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NHS Dentist Pricing
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I believe the charging for dentist work carried out under NHS pricing falls into 3 price bands (for people who don't get it free)
Has anyone had an NHS dentist try to add extra charges on top of these standard fees? The last time I used an NHS dentist was before the 2006 price reforms. Although last time I saw a dentist was in Feb but was abroad at the time.
Useful Link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A2451124
- £15.90 - Covers a check up, diagnosis and preventative care such as scale and polish
- £43.60 - Covers all treatment in the previous band plus fillings, root canal treatment and extractions
- £194 - Includes treatment in first two bands and also covers more complex procedures such as crowns, dentures and bridges
Has anyone had an NHS dentist try to add extra charges on top of these standard fees? The last time I used an NHS dentist was before the 2006 price reforms. Although last time I saw a dentist was in Feb but was abroad at the time.
Useful Link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A2451124
0
Comments
Fuck would a cap come under the last one?
The NHS system only covers the most suitable treatment, which is generally silver fillings as the main benefit of white ones is purely cosmetic. Generally you can only get white fillings on the NHS as a special case.
However, you should be able to have your check up, and then dentist will then make a treatment plan and you can discuss whether it would be a white or a silver filling (all for £15.90), if NHS will only cover silver and your determined to have white then the dentist may be able to suggest somewhere you could have that one done privately.
Reason NHS usually does silver is that it's a better match to the natural material your teeth are made from, and it lasts longer.
That's 50% wrong actually.
The benefit of white fillings is NOT purely cosmetic - who told you that?
White fillings are like glue - silver is like cement
To install a silver filling you must drill a dove tailed shaped joint into the tooth and anchor it in - you basically wedge it in - to make this hold you need to drill into the tooth more which weakens it and you need to make the hole on the inside bigger then on the outside.
A white filling sticks to the tooth, so it doesn't require extra drilling into the tooth just for the sake of it. It will form whatever shape conforms to the damaged tooth and seal it.
The whole white is purely cosmetic is false and used to charge people a hell of a lot extra for what is a better filling in the first place. Silver fillings are stronger but i norder to install them you need to make the tooth weaker then it already is.
http://www.3dmouth.org/3/3_3_5.cfm
Did I ever say the benefit of white fillings is purely cosmetic? They have many other benefits, like they can be an ideal treatment for some patients who need special care dentistry as they are quicker to do, require less drilling, set faster and getting on in needs less patient co operation.
Very few white fillings are done with no drilling whatsoever, and their method of application is one of their downsides. Yes they cover the hole that is currently there, but because they are weaker they do less to protect from further damage, and don't last as long.
White fillings have advantages, silver ones have advantages, however if you're looking at long term prospects, silver tends to win over white until you consider cosmetic impact.
Call it quits shall we? :flirt:
"Silver fillings are stronger but in order - to install them you need to make the tooth weaker then it already is"
see I did mention it
Anyway on to the important stuff
Just got back from the Dentist and was told I need a root canal and crown - total cost about £500
That's a lot different from the £189 quoted by the NHS.
So anyone had one of these done?
Other problem is he said it takes 2 weeks to finish cos you need to a cast taken and sent away for the crown to be made - but problem is I'm abroad in Tailand from beginning of Jan.
Absolute max you can be charged for one course of treatment (what needs doing to your teeth at the moment, and would leave you needing no further treatment for at least 3 months after it's done) is the £194.
Did you think you were seeing them as NHS or privately? Those sound like private prices.
You are unlikely (not definite, just unlikely) to get a crown done before the start of January. I appreciate it is more than 2 weeks away, but a lot of the labs that make the crowns will shut between Christmas and New Year, and are unlikely to do routine stuff.
Are you in pain at the moment? How long are you going to Thailand for? One option might be to have a temporary filling done as a quick fix, and get the root and crown done when you get back, although that partly depends on the current state of the tooth.
Going back to the quote, if you were expecting an NHS one, give the practise a ring and querey it. Expensive treatment on the NHS isn't partciularly cost effective for the Dentist, so they may be trying to swing it privately, OR it might be something that would be good to do, would give you a long term solution, but isn't covered by the NHS under the ridiculous new NHS guidelines.
Like they charged me the NHS £15.50 for the exam and xrays today
Gave me some leaflets and pricelist and said have a think about it.
The two stages are £295 for the molar root canal and £195 to £245 for the crown itself.
He said he could do the root canal with a temp cap next week for the £295 and have the crown done when I come back.
He also said the change in pressure on a plane will be likely to set it off if anything at all.
I saw the xray - the white filling I have looks fine from the top but inside was hollow.
I'd like to get it all sorted out before I fly - at least with a temp cap
But of course I'd much rather pay the £194 NHS rate then his £500+ rate.
I think a lot of dentists pick and choose what they'll do on the NHS and what they'll do as a private dentist - saying they offer "some" NHS places helps get people through the door.
That said, I believe (but am not certain) that once you get the check up on the NHS, and the course of treatment is planned from that, you should be able to get the follow up done on the NHS.
If you get in touch with your PCT they can confirm whether or not that is the case. Tell them you've been told that you need this doing at an NHS check up, but you're now being expected to go private to actally get it done.
He does however have a point about the flight potentially triggering a problem.
You should only be charged at NHS rate, once you have been accepted as a NHS patient. They should never be chopping and changing you around, that breaches their NHS contract.