Charged again for dental treatment nhs

Godders655421

I finished a course of treatment on the 10th jan.   it was band 3 as a crown needed doing.  6 weeks later a different tooth has an issue with a bit coming off.   I thought as with it being 2 months after the treatment I then became part of that and no extra costs .

however because they are so busy and can’t fit me in until April.  They say it’s new treatment and I have to pay again.  Guess I have no choice and know they are busy due to covid but feels rather convenient for them to say this .

Undervalued

Godders655421 said:

I finished a course of treatment on the 10th jan.   it was band 3 as a crown needed doing.  6 weeks later a different tooth has an issue with a bit coming off.   I thought as with it being 2 months after the treatment I then became part of that and no extra costs .

however because they are so busy and can’t fit me in until April.  They say it’s new treatment and I have to pay again.  Guess I have no choice and know they are busy due to covid but feels rather convenient for them to say this .

To be fair to the I don't think it works like that. The fee you pay goes to the NHS (although the dentist collects it on their behalf) then the dentist is paid for the work carried out by a complex formula.

Also, as far as I know, if the current problem wasn't part of the original prescribed course of treatment (which was presumably completed) it wouldn't be covered by the two month "guarantee". I am not sure what the position would be if the new issue had cropped up whilst the original course of treatment was ongoing but assuming it didn't that is something of a moot point. 

I_Love_comps

As stated above you have to pay again as it is a different tooth.  If it had been the same tooth , I do not think you would have had to pay.
I had a tooth I needed treatment for.  That treatment failed, and so I did not have to pay again.

Toothsmith

I'm not very good at NHS regulations, but I think this one is pretty clear cut.

you had a prescribed course of treatment, paid the charge, and the course was completed and sent off by the dentist. 

When something different, and completely separate then happened, this would require a brand new treatment to be opened - regardless of how soon the last treatment was completed. 

Had this tooth broken prior to the original course being completed - then I'm pretty sure it could have been added into that original treatment (despite the dentists getting no extra money, or even 'points' towards their targets from it). 

Had it been a problem with the fixed tooth, the guarantee rules may have come into play, but being separate, then it would have to be a new course. 

brook2jack2

Actually op is correct. If you need more treatment of the same band , or lower within two months (minus a day) of finishing treatment  then that is a continuation of treatment with no extra money to be paid by the patient and no extra money for the practice . 

However there are some provisos , it has to be at the same surgery, the same dentist and not as a result of trauma ,the previous treatment plan must be finished as advised  so a tooth breaking may be as a result of trauma as opposed to say decay and so wouldn't be covered. 

However I do not know of a single dental practice that can fit a non emergency patient in within a few weeks , most are booking now into April or May or even beyond and no dental practice has the discretion to extend this two month time limit , the computer would say no .