Dentists Charges

What really annoys me is that we, innocent patients, have no way of knowing if the dentist is doing work that is totally necessary. Often when moving to a new dentist there are comments about previous work not being good enough or work that should have been done.
Last time I moved dentist because the first one ( private ) wanted to do 'minor' surgical work to my gum, in order to rectify a problem he thought I had!!! I was alarmed and sought a new (also private) Dentist, making no comment about the previous diagnosis. The new dentist discovered a problem with my jaw and a growth that meant an operation at Hospital. All on NHS. Had I not sought the second opinion, I would have paid a great deal to the first dentist to do unnecessary work on a part of my mouth and still had the growth on my jaw!!
No wonder people don't like going, it's not the pain in the jaw, it's the pain in the wallet! X

DH had an estimate - £100 for small filling.
NHS dentists do get their work monitored to prevent fraud as in doing unnecessary work or claiming for work they have not done (well they always used to) bt I don't think there is any check on private sector. ??

Those are the same prices that I pay mrsmopp; it is expensive, but my dentist is really good and I trust his expertise.

Ive at last managed to find a nhs dentist in my area that will take me on as a patient and ive an appointment for Tuesday morning...i told the receptionist that i am a very nervous patient so she can inform the dentist....i am honestly petrified but i know i have to go as i have avoided the dentist for several years!! due to a bereavement and my own ill health....i did ask how much for a consultation and was told it would be £18 for the first visit...i also asked the cost of new dentures as mine need replacing and was told the cost would be £250 approx....these are nhs prices...

A friend of mine told me this morning that she had a dental appointment this afternoon. A front crown had recently fallen out and she had gone to see if it could just be re-glued back on. Oh no! The peg of tooth under the crown had deteriorated so much that she has to have it taken out. She can't afford the £1000 quoted for an implant and so will have a plate with one tooth on it which will cost £250! The cost of dental work is really scary and is simply un-affordable for many people.

The maximum NHS charge for a course of dental treatment is £214. For dentures, the charge is the same for a one tooth denture or full upper and lower dentures £214 includes anything that needs doing in that course of treatment eg exam, xrays, scale and polish, dentures etc.

Some dentists find it isn't cost effective to do crowns and dentures etc on the NHS. Also, some dental practices charge a private fee for the hygienist although, if it is clinically necessary I can't see how they can and, if it isn't, they shouldn't be sending you to see one.

If you are quoted more than £214 you should ask why.

Not so much monitoring nowadays Jess, more checking on paperwork, protocols etc and 'patient satisfaction surveys'. In fact, if too few patients send back their surveys it is a cause for concern regardless of whether most of those patients have dementia, disabilities etc.

Thanks for that info kitty much appreciated..i always presumed you pay every time you go not for the one cost of full treatment...

I've heard this week of three friends having a tooth out. It is quite unusual because once a tooth has gone there is no more money in it. Perhaps these particular dentists felt they were rich enough! I should add that my own dentist is very nice despite only being about 15 years old.

My dentist has a very nice BMW on the strength of my contributions. However, we get on well and always have a nice chat about rugby. Glad I won't be seeing him too soon: after tomorrow he will most likely be gloating.

I have an NHS dentist but the private hygienist charges £45 and £20 has to be paid when the appointment is made. It was suggested that I see the hygienist 3 monthly and the dentist 6 monthly.

I agree it is totally out of hand . My son and DiL live just above the benefits threshold they both work full time. My son has just recently lost a crown that he has had since the age of 14 (he lost the tooth in an accident) he is now 33 and has been quoted £250 to have it replaced. This is nothing short of absolute extortion. The sad fact is that if I do not pay for it he wouldn't be able to have the work done and would have to walk around with a missing tooth forever!

I've just shelled out £625 for a gold overlay (instead of a crown which wasn't suitable) and that included some electro-surgery on my gum. I was horrified - I'd expected it to be steep, but not as steep as that. Apparently I couldn't have it under the NHS as they will only fund it in part if the likelihood of it staying in place is better than evens. Or something.
I have another similar molar to attend to which lost a crown ages ago, but I can't face the prospect of shelling out the same again - at least, not for a goodly while yet!

And that's on top of the £580 I paid a couple of months ago for my new varifocal glasses. Not happy, but had little choice but to pay up.

Gold!!??

NHS – free at the point of need/delivery.

Only if you're under 18 or on benefits for dental treatment. Not sure about over-60s - no NHS dentists available for miles around where I live.

Dentists earn a living like any other professional - I have no problem with that and their mix of NHS/Private practise, but what seems extraordinary is that whilst the NHS will pay for every other part of the body, almost to a limitless degree, gums and teeth are seen not to matter that much and you only get the most very basic of treatment!

You don't get only part treatment for say a new hip and have to make up the rest yourself, so why are teeth different.

You should try Australia. Just add a nought or two onto Uk prices.

Ana - yes, gold - apparently more hardwearing than porcelain
Riverwalk - the NHS won't pay for other body parts to a limitless degree. DD2 had a leg amputation when she was 15. The prosthetic leg she was given was functional but pretty darned ugly. We couldn't afford to go private and buy her a realistic leg, so she had to make do with what she was offered. It was the same story with her prosthetic eye, until she was able to go private herself for that - and the difference was immense.

Yes, I agree Riverwalk. Teeth, gums and jaws are important - why is it that only an emergency such as an abscess warrants free NHS treatment?

My DD knows of working mums who have never taken their children to a dentist because there aren't any NHS ones in their area. Those children are going to have serious dental problems in later life (if not before!).

No Absent dentistry is not free at all ! At least not if you are in work it isn't !!

A number of dentists will treat children under the NHS if the parents register as private patients.

I'm outraged by the charges made by my local dentist, I don't know when prices became so high , they certainly didn't use to be....but we are beholden...when something goes wrong we must get it sorted....my dentist seems so pleasant and professional but I am beginning to think he has a license to print money!!! - a local dentist where i live has just been sent to prison for 7 years for stealing nhs money and falsifying unnessary dental procedures and reports ...it does make you think!!

Nye Bevan will be turning in his grave!

£164 for two fillings. Not easy to find an NHS dentist here, so I stuck with mine when he went private but this is getting beyond a joke.