Dentist treatment while pregnant??

rlee0

I'm currently pregnant so entitled to the free prescriptions, dentist etc... Unfortunately the only way to get a dentist a couple of years ago was to go private. I am currently having some treatment done and thought that i would be able to get this free due to maternity, however my dentist has said no as i am private. He does have nhs patients historically and there is a waiting list which surprisingly is very long!! Is this correct or should he be able to make a claim - all my maternity notes suggest that i should just be able to show him my card and i would be covered - it seems really unfair?

alison999

on the nhs the patient pays a fee and the government pays the rest or if you get free trt then the government pay it all. however, with private trt theres no one there to pay it for you. the dentist wouldnt get paid for trting you in other words.

donteatthat

The dentist has no obligation to jump you up the waiting list of NHS patients just because you are pregnant I'm afraid.

Toothsmith

That's correct, treatment would only be free if you were an NHS patient getting NHS treatment.

I really wouldn't go looking for NHS treatment just because it's free either.

Whilst pregnant, your gums are more likely to bleed and get inflamed. If anything, they need a bit more careful care and attention, not a bargin basement service.

(The reason pregnant & nursing mothers get free dental care is that it was thought pregnancy had a detremental effect on the teeth. This has since been proved not to be the case (apart from the slight increase in swollen/bleeding gums), but this historical annomoly remains within the NHS)

Ted_Hutchinson

Toothsmith wrote: »

(The reason pregnant & nursing mothers get free dental care is that it was thought pregnancy had a detremental effect on the teeth. This has since been proved not to be the case (apart from the slight increase in swollen/bleeding gums), but this historical annomoly remains within the NHS)

Could the bleeding gums be a result of the extra demands on Vitamin D3 resources?
Association between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and gingival inflammation

There is a great need for Vitamin D in pregnancy and it's a seriously neglected issue.
Vitamin D in pregnancy: an old problem still to be solved?
High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in newborn infants of high-risk mothers
High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation in a cohort of breastfeeding mothers and their infants:

alison999

donteatthat wrote: »

The dentist has no obligation to jump you up the waiting list of NHS patients just because you are pregnant I'm afraid.

completely agree. everyone can think of some reason why they should get bumped up. at our practice though we do usually just swap people to nhs while theyre pregnant (and the year after the babies born) or if they lose their job or something.

Toothsmith

Ted_Hutchinson wrote: »

Could the bleeding gums be a result of the extra demands on Vitamin D3 resources?
Association between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and gingival inflammation

There is a great need for Vitamin D in pregnancy and it's a seriously neglected issue.
Vitamin D in pregnancy: an old problem still to be solved?
High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in newborn infants of high-risk mothers
High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation in a cohort of breastfeeding mothers and their infants:

Extremely possible Ted!

A lot of the stuff you've been banging on about for ages is starting to make it into the news recently I notice!

clairabelle28

HI, I GUESS YOUR A DENTIST..SO WHAT TREATMENT IS FREE??I WAS TOLD IF I WANTED FILLINGS (WHITE ONES) I WOULD HAVE TO PAY AND I AM A NHS CUSTOMER..IS THIS TRUE???THANKS

Toothsmith wrote: »

That's correct, treatment would only be free if you were an NHS patient getting NHS treatment.

I really wouldn't go looking for NHS treatment just because it's free either.

Whilst pregnant, your gums are more likely to bleed and get inflamed. If anything, they need a bit more careful care and attention, not a bargin basement service.

(The reason pregnant & nursing mothers get free dental care is that it was thought pregnancy had a detremental effect on the teeth. This has since been proved not to be the case (apart from the slight increase in swollen/bleeding gums), but this historical annomoly remains within the NHS)

Toothsmith

White fillings on front teeth are available on the NHS. White fillings on teeth further back are not.

NHS dentistry is only 'free' if you have an exemption from charges. Usually, you pay a patient charge for NHS dentistry - Like prescriptions.

rincelex

Four months into my pregnancy I needed a root canal I went to my NHS dentist and assumed that with my Mat B1 exemption that I would not have to pay. I could not have the full root canal as I need an xray to finish the job so I have not been charged the full amount - yes you heard correct they charged me I did explain and showed them my Mat B1 card but they said something about not getting money for this particular treatment or something similar to this. Where can I go to check this out?

alison999

rincelex wrote: »

Four months into my pregnancy I needed a root canal I went to my NHS dentist and assumed that with my Mat B1 exemption that I would not have to pay. I could not have the full root canal as I need an xray to finish the job so I have not been charged the full amount - yes you heard correct they charged me I did explain and showed them my Mat B1 card but they said something about not getting money for this particular treatment or something similar to this. Where can I go to check this out?

call your local pct, what theyre telling you isnt right