Dental costs!

[FlipFlop0706]

Hi everyone!
Can someone please explain nhs dental costs to me like I’m an idiot? The way I understand it is- dentists in the U.K.- there’s private (strictly private no nhs) and dentists who are private but also accept nhs.

NHS treatment comes under three bands depending on treatment you need. Unless you are on certain benefits or exempt from paying.

I’m currently on esa so I believe I am exempt from paying? I haven’t been since the pandemic but managed to register at my local dentist (who takes nhs and private) but I have no idea if I’m registered as an nhs patient or a private one. I assume they won’t tell me until they see me and assess what needs doing? Everyone is telling me that I won’t have to pay for an initial appointment with the dentist but I will have to pay to see the hygienist as they all work as private?

My understanding was that my initial visit and work with the hygienist would come under band one which I would be exempt from paying?

Obviously I’m a little worried about the potential costs as last time I went it was very expensive as some treatment was done on the nhs and some was done privately. I can’t afford that again as it’s money that I don’t have at the moment. How do I say politely to the dentist that i am not interested in any private work as I can’t afford it? This is my first time on any kind of benefit and I’m just really worried about coming out with a big bill!

Do I need to take proof of my exemption or is it done via my national insurance number?

Thank you in advice from a lass with major toothache!

 

[Kim Mild]

Can you phone your dentist and ask if you are a private or NHS patient?

 

[Jc456]

Hi everyone!
Can someone please explain nhs dental costs to me like I’m an idiot? The way I understand it is- dentists in the U.K.- there’s private (strictly private no nhs) and dentists who are private but also accept nhs.

NHS treatment comes under three bands depending on treatment you need. Unless you are on certain benefits or exempt from paying.

I’m currently on esa so I believe I am exempt from paying? I haven’t been since the pandemic but managed to register at my local dentist (who takes nhs and private) but I have no idea if I’m registered as an nhs patient or a private one. I assume they won’t tell me until they see me and assess what needs doing? Everyone is telling me that I won’t have to pay for an initial appointment with the dentist but I will have to pay to see the hygienist as they all work as private?

My understanding was that my initial visit and work with the hygienist would come under band one which I would be exempt from paying?

Obviously I’m a little worried about the potential costs as last time I went it was very expensive as some treatment was done on the nhs and some was done privately. I can’t afford that again as it’s money that I don’t have at the moment. How do I say politely to the dentist that i am not interested in any private work as I can’t afford it? This is my first time on any kind of benefit and I’m just really worried about coming out with a big bill!

Do I need to take proof of my exemption or is it done via my national insurance number?

Thank you in advice from a lass with major toothache!

I would call and ask. Where I am the dentists that are nhs and private aren't taking on anymore nhs patients.

 

[Suzesnooze]

Hi everyone!
Can someone please explain nhs dental costs to me like I’m an idiot? The way I understand it is- dentists in the U.K.- there’s private (strictly private no nhs) and dentists who are private but also accept nhs.

NHS treatment comes under three bands depending on treatment you need. Unless you are on certain benefits or exempt from paying.

I’m currently on esa so I believe I am exempt from paying? I haven’t been since the pandemic but managed to register at my local dentist (who takes nhs and private) but I have no idea if I’m registered as an nhs patient or a private one. I assume they won’t tell me until they see me and assess what needs doing? Everyone is telling me that I won’t have to pay for an initial appointment with the dentist but I will have to pay to see the hygienist as they all work as private?

My understanding was that my initial visit and work with the hygienist would come under band one which I would be exempt from paying?

Obviously I’m a little worried about the potential costs as last time I went it was very expensive as some treatment was done on the nhs and some was done privately. I can’t afford that again as it’s money that I don’t have at the moment. How do I say politely to the dentist that i am not interested in any private work as I can’t afford it? This is my first time on any kind of benefit and I’m just really worried about coming out with a big bill!

Do I need to take proof of my exemption or is it done via my national insurance number?

Thank you in advice from a lass with major toothache!

It’s changed a bit. You used to be allowed 4 hygenist treatments a year under NHS but you had to go for a check up with Dentist first to be referred to the hygenist and that used to cost about £65?

Now you can only have 2 hygenist visits a year and the other visits will be private. Mine will cost £60 private. I have to go every 3 months so there’s not much difference in price for me and the fact I had to go to the dentist first was a rip off as he would just look at my teeth/gums and say yes go to the hygenist.

 

[FlipFlop0706]

It’s changed a bit. You used to be allowed 4 hygenist treatments a year under NHS but you had to go for a check up with Dentist first to be referred to the hygenist and that used to cost about £65?

Now you can only have 2 hygenist visits a year and the other visits will be private. Mine will cost £60 private. I have to go every 3 months so there’s not much difference in price for me and the fact I had to go to the dentist first was a rip off as he would just look at my teeth/gums and say yes go to the hygenist.

This is the issue. I’m a new patient so I was told on the phone I’ll have to see him first before I see the hygienist but I don’t know if I’m seeing him privately or if this is via the nhs. It’s not very clear at all and I’m just worried of making an appointment and then being charged as a private patient. Potentially I could be charged for seeing the dentist initially, then the hygienist and then back to the dentist again for the filling I think I need! Especially as I’m currently exempt from charges on the nhs at the moment.

I’ve tried to call but receptionist wasn’t that helpful, said that it depends on what the dentist decides as what is clinically necessary. She said I might have to pay the hygienist as she works privately but the dentist “might be covered under nhs?”

I think I’ll just book in and say I don’t want any private treatment. I just don’t like going not knowing what I might be charged.
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I would call and ask. Where I am the dentists that are nhs and private aren't taking on anymore nhs patients.

The website said they were taking on nhs patients, but they also do private. Phoned but the reception just said it depends on what the dentist thinks is “clinically needed”. So not sure which elements I might be charged privately and which come under the nhs. I think seeing the dentist initially will be nhs but the hygienist will be private. Just terrified of going, then getting a big bill! Everyone I talk to says different things!

 

[Suzesnooze]

This is the issue. I’m a new patient so I was told on the phone I’ll have to see him first before I see the hygienist but I don’t know if I’m seeing him privately or if this is via the nhs. It’s not very clear at all and I’m just worried of making an appointment and then being charged as a private patient. Potentially I could be charged for seeing the dentist initially, then the hygienist and then back to the dentist again for the filling I think I need! Especially as I’m currently exempt from charges on the nhs at the moment.

I’ve tried to call but receptionist wasn’t that helpful, said that it depends on what the dentist decides as what is clinically necessary. She said I might have to pay the hygienist as she works privately but the dentist “might be covered under nhs?”

I think I’ll just book in and say I don’t want any private treatment. I just don’t like going not knowing what I might be charged.
---

The website said they were taking on nhs patients, but they also do private. Phoned but the reception just said it depends on what the dentist thinks is “clinically needed”. So not sure which elements I might be charged privately and which come under the nhs. I think seeing the dentist initially will be nhs but the hygienist will be private. Just terrified of going, then getting a big bill! Everyone I talk to says different things!

If it’s NHS then they can’t charge you twice in a 2 month period so if you had to go back for a filling it would all be under the same band. It would be Band 2 if it included the hygenist as well.

It seems strange they can’t tell you if it’s private or NHS. I would ask before you agree to any treatment as private costs are ridiculous.