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[Deleted User]

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CocoM2020

Firstly how did you even get an appointment for a checkup? I thought there was a massive backlog? Don’t they normally ask at the time of appointment regarding exemption for payment? I know, when I was exempt, I had to show some card when I went for my appointment. (This was a few years ago). But every time I go I always get asked have my circumstances changed. 

CocoM2020

No idea sorry - I’m still waiting for my check up from June. I take it then you don’t sign/date any forms when you attend for your appointment? 

CocoM2020

That’s really strange - no clue whatsoever sorry! 

asajj

Deleted_User said:

CocoM2020 said:

No idea sorry - I’m still waiting for my check up from June. I take it then you don’t sign/date any forms when you attend for your appointment? 

No that's the thing. I have the copy of the form saying check up was performed in August, but on their files it shows as September.

It can be a clerical error - why do you assume the worst?

elsien

In the first instance I’d go for error over dodgy dealings every time. If you’re exempt, you’re exempt - putting the appointment in the book a couple of weeks later isn’t going to make any odds for that, 
If you have so little faith in your dentist maybe you should go elsewhere. 

Undervalued

Deleted_User said:

I had an NHS check up at the beginning of August with my dentist and was exempt from paying for treatment. I get a letter this week asking for payment - so I pay them a visit to show evidence of exemption. The receptionist then says "Oh that's weird, it says you had that appointment last week!" (when it was 5 weeks ago). 

Is there any reason my dentist would have altered the date I received my NHS check up to a later date? Is there something fraudulent going on? I know that NHS dentists have work quotas where they are paid for carrying out so much work per month.....


On another note, is it normal to be quoted an estimated price for private treatment? Is £200 - £230 a normal price for a 3 surface composite filling on a back molar? I asked why he couldn't give me a set price and he told me because he doesn't know how much decay there is under the current filling and so the amount of time and material used may vary.


Is something fishy going on? Really anxious.

That part is reasonably OK. An estimate should be prepared with reasonable professional skill. Like all tradesmen the full extent of a job may be impossible to ascertain before starting work. So, they then have two options, quote a fixed price allowing for the worst scenario to cover themselves or give a range of prices as an estimate.

What I am less clear about is why this is private following an NHS checkup? Whilst an NHS dentist is allowed to offer private "add ons" as an option fillings, however complex, are included in an NHS Band 2 (c. £60) charge. Where you give an NHS option and you opted for something above and beyond?

The date issue could be fraudulent but I agree with others it is far more likely to be an admin error. You say five weeks vs. one week? Was it the same date but just entered in the wrong month?

brook2jack2

There is absolutely no advantage to putting a different date on a NHS treatment form , it is purely a clerical error. 

Large White fillings in back teeth are not generally offered on the NHS and any treatment price NHS or private is only ever an estimate because until you start drilling you cannot tell how deep or extensive the filling is and it could need eg root treatment , or a crown or other treatment in addition , or instead of the filling. Also , in terms of time and difficulty , there is a huge difference between a minimal filling and one that involves reconstruction of virtually the whole tooth. 

[Deleted User]

Undervalued said:

Deleted_User said:

I had an NHS check up at the beginning of August with my dentist and was exempt from paying for treatment. I get a letter this week asking for payment - so I pay them a visit to show evidence of exemption. The receptionist then says "Oh that's weird, it says you had that appointment last week!" (when it was 5 weeks ago). 

Is there any reason my dentist would have altered the date I received my NHS check up to a later date? Is there something fraudulent going on? I know that NHS dentists have work quotas where they are paid for carrying out so much work per month.....


On another note, is it normal to be quoted an estimated price for private treatment? Is £200 - £230 a normal price for a 3 surface composite filling on a back molar? I asked why he couldn't give me a set price and he told me because he doesn't know how much decay there is under the current filling and so the amount of time and material used may vary.


Is something fishy going on? Really anxious.

That part is reasonably OK. An estimate should be prepared with reasonable professional skill. Like all tradesmen the full extent of a job may be impossible to ascertain before starting work. So, they then have two options, quote a fixed price allowing for the worst scenario to cover themselves or give a range of prices as an estimate.

