Help Dental Debt for Emergency Treatment

Furzeguy

I am really in need of some advice for my daughter who is a lone parent of a six-month-old baby. She is on UC and lives hand to mouth. My wife and I buy a lot of stuff for her each month or she would not be able to cope. She managed to pay off the debts she had before the baby was born and is worried about getting into debt again.

Last week my daughter had an accident which after seeing the GP she was referred for emergency dental treatment to the emergency dentist here. This was apparently NHS treatment and she was told she would have to pay £25 even though she is exempt from payment as she has had a child within the last 12 months and also is on universal credit with no income. 

Once the emergency dentist had looked at her mouth he said she needed more emergency work to remove the broken piece of tooth in her jaw which he did there and then and they charged another £70 apparently.

They told my daughter that emergency NHS dental treatment is not free even if you are exempt. I find this hard to believe but cannot find any proof either way - the NHS website is a little confusing.

She paid the £25 initial charge which they originally said would cover any further emergency or treatment done that day, with money I had given her for that.

The practice manager told her she will have to pay off the £70 at £10 per week. She verbally agreed while she was there as she felt harassed although she told them she cannot afford it.

I have told her not to pay it and if they ask again she should send a financial statement to anyone who tries to get it off her, showing that her income and expenses leave no room for any money to be paid and that she should offer a token £1 a month.

 I have said she should let them take her to court or refer it to DCA if they wanted to as no court would order more than she can pay and the dentists or NHS whichever it is would simply have to pay their own costs.

My questions are two, firstly does she actually have to pay the NHS cost, she was definitely told it was NHS treatment.

And secondly if she does what would be your advice as to how she should deal with not being able to afford to pay it, I cannot keep paying out money like that as I have to buy a lot of her food and pay her essential bills anyway. 

I should add that she lives in her own rented accommodation and my wife and I are pensioners. We love to help her but we are struggling as well. They definitely told her this was all NHS treatment.

Thank you in advance.

JCS1

Afternoon - NHS dental treatment is not free, it looks like she was charged correctly:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-costs/how-much-will-i-pay-for-nhs-dental-treatment/

Has she undertaken a benefits check to ensure she is receiving all she is entitled to?

unforeseen

With a child under 12 months she is entitled to free treatment so she was not charged correctly
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-is-entitled-to-free-nhs-dental-treatment-in-england/

There is nothing saying that emergency treatment does not come under these rules

HampshireH

JCS1 said:

Afternoon - NHS dental treatment is not free, it looks like she was charged correctly:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-costs/how-much-will-i-pay-for-nhs-dental-treatment/

Has she undertaken a benefits check to ensure she is receiving all she is entitled to?

She should have been exempt due to having a child 6 months ago.  I would put a complaint in alongside a copy of her exemption form

unforeseen

From. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/how-can-i-access-an-nhs-dentist-in-an-emergency-or-out-of-hours/

How much will I be charged?

An urgent dental treatment will cost £25.80, unless you're entitled to free NHS dental treatment.

If you're asked to come back for further treatment, this will be considered to be a separate course of non-urgent treatment.

If you're not entitled to free NHS dental treatment, you'll have to pay the relevant charge for the new course of treatment.

RAS

Has she got an exemption form?

Otherwise, they can charge her even if she's eligible.

So sort out the form.