NHS dental charges suspended service lockdown

Aboroghene

My wife's treatment was interrupted by the lockdown and now that she has been able to get a resumption, the dentist says that the previous NHS  service was valid for two months, despite the fact that no service has been available. Now looking to charge for a new course of treatment.

mda99das

Dentists have been open from the end of June and are required to stay open during lockdown / or any of the tiers including level 5. When did your wife start her treatment?

brook2jack2

Unfortunately the dentist has no discretion to keep a course of treatment open for an unlimited amount of time. Your wife will have to pay for what she had done and then pay for a new course of treatment. NHS dental treatment time frames are set by the government not dentists and if a dentist doesn't collect the charges they are penalised by having the amount withheld from their contract. 

Conrad3000

Similar thing happened to me. I had a Band 2 treatment about 7 weeks ago, and as the NHS site states, if you go back within 8 weeks of that same band treatment, you won't have to pay again.

Sadly my surgery has been closed for the last 2 weeks; reason given was self-isolation and it's still shut. Next week will be the 8th week for me, and it seems my time will be up for another treatment under the same Band.

Thrifty_Ruby

The dentist is incorrect. He should not have closed the treatment plan if Covid has postponed the treatment.   Ask to speak to the PM at the dentist and ask them to re open the treatment plan.  I’m a dental receptionist so have been dealing with this situation since lockdown 1/2/3

Thrifty_Ruby

Conrad3000 said:

Similar thing happened to me. I had a Band 2 treatment about 7 weeks ago, and as the NHS site states, if you go back within 8 weeks of that same band treatment, you won't have to pay again.

Sadly my surgery has been closed for the last 2 weeks; reason given was self-isolation and it's still shut. Next week will be the 8th week for me, and it seems my time will be up for another treatment under the same Band.

This means returning for another issue NOT the continuation of the treatment halfway through.  If for instance you started Root canal treatment and it was cancelled due to Covid and you have just returned now it’s still part of your open treatment.  

Thrifty_Ruby

brook2jack2 said:

Unfortunately the dentist has no discretion to keep a course of treatment open for an unlimited amount of time. Your wife will have to pay for what she had done and then pay for a new course of treatment. NHS dental treatment time frames are set by the government not dentists and if a dentist doesn't collect the charges they are penalised by having the amount withheld from their contract. 

I am dealing with this situation on a daily basis and we are still completing treatment started last March/April that was cancelled due to Covid.