Denplan Care.. How does the intial apppintment work?

CK1223

Hey everyone

Was wondering if someone could please help - just a bit confused about Denplan Care. I recently submitted an enquiry on my dental surgery's website (national chain of dental surgeries which has surgeries in a number of cities around the UK). This surgery is part NHS, part private. I used to be an NHS patient there, but having not been in a number of years they have moved me to private.

After submitting the enquiry, I received a call from a girl at the national head office for my dental surgery chain, and she was really keen to sign me up. I signed up to the scheme, but she didn't explain to me that I had to be 'dentally fit', or ask any questions about the state of my teeth. I've not had a checkup in years, so I doubt she would have gone off my previous records?  She didn't say that I would need to have any work completed before signing up, however this is something that I have read online multiple times after signing up.

My plan starts on 3rd Feb (she has made clear that it is a 12 month agreement in the email she sent me) and I have my initital check up on 10th Feb. My question is this... what happens if I go to the check up on the 10th (after the plan starts) and I need work doing which I cannot afford. Do they just refuse the plan, even though it's a 12 month agreement which has already started?

All the info I've seen online states that generally they check your teeth condition BEFORE signing you up, as they can check that you're dentally fit, but this girl signed me up over the phone without ever asking about the state of my teeth (they're not too bad - I just need a wisdom tooth pulling which I can't afford right now) or saying that I would need to complete any work before they sign me up.

Many thanks!

brook2jack2

Denplan essentials does not require a check up first and just covers costs of check ups, x rays and hygiene appointments . You pay a set amount each month regardless of what work you have had done. You do not need to be dentally fit.  You pay a discounted rate for any treatment needed. 

Denplan care you need a check up first , will need to be dentally fit and the amount you pay per month will vary according to how much work you have had done previously. It will cover the cost of treatment not including cosmetic work and lab fees. 

I would imagine you have been signed up to Denplan essentials. 

CK1223

Hi there 
Thank you so much for your reply. 

It is definitely the Denplan Care that I have been signed up to, as I wanted any treatment included. I created an account on the Denplan website after being signed up over the phone, and the policy details on my account say Denplan Care.
I'm just a bit confused about the initial checkup as every bit of info I've read online after signing up says that you need the checkup before joining, but my dentist has allowed me to join without ever being seen

Many thanks 

CK1223

Edit, forgot to add:

The girl on the phone did mention that she has started me off in pricing band A, but that once I've had my first checkup I may be moved up a band or two. I'm not sure she really knew what she was doing as she initially told me there were 5 bands and that I could choose which band I wanted, so she suggested that I start in the highest band for around £50 a month and move down to a lower band later if I needed to. She then put me on hold for 5 minutes and came back saying "okay I understand how it works now, you start in the lowest band and the dentist decides which band you need to be in when we see you in February".

I guess I'm just a bit confused as to how this would work if I were to go to the initial checkup and the dentist thought i needed work which I couldn't afford and they decide that I'm not 'dentally fit', but my 12 month agreement is already in place by that point and I will be far outside the 14 day cooling off period. I have an impacted wisdom tooth which probably needs to be removed. I know that wisdom tooth removal isn't covered by Denplan anyway, but will not be able to afford the £455 fee for a few months if they decide that it's this that's causing me to be dentally unfit. 

I've had a welcome email from Denplan this morning stating that I should have been handed terms and conditions, along with a booklet, from my dentist which explains everything when I signed up, but as I was never seen in person I never received any of this nor was I read any terms and conditions over the phone so I'm just a bit lost with it all. 

Toothsmith

I think this person hasn't had the right training in Denplan products. The way you have been signed up is completely wrong. 

Whilst online registration is possible, it should only be done after you have had a check up, the work required to make you 'dentally fit' been agreed and costed, and the category, or band you'll be in worked out and agreed. 

brook2jack2

Agree with TS , you don't choose which band you are on , you are assigned one based on how much work you have had done and how healthy your gums and teeth are now . 

Normally you have a check up for which you and and x rays. Based on that if you need treatment , that is done next and after you are dentally fit you are told which band you are in. 

You need to ring up as you have obviously been signed up erroneously. 

silvercar

brook2jack2 said:

Agree with TS , you don't choose which band you are on , you are assigned one based on how much work you have had done and how healthy your gums and teeth are now . 

