Dental charges

[sunflower68]

My other half came back yesterday with a £70 bill for a look at a painful wisdom tooth which resulted in an xray and antibiotics for the diagnosed infection. Further to this a summary of future treatments with the hygienist totaling potentially £160.
I thought NHS dentists had scales for charges starting at £17?? Seems online to be the case.
Could he have been inadvertently been charged privately??

[J9PUR]

"Could he have been inadvertently been charged privately??"

This is the most likely explanation from the details given.

[J9PUR]

Sorry, Sunflower 68, I would clarify my answer to say....
Privately - yes
Inadvertently - no

[bednobs]

it is probably a classic case of signing something without reading it. That is NOT an NHS charge

[craft1948]

As my private dentist charges £35 just for a check-up I doubt it.......

[sunflower68]

Thanks J9 for reply...interested to know how one cannot be charged privately by "mistake". Is it the wording you are averse to?
Many services are out to make money these days; we are not wrong to question this total.
It does seem extortionate; he was in a huge hurry when he left and probably did not read the small print...and probably will argue this one out.

[bednobs]

firstly, is it an NHS dentist? Has he had NHS treatment there before?
As you rightly state, dental charges are either £17, £47 or £204, depending on what band the treatment given is in. If the patient needs treatment over more than 1 band, the most expensive band is charged, not the cheaper band plus the dearer band. Bear in ming though that prescriptions (if he pays for them) will be on top of this

[bednobs]

PS there is NO hygeinist treatment on the NHS at all. If it has been recommended that sees a hygeinist, he is perfectly at liberty to decline it. It is a purely private service

[J9PUR]

Hi Sunflower68

What I mean is that the dental practice would not have charged your OH privately 'by mistake'. There are specific clincial records card, treatment plan forms, consent forms, computer admin software for NHS/private patients.

It sounds as though your OH was not accepted as an NHS patient, and so was treated privately, given a private treatment plan and estimate, and thus charged accordingly.

The options that your OH has are to either go with the private treatment plan if he is happy to, or to look for NHS treatment at the same practice or another pratice.

PS: hope his infection clears up soon :-)

[sunflower68]

Thanks Bednobs...it is a dentist whom he found advertising "NHS patients welcome" so he signed up a while ago and it is the first time he has really used them. Hmmm it is so cheeky of them.

[LoftyLottie]

When he signed up with them did he make it clear that he wanted NHS treatment and not private treatment?

Most dentists take on both private and NHS and often only a few NHS and can only put you on a waiting list for NHS.

[bednobs]

there are some dentists that only take on NHS patients that are free - so for example children, people who get free treatment owing to a low income, and maternoty certificates etc. Perhaps it's oner of those. He needs to make it clear he wants NHS treatment, and not sign anything that indicates otherwise

[LoftyLottie]

Also if he signed up with them a while ago and hasn't used them then they might have written him off their NHS list. Our dentists do this if you don't attend for over a year.

[sunflower68]

Sorry thanks J9 for clearing it up we crossed posts! Yup I think he has been put on the private list somehow and maybe can rectify soon...Lofty maybe he hasn't been clearly informed hopefully he can work something out, thanks for the replies.x

[rsvp]

<<<<<It does seem extortionate; he was in a huge hurry when he left and probably did not read the small print...>>>>>
in most cases this means you are responsible for the service you have received.

[sunflower68]

hmmm rsvp we shall see : )

[To-Ryscum]

sorry to interrupt - sunflower68 - i thought the new Brainteaser Q
might intrigue you x :-)

[bednobs]

you wont be able to get a refund on a service already recieved. They can't take back a dental examination!

[rsvp]

s/flower68 - indeed we will! I hope it works out for you and I'd love to be wrong.

[saxy_jag]

Not sure whether it's supposed to be a national code of practice or what, but my own NHS dentist always explains what treatment is available privately and what is available on the NHS. The choice is then the patient's to make and treatment is charged accordingly.