Can denstist charge me for prescribing antibiotics?

pcb1

ok, so I had/have a tooth pain and I booked a visit to the denstist through their website. Never been to the dentist in UK before. I booked an examination and cost was on the confirmation email, £20. There was an empty space on the booking form to write something about what is the problem or a goal of the visit, so I wrote that I am in pain and described that touching triggers it and it doesnt react to the cold or hot etc. It was saturday and I booked first available on monday.

After the examination and some xrays we talked about what is going on and I told him that I am going to my country in 2 weeks and already booked a dentist there so I would prefer if that is possible to do it there. He said yeah, thats fine I can prescribe you an antibiotics so it should be fine until then. Helpful, nice guy.

When I finished, receptionist is charging me £45. I asked nicely, may I know for what exactly are you charging me? as the examination costs £20.


She went back to the doctor to ask him and came back and said.


Because he prescribed antibiotics.



I was surprised but said okay, paid and left.


I wasnt trying to be cheap, but im not sure exactly for what he took the £25 more. For just writing the prescription? is this something a doctor can charge a person for?



Just to be clear, for those antibiotics I paid as well at pharmacy £9.

Toothsmith

It's a bit hard to say from the prices you quote.

Was it NHS or Privately you were seen?

If NHS, then the cost in England would have been £22.70 (Was your charge £20, 0r 'about' £20?) That should have included a prescription if necessary.

If you were seen privately, then the dentist can charge what they like for whatever items they do. But if you paid £9 for the antibiotics at the pharmacist, then that suggests an NHS prescription, which technically you shouldn't have been given if you were a private patient. Although it could have been that it was a private prescription, and the pharmacist just happened to charge you £9 for it.

So in short - without knowing the basis on which you were seen (Private or NHS) it's a bit hard to know if the charges are right or not.

worried123

i pay £20 for antibiotics....private