Normally you have a check up for which you and and x rays. Based on that if you need treatment , that is done next and after you are dentally fit you are told which band you are in. 

You need to ring up as you have obviously been signed up erroneously. 

Erroneous or not, OP has a legally binding contract...... unless there is something in the small print.

brook2jack2

This is part of the contract. It clearly says after a dental check up which you may pay for you will be assigned a band . OP has mistakenly been signed onto wrong plan .
https://www.denplan.co.uk/dashboard/Files/pdf/denplan-care-application-booklet.pdf

Clive_Woody

CK1223 said:

It is definitely the Denplan Care that I have been signed up to, as I wanted any treatment included.

Please be aware that if you require treatment there will still likely be additional costs, the level of what is included is pretty basic, so be prepared for extra costs even once they have agreed to cover you.

CK1223

Hi everyone 

Thank you so much for all your helpful replies. After I signed up to the plan I started looking on Google to try and find out what the process was after my first appointment with them takes place in February, and based on the info I've seen online I did have a suspicion that I've been signed up incorrectly. I do want the Denplan Care plan still, as it will give me peace of mind that my check ups, hygienist appointments and most restorative care (fillings etc) will be covered. 
I was just a bit concerned that, as it's a 12 month contract, if I go to my first appointment and they deem me dentally unfit due to my impacted wisdom tooth, they may refuse any treatment under Denplan until I have paid privately to have the tooth out and become dentally fit (note, this wisdom tooth has been impacted for 14 years and doesn't cause much trouble. I have been referred to the maxillofacial unit for it in the past but even they wouldn't touch it due to its positioning. It has moved a fair bit since then though and is now partially erupted). If they refuse any treatment until I'm dentally fit and I'm stuck in the 12 month contract, I'm just worried I'll end up paying the monthly fee for nothing.

Thank you so much for the link to that booklet @brook2jack2, I hadn't been sent anything like that so it's handy to read. All I've received is the below email from the girl at my dental surgery's head office who signed me up 

---------------

Hello CK1223,

 

It was lovely speaking with you today. 

I am pleased to confirm you are officially signed up to Denplan Care at our [my dental surgery] practice from the XX.XX.2023. This 12-month contracted plan includes:

Two checkup appointments (including x-rays)

Two hygiene appointments 

All restorative treatment included 

Your first monthly payment will be a total of £XX.XX with our £15 registration fee requirement. The following month will be a total of £XX.XX a month.

You have 14 days from today’s date XX.XX.2023 should you wish to cancel the agreement. If you cancel the plan after these 14 days or during any time within the 12-month period, you would be expected to pay any discounted treatment you have had back in full.

Your first Denplan examination is booked for XX.XX.2023 with your new dentist Dr [dentist]. Your first Denplan hygiene appointment is booked for XX.XX.2023.

If you have any questions regarding your plan, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can send me an email anytime or you can call the practice directly on [dentist phone number].

If you did wish to cancel your plan you can contact Denplan on the following number: 0800 844 999.

We look forward to seeing you soon. 

Kind regards,

------------------


I'm going to try and phone my dental surgery later on today to see if they can clear all of this up for me :-)

Thank you again! 

silvercar

Looks like you have it in writing that you are all signed up. If denplan central have messed up then they need to sort it out with your dentist. Denplan have to take responsibility for actions their staff have taken. 

Worst case would be the dentist isn’t happy to take you on with the cover agreed and denplan central admit their error and your contract is cancelled. Really that shouldn’t happen and any gap in funding between what you should have been signed up for and what denplan have themselves signed you up for is met by denplan. If that doesn’t happen I would complain to denplan. Their mess up, by their staff that they need to put right. 

If it can’t be resolved then you follow their complaints procedure: https://www.denplan.co.uk/patients/contact-us/making-a-complaint

Ultimately it would end up with the financial ombudsman, they tend to expect staff acting on behalf of a company to be aware of their own company’s procedures more than the public.

Really this is an insurance issue and nothing to do with the dentist in your practice. I’m sure your dentist will be happy to treat you and a watch, wait and see view on a wisdom tooth won’t be that unusual.