Dentist charges help

sopplayer

It was the Hygenist who told me that. The thing is I haven't got any gum problems (or didnt have before the cleaning was done).....no swelling....no bleeding.......in fact I haven't had any problems with my teeth for years....the last time I had a problem was about 15 years ago when I had a absess in my gum which burst (ouch!!). I have always tried to look after my teeth and have only ever had 2 fillings.....I told the hygenist my concerns that if they got infected because of the cleaning that I might be better off leaving them and she said if I don't have it done I will have problems in later life, but it was my mouth, my descision.

Toothsmith

sopplayer wrote: »

It was the Hygenist who told me that. The thing is I haven't got any gum problems (or didnt have before the cleaning was done).....no swelling....no bleeding.......in fact I haven't had any problems with my teeth for years....the last time I had a problem was about 15 years ago when I had a absess in my gum which burst (ouch!!). I have always tried to look after my teeth and have only ever had 2 fillings.....I told the hygenist my concerns that if they got infected because of the cleaning that I might be better off leaving them and she said if I don't have it done I will have problems in later life, but it was my mouth, my descision.

I'm not sure what the hygienist was meaning.

The thing about gum problems is that they can often be hidden, painless and easy to ignore.

When you start treating them, you often get flare-ups like you describe, which is what makes me think that there was something going on with your gums.

The other thing is that there is no benefit to the practice to be treating you for this if it weren't necessary.

The dentist will get a fixed monthly sum for doing NHS work now. The charges you pay do not go to the dentist, but come off the cheque he will receive every month for doing NHS work.

With the new contract (And to a certain extent with NHS work prior to the new contract when funding didn't reflect the time required for certain proceedures) the temptation is more to gloss over things that don't actually hurt the patient. I have seen mouths in a terrible state from people who regularly attended various dentists and thought everything was fine.

sopplayer

Wel I have just returned from my dentist to have my top left 4 teeth scaled in a half hour appointment feeling very numb (even my left eye is numb).

I have to return in 3 months time to have my top and bottom front teeth scaling and it will cost me another £15.90 for the pleasure:eek:

So up to press to have my teeth de-scaled (aint even had a polish yet) its cost me £43.60+ £15.90 in 3 months time.

All seems alot of money for a de-scale, what do you think Toothsmith is this good practise?

Toothsmith

Yes - I do think it's a good place.

They are applying the regulations correctly, yet still identifying and treating the problems they come across.

Stick with them - even if they decide to go private in the near future!

sopplayer

Thanks,

Can I ask if I went back within 2 months would it cost me the same?

Its just that I can't seem to get my head round that band 1 says that it includes and scale and polish, and for my scale and polish its gonna cost me £59.50. It also says that you will only pay one charge for each course of treatment no matter how long it takes to complete it.

Toothsmith

One hygienist visit at my practice would cost £59.50 - just to give you some idea.

I think for something to count as the 'same treatment' it has to be done within 8 weeks, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

3 months is a perfectly proper and correct recall interval though - 7 weeks would not be.

You have to realise that this practice has to make a living as well. It's hard enough to keep a practice running under NHS regulations without patients wanting everlasting treatments.

I would suggest that you are getting very good value for money here, and so not to try and kill the goose that lays your golden egg.

sopplayer

Hi,

Just a bit of an update.

I contacted PALS for advise and have received the following:

Thank you for your initial enquiry regarding dental charges.

The Primary Care Development Manager XXXXX who has advised on your question. His reply is that you should not be being charged for further treatment; as you pointed out Band 1 covers that course of treatment and you should not be expected to pay a second charge for what is the original course of treatment.


It asks me to speak to my dental surgery and ask them to reconsider their charges and if they won't to make this an official complaint at PCT headquarters.

Toothsmith

If this went to a complaint, I think you'd find the manager was wrong (I'm 99.9% certain he is). It's not unknown for PCTs to have no idea as well.

Up to you where you take it from here though. I've just given you my opinion on the regulations.

As far as I can see it - you stand to loose far more than you stand to gain here.

Win or loose any complaint, and you'll almost certainly be looking for a new dentist (He can legitimately claim the patient/dentist relationship has broken down). As I said, I think this is a good dentist applying the NHS regulations correctly - you'll be struggling to find another like this close by and still offering NHS treatment.

And yet all you have to gain is about £27.

Is it REALLY worth it?

sopplayer

Thanks toothsmith,

It did cross my mind that I could find myself looking for a new dentist, but when you say he could claim that the patient/dentist relationship has broken down.....I have no problems with the dentist....they have been very good with me, but as any other moneysaver I wouldn't be impressed in paying more than I should have to....at the end of the day I dont write the rules....and if it says i should pay x amount for a course of treatment then that is all I should pay.....if given a good reason why I should pay more then I would certainly pay what is owed.....I am certainly not trying to rip anyone off out of money they are owed, and if I was struck off for asking if they would reconsider their charges according to PCT advise I would really kick off...

Toothsmith

Fair enough, and basically I agree with you which is why I often post to tell people that they shouldn't be paying private fees to see the hygienist if they have been accepted as NHS patients.

Or to be paying private fees at all for any 'necessary' work if they are NHS patients.

To my understanding of the rules though, (Which I think is better than the PCT manager who replied to you), I am sure you have been treated correctly.

Just promise me that if you do mention it to the dentist, and he says " No - we have charged you correctly" You will let it lie.