NHS dentist treatment charges

Rocco85

Can someone please let me know if my dentist is trying to take advantage…because I believe they are. 

It’s a new operator after my previous dentist closed down. I was contacted and invited to a NHS check up today, for which I paid £26.80 for. This included x-rays. 

I was informed I’d need a gum disease treatment going forward which would fall within the band 2 cost £73.20, but because this treatment would take 45-60 minutes and two separate appointments to measure the levels of gum disease I would need to pay the band 2 charge twice, however I heard the dentist telling his assistant to put it through as £150.00, which is a random number and not in line with x 2 £73.20. I asked why I would be charged for two treatments for the gum disease plan of treatment when it is technically still one treatment, and the dentist again said because it takes so long to do. 

I then went to the reception to pay for my checkup and make an appointment to begin the said treatment. I was then informed I needed to pay a £20 deposit for the future treatment. So I forked out £46.80 today and have another £130.00 to pay when I go back to begin treatment. 

Is this correct? It doesn’t seem right to me. 

GrumpyDil

Not sure about the double charge element but my wife's dentist insists upon deposits due to the number of missed appointments. 

Toothsmith

Sounds to me like they're charging you privately for the treatment. 

brook2jack2

You should have been given an estimate form detailing what treatment you are having and the costs associated with it. Treatment of gum disease is an ongoing process and if you have gum disease there are several stages to treatment , normally involving visits every three months or so , all of which are normally charged at band two charges . 

If you have not already got a fp17dc (presuming you are in England or Wales) ask for an estimate form and take things from there. 

NHS practice is difficult enough but increasing numbers of patients fail their appointments so most practices will ask for a deposit or payment up front. 

Undervalued

Rocco85 said:

Can someone please let me know if my dentist is trying to take advantage…because I believe they are. 

It’s a new operator after my previous dentist closed down. I was contacted and invited to a NHS check up today, for which I paid £26.80 for. This included x-rays. 

I was informed I’d need a gum disease treatment going forward which would fall within the band 2 cost £73.20, but because this treatment would take 45-60 minutes and two separate appointments to measure the levels of gum disease I would need to pay the band 2 charge twice, however I heard the dentist telling his assistant to put it through as £150.00, which is a random number and not in line with x 2 £73.20. I asked why I would be charged for two treatments for the gum disease plan of treatment when it is technically still one treatment, and the dentist again said because it takes so long to do. 

I then went to the reception to pay for my checkup and make an appointment to begin the said treatment. I was then informed I needed to pay a £20 deposit for the future treatment. So I forked out £46.80 today and have another £130.00 to pay when I go back to begin treatment. 

Is this correct? It doesn’t seem right to me. 

If it was done as an NHS band 2 treatment then only one band 2 fee should be charged regardless of how many appointments were needed to do the clinically necessary treatment properly.

If for some reason you were being offered private treatment then that should have been made clear so that you could make an informed decision about whether you wished to proceed.

Gum disease treatment is covered on the NHS but more cosmetic cleaning and scaling that isn't considered clinically necessary is not but can be offered privately.

Undervalued

brook2jack2 said:

You should have been given an estimate form detailing what treatment you are having and the costs associated with it. Treatment of gum disease is an ongoing process and if you have gum disease there are several stages to treatment , normally involving visits every three months or so , all of which are normally charged at band two charges . 

If you have not already got a fp17dc (presuming you are in England or Wales) ask for an estimate form and take things from there. 

NHS practice is difficult enough but increasing numbers of patients fail their appointments so most practices will ask for a deposit or payment up front. 

Whilst I sympathised with dentists on that point, as I understand it (unless anything has changed recently) a NHS dentist is not allowed to charge for a missed appointment (wrongly in my view). So would they not have to refund any prepayment if the patient fails to show up but demands their money back?

brook2jack2

Undervalued said:

Rocco85 said:

Can someone please let me know if my dentist is trying to take advantage…because I believe they are. 

It’s a new operator after my previous dentist closed down. I was contacted and invited to a NHS check up today, for which I paid £26.80 for. This included x-rays. 

I was informed I’d need a gum disease treatment going forward which would fall within the band 2 cost £73.20, but because this treatment would take 45-60 minutes and two separate appointments to measure the levels of gum disease I would need to pay the band 2 charge twice, however I heard the dentist telling his assistant to put it through as £150.00, which is a random number and not in line with x 2 £73.20. I asked why I would be charged for two treatments for the gum disease plan of treatment when it is technically still one treatment, and the dentist again said because it takes so long to do. 

I then went to the reception to pay for my checkup and make an appointment to begin the said treatment. I was then informed I needed to pay a £20 deposit for the future treatment. So I forked out £46.80 today and have another £130.00 to pay when I go back to begin treatment. 

Is this correct? It doesn’t seem right to me. 

If it was done as an NHS band 2 treatment then only one band 2 fee should be charged regardless of how many appointments were needed to do the clinically necessary treatment properly.

