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Should I have paid twice? - dental.

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adandem
adandem Posts: 3,592 Forumite
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in Health & beauty MoneySaving
Hi,

A couple of weeks ago I had sever toochache and had to visit an emergency out of hours dentist as advised by my surgery. I paid the usual £15.90 and just recieved the obigatory prescription which made no difference at all.

I then visited my own practice 3 days later as it was no better, I had to pay the £15.90 again.

Is this right? I thought that as a NHS patient that I was paying the NHS, not the individual practice?

Thanks for any help.;)

Comments

  • feelinggood_2
    feelinggood_2 Posts: 11,115 Forumite
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    I think emergency appointments are charged seperately. I had an emergency appointment, and then had to pay again when I had fillings. I asked why, and they explained that emergency appointments are seperate.
    Stay-at-home, attached Mummy to a 23lb 10oz, 11 month old baby boy.
  • adandem
    adandem Posts: 3,592 Forumite
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    Thanks, I think I may have been ripped off, I don't think the dentist concerned had any intention of finding the problem or carrying out any treatment at all:confused: Nice little earner for him really.
  • donteatthat
    donteatthat Posts: 359 Forumite
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    Not really an "earner" for the dentist if it's an NHS charge.
    The £15.90 goes to the government, and the dentist subsidises the cost of your emergency visit himself under the new contract.
    Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are usually right.
  • melancholly
    melancholly Posts: 7,457 Forumite
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    i guess it depends what the emergency dentist did as to whether you've been ripped off - i've had to go before for a temporary filling and paid the £15.90. but i still needed to go and see a 'proper' dentist (their term, not mine, although probably appropriate but that's another story!) to get all the work done again. i think it's just how the system works so you may feel a bit ripped off by paying twice for treatment, but it's not money you'll get back.

    if the original emergency dentist wasn't very good/interested in helping, then that's a different complain IYSWIM. it might be worth mentioning how unhelpful they were at your 'real' dentist.
    :happyhear
  • adandem
    adandem Posts: 3,592 Forumite
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    donteatthat wrote: »
    Not really an "earner" for the dentist if it's an NHS charge.
    The £15.90 goes to the government, and the dentist subsidises the cost of your emergency visit himself under the new contract.

    Not quite sure how this works, he pays me to go to him then:confused:
  • donteatthat
    donteatthat Posts: 359 Forumite
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    It's just the way the new dental contract works.
    The dentist is not pocketing £15.90 from you - the true cost of an emergency visit is much higher than that. This is one of the reasons few dentists will offer an NHS service.
    Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are usually right.
  • alison999
    alison999 Posts: 1,769 Forumite
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    there are officially 3 bands of treatment on the nhs now. though when i have to explain this to patients i always treat the "emergency" 15.90 as a 4th band.

    i get shouted at about this EVERY DAY. why people cant just be grateful to have a nhs dentist i really do not know.

    i dont know (or really need to) your personal treatment plan/problems but say if you went the first time and had a x-ray done, and the dentist couldnt see anything obvious on it, tried ttp, got nothing, said to see how it goes, 15.90 please. a few days later, its still the same so you go back, whatever happens 15.90 please id just be grateful that the dentist wasnt dying to fill/extract/rct the tooth un-neccisarily (i cant spell that, lol)

    why not try to stick to seeing your usual dentist EVERY TIME. im not saying it wasnt an emergency in your case but its very rare that we get TRUE emergnecies in the "emergency hour" at my work. if you can hang on, see the same dentist every time you go. things always seem to get messy when you see different people all the time.
  • Toothsmith
    Toothsmith Posts: 10,077 Forumite
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    Very good points Alison!
    How to find a dentist.
    1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
    2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
    3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
    4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
  • donteatthat
    donteatthat Posts: 359 Forumite
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    Well said Alison!
    Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are usually right.
  • alison999
    alison999 Posts: 1,769 Forumite
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    go me he he
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