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Paying for the dentist
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
not sure whether this should be in health or not...
okay at the moment i dont have an NHS dentist. i havent had one for 3 years since i went to work in spain for 9 months and my old dentist took me off the register. i've tried for absolutely ages to get another dentist. im desparately in need of a few fillings and stuff like that, but its almost impossible to find one. there are none in my surrounding area.
anyway 3 times in the past couple of months i've had to use the emergency dentist service because of severe toothache (all in one tooth). each time i use it they send me to the same dentist (at my request because its nearest to me, and, i have a phobia of them and this one guy they send me to, is really good at calming nervous patients down). each time i go i have to pay £45 which they say is 'the cost for seeing the dentist, and for any treatment you may need'.
whenever i ring the emergency dentist up they always ask me if i work, which i do. i guess this is to work out whether i have to pay for the dentist. the only thing is, i DO work, but i only have 24 contract hours a week. it doesnt amount to very much pay and i really cant afford to keep paying £45 for every single trip i make to the dentist
everytime i go, to the good dentist, i ask him if hes taking on new patients (i practically begged him last time?!) and he always says that they're only allowed to take patients on through the emergency dentist service. ie, i should keep ringing up the service and complaining of toothache then they will send me to him each time. but that means that every time i have 1 filling i have to pay £45, and i think i need at least 3, i just cant afford that everytime?!
okay so sorry this is a bit long basically i want to ask. is there anything that can contribute towards the cost of paying for the dentist. AND, if i was just a normal NHS patient on his books, is that how much it'd be? £45 for each filling? or would it be £45 for whatever work needs to be carried out?
also does anybody know how to get a dentist when theres none available im honestly frustrated and so upset about this, its like, i know i need work doing and i dont want all my teeth to fall out before im 30 but i just cant get anyone to do it! is going private really expensive? i tried looking at dental insurance plans but i dont really understand them. heeeelp! :crying:
okay at the moment i dont have an NHS dentist. i havent had one for 3 years since i went to work in spain for 9 months and my old dentist took me off the register. i've tried for absolutely ages to get another dentist. im desparately in need of a few fillings and stuff like that, but its almost impossible to find one. there are none in my surrounding area.
anyway 3 times in the past couple of months i've had to use the emergency dentist service because of severe toothache (all in one tooth). each time i use it they send me to the same dentist (at my request because its nearest to me, and, i have a phobia of them and this one guy they send me to, is really good at calming nervous patients down). each time i go i have to pay £45 which they say is 'the cost for seeing the dentist, and for any treatment you may need'.
whenever i ring the emergency dentist up they always ask me if i work, which i do. i guess this is to work out whether i have to pay for the dentist. the only thing is, i DO work, but i only have 24 contract hours a week. it doesnt amount to very much pay and i really cant afford to keep paying £45 for every single trip i make to the dentist
everytime i go, to the good dentist, i ask him if hes taking on new patients (i practically begged him last time?!) and he always says that they're only allowed to take patients on through the emergency dentist service. ie, i should keep ringing up the service and complaining of toothache then they will send me to him each time. but that means that every time i have 1 filling i have to pay £45, and i think i need at least 3, i just cant afford that everytime?!
okay so sorry this is a bit long basically i want to ask. is there anything that can contribute towards the cost of paying for the dentist. AND, if i was just a normal NHS patient on his books, is that how much it'd be? £45 for each filling? or would it be £45 for whatever work needs to be carried out?
also does anybody know how to get a dentist when theres none available im honestly frustrated and so upset about this, its like, i know i need work doing and i dont want all my teeth to fall out before im 30 but i just cant get anyone to do it! is going private really expensive? i tried looking at dental insurance plans but i dont really understand them. heeeelp! :crying:
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Comments
Saying you need to be constantly reffered for emergency treatment to get on his books sounds, to me, a load of fucking crap. He should have a waiting list, then when one of his patients moves etc the next on the list takes their place, like my dentists did for Leigh when we moved here. Sounds like he's trying to make money off you. If you're registed with a dentist you'd get all your fillings done for a flat rate, currently £46.50p
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_096617
If you need help with costs, get an HC1 form.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Medicinespharmacyandindustry/Prescriptions/DH_099280
I found this which might be useful
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/health/help_with_health_costs.htm
ive been trying to get an nhs dentist for a while now. my dad has managed to get me on the one back home that i was at 5 years ago. i didn't realise i was still registered there.
anyway, i think i need a few fillings but theres no way im getting silver ones. i know the nhs doesn't cover white fillings. i was just wondering though...how much (just a rough estimate) would they charge me for them? i think i need a few fillings im going there next week and im scared about how much the work is going to cost.
Charging.NHS dental charges
The three NHS charge bands are listed below.
* Band 1 £16.50 - this charge includes an examination, diagnosis, and preventive advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, scale and polish, and planning for further treatment.
* Band 2 £45.60 - this charge includes all the necessary treatment that is covered by the £16.50 charge, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment, or extractions.
* Band 3 £198.00 - this charge includes all the necessary treatment that is covered by the £16.50 and £45.60 charges, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures, and bridges.
(from http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1781.aspx?CategoryID=74&SubCategoryID=74 )
Turns out trying to do it off the top of my head isn't too successful.
Further details also on that link.
The new contract is a bit of a mess, and one feature is means that Dentists no longer have lists any more. From an NHS point of view, you're their patient for that course of treatment and then no longer. There's a certain provision for returning to the same place for check ups but that's about it.
Getting routine work done on an emergency basis obviously isn't the way forward, as you pay a premium for the short notice treatment.
Your local PCT have a duty to find you an NHS dentist. If you can't find anywhere else to start, call NHS direct, they are an information service as well as an advice service.
You may well not be able to see the guy you've seen so far, but if you can manage him, mind over matter, you'll be ok with someone else. New leaf and you'll be just fine with dentistry. You should be able to get all the fillings done for band 2 pricing.
Hope that helps, do ask more specific questions, as I said, brain is dead....
I didn't know they still had silver fillings. My parents told me to ask when I had a filling, just in case, and my dentist looked at me like I was a whack job and said they don't even offer anything that isn't tooth colored (I think there are a couple different kinds?). I heard they aren't as durable though as silver. I should have asked if they did gold
[/useless]
It's also worth checking out the low income forms (HC11 I think it is).
Eugh eugh eugh.
Scale & polish is plaque removal.
Now to find a dentist .
seriously?
i think i need quite a few. oh poop.
ah well, work needs doing. im guessing this is what next months pay is going to be paying for :grump:
its an nhs dentist so maybe they'll be nice with the private fees for white fillings. i doubt it though, lol.
i dont think they do those horrible black fillings anymore at least i dont think so.
to everyone else thank you very much. i rang up to speak to the dentist reception about it and iv found out the reason iv been having to pay £45 each time is that because, i need quite a bit of work doing, and under the emergency dentist referral scheme they can only see me twice. and two appointments isnt enough to sort out all the stuff i need doing. so, when they take on patients (which is next month, I SO hope i get taken on!) il pay £45 and they'll do all my stuff that need doing as a regular patient. which will be much better.
contemplating getting one of those HC1 forms but i dont know whether it'd be worth it.
Vaguely considering Denplan though - not entirely sure how it works but think you pay about £15 a month and that covers everything.
really? mmmm, will have to ask when im there then
just don't wanna come out looking like a metal mouth. i *know* for sure i need a filling on one of my front-ish teeth (well its to the side but it can be seen) so i dont want it to be noticable!
good luck getting on register hun!
HC1 forms are well worth doing if you're likely to qualify.