What I am less clear about is why this is private following an NHS checkup? Whilst an NHS dentist is allowed to offer private "add ons" as an option fillings, however complex, are included in an NHS Band 2 (c. £60) charge. Where you give an NHS option and you opted for something above and beyond?

The date issue could be fraudulent but I agree with others it is far more likely to be an admin error. You say five weeks vs. one week? Was it the same date but just entered in the wrong month?

Entirely different dates altogether - the receptionist was surprised when I showed her my check up treatment plan form. 

My check up was very brief. I was immediately offered white fillings and then when I asked more questions I was given the option on an amalgam filling. 

I'm ok with borrowing money from family for the white one, but wanted to ensure I was getting a decent price. 
Many years ago I went to a dentist who was ACTUALLY committing fraud by splitting up NHS treatment bands. 

Undervalued

Deleted_User said:

Undervalued said:

Deleted_User said:

I had an NHS check up at the beginning of August with my dentist and was exempt from paying for treatment. I get a letter this week asking for payment - so I pay them a visit to show evidence of exemption. The receptionist then says "Oh that's weird, it says you had that appointment last week!" (when it was 5 weeks ago). 

Is there any reason my dentist would have altered the date I received my NHS check up to a later date? Is there something fraudulent going on? I know that NHS dentists have work quotas where they are paid for carrying out so much work per month.....


On another note, is it normal to be quoted an estimated price for private treatment? Is £200 - £230 a normal price for a 3 surface composite filling on a back molar? I asked why he couldn't give me a set price and he told me because he doesn't know how much decay there is under the current filling and so the amount of time and material used may vary.


Is something fishy going on? Really anxious.

That part is reasonably OK. An estimate should be prepared with reasonable professional skill. Like all tradesmen the full extent of a job may be impossible to ascertain before starting work. So, they then have two options, quote a fixed price allowing for the worst scenario to cover themselves or give a range of prices as an estimate.

What I am less clear about is why this is private following an NHS checkup? Whilst an NHS dentist is allowed to offer private "add ons" as an option fillings, however complex, are included in an NHS Band 2 (c. £60) charge. Where you give an NHS option and you opted for something above and beyond?

The date issue could be fraudulent but I agree with others it is far more likely to be an admin error. You say five weeks vs. one week? Was it the same date but just entered in the wrong month?

Entirely different dates altogether - the receptionist was surprised when I showed her my check up treatment plan form. 

My check up was very brief. I was immediately offered white fillings and then when I asked more questions I was given the option on an amalgam filling. 

I'm ok with borrowing money from family for the white one, but wanted to ensure I was getting a decent price. 
Many years ago I went to a dentist who was ACTUALLY committing fraud by splitting up NHS treatment bands. 

I am not a dentist, Brook2jack2 is (as far as one can tell on these forums!). However some years ago I had a large white filling on a rear tooth such as you describe done by an NHS dentist as part of a band 2 treatment. Now it may be mine had to be white composite for technical reasons, whereas amalgam is technically fine (or maybe even better) for your tooth? The NHS, as I understand it, will only fund what is necessary for dental health and not for purely cosmetic reasons.

[Deleted User]

I am not a dentist, Brook2jack2 is (as far as one can tell on these forums!). However some years ago I had a large white filling on a rear tooth such as you describe done by an NHS dentist as part of a band 2 treatment. Now it may be mine had to be white composite for technical reasons, whereas amalgam is technically fine (or maybe even better) for your tooth? The NHS, as I understand it, will only fund what is necessary for dental health and not for purely cosmetic reasons.

Yeah but as I mentioned before, I'm happy to pay extra for white fillings as I'm against amalgam. 
Just because the BDA says amalgam is safe for use doesn't mean it's true. Amalgam is made from a compound of copper, tin and 50% mercury. Although it's stably chemically bonded, mercury is still released from the fillings over time as atoms are shed.

Amalgam mercury fillings are actually banned across many countries across Europe and the Nordic area.