If for some reason you were being offered private treatment then that should have been made clear so that you could make an informed decision about whether you wished to proceed.

Gum disease treatment is covered on the NHS but more cosmetic cleaning and scaling that isn't considered clinically necessary is not but can be offered privately.

Actually this is not quite right. Periodontal treatment is something that goes on all through life , gum disease is never cured , only controlled. So a patient will normally have initial treatment , which is a discreet course of treatment band 2. Then three months later their progress is reassessed ie have they improved their cleaning regime , stopped smoking , controlled diabetes better etc this appointment and any subsequent treatment is a new course of treatment . 

The likelyhood is if you have gum disease you will be on 3 monthly recalls with new charges for quite some time , if not life. 

brook2jack2

Undervalued said:

brook2jack2 said:

You should have been given an estimate form detailing what treatment you are having and the costs associated with it. Treatment of gum disease is an ongoing process and if you have gum disease there are several stages to treatment , normally involving visits every three months or so , all of which are normally charged at band two charges . 

If you have not already got a fp17dc (presuming you are in England or Wales) ask for an estimate form and take things from there. 

NHS practice is difficult enough but increasing numbers of patients fail their appointments so most practices will ask for a deposit or payment up front. 

Whilst I sympathised with dentists on that point, as I understand it (unless anything has changed recently) a NHS dentist is not allowed to charge for a missed appointment (wrongly in my view). So would they not have to refund any prepayment if the patient fails to show up but demands their money back?

In England and Wales they are not allowed to charge for missed NHS appointments , but they are in Scotland and NI. 

Up to 40% of all new patient dental appointments are failed . It’s a reason why most NHS dentists cannot hit their targets, are hit by massive clawbacks and have to go private to stay afloat. 

The much publicised dental practice in Bristol ,that had patients queuing around the block for NHS appointments when it reopened,  had 11 patients not turn up on the first day ! 

Rocco85

brook2jack2 said:

Undervalued said:

Rocco85 said:

Can someone please let me know if my dentist is trying to take advantage…because I believe they are. 

It’s a new operator after my previous dentist closed down. I was contacted and invited to a NHS check up today, for which I paid £26.80 for. This included x-rays. 

I was informed I’d need a gum disease treatment going forward which would fall within the band 2 cost £73.20, but because this treatment would take 45-60 minutes and two separate appointments to measure the levels of gum disease I would need to pay the band 2 charge twice, however I heard the dentist telling his assistant to put it through as £150.00, which is a random number and not in line with x 2 £73.20. I asked why I would be charged for two treatments for the gum disease plan of treatment when it is technically still one treatment, and the dentist again said because it takes so long to do. 

I then went to the reception to pay for my checkup and make an appointment to begin the said treatment. I was then informed I needed to pay a £20 deposit for the future treatment. So I forked out £46.80 today and have another £130.00 to pay when I go back to begin treatment. 

Is this correct? It doesn’t seem right to me. 

If it was done as an NHS band 2 treatment then only one band 2 fee should be charged regardless of how many appointments were needed to do the clinically necessary treatment properly.

If for some reason you were being offered private treatment then that should have been made clear so that you could make an informed decision about whether you wished to proceed.

Gum disease treatment is covered on the NHS but more cosmetic cleaning and scaling that isn't considered clinically necessary is not but can be offered privately.

Actually this is not quite right. Periodontal treatment is something that goes on all through life , gum disease is never cured , only controlled. So a patient will normally have initial treatment , which is a discreet course of treatment band 2. Then three months later their progress is reassessed ie have they improved their cleaning regime , stopped smoking , controlled diabetes better etc this appointment and any subsequent treatment is a new course of treatment . 

The likelyhood is if you have gum disease you will be on 3 monthly recalls with new charges for quite some time , if not life. 

But I haven’t even started the treatment yet. It was explained to me I would need an initial appointment to measure the level of gum disease, a deep clean and advice on how to keep on top of it myself with interdental brushing etc. which would incur a double band 2 charge due to the length of the appointment. It was mentioned I’d need to go back in 3 months to monitor progress, which I would assume will be billed as and when that takes place. 

My issue is being told because my appointment will last a while so I need to be charged extra. I knew myself this didn’t seem right because when I had a composite inlay fitted it took 4 appointments to get it right and it was billed as 1 treatment. 

I will give the dentist a call…

Toothsmith

That's the best idea. Sounds like something has been misunderstood/miscommunicated somewhere along the line.

Rocco85

Bit of an update - I tried calling my dental surgery several times but was unable to speak to the clinician in question and yesterday I was advised to make a further appointment with them for a review. I explained what I’d been told but the receptionist could not advise. I explained I could not attend another appointment this week due to work commitments. However, receptionist did assure me that they would speak to the clinician on my behalf as well as email me a copy of the FP16DC which I did not receive at the time. 

No email or response as of yet.