressed at all if that was my dental practice and would file a complaint.

welshdent

I think perhaps you are being seen as private patients because £33 is not the NHS band 1 or 2 charge and would seem to be quite low if you had an exam and a private scale and polish. Just ring and clarify because the under 18 no charge has been well established to be honest and not something you would forget easily as a dental practice.

welshdent

Sounds like it's £33 for an adult exam and £11 for kids

linesandlines

welshdent wrote: »

Sounds like it's £33 for an adult exam and £11 for kids

I think it's £33 for a hygienist appointment, as there's only 2 kids and we were charged £66 for their appointment.