Discussion
Does anyone do denplan through work benefits?
I'm unable to get an NHS dentist and need to really start looking after my teeth.
Work offers denplan so does it work out to be good value or do I just go with a private and pay on credit card (interest free)
Im Also thinking about tax benefits here as I may creep into the 50% band next year.
I'm unable to get an NHS dentist and need to really start looking after my teeth.
Work offers denplan so does it work out to be good value or do I just go with a private and pay on credit card (interest free)
Im Also thinking about tax benefits here as I may creep into the 50% band next year.
I have a dental plan that I utilise via SalSac.
Got the family plan and it is decent as it allows us all to have a scale and polish 2x/yr
Also, any x-rays are covered (80%).
If you know you are going to need work (my oldest needed orthodontics) then it can be really useful - esp if you are not on NHS.
I have to make a decision for Cal 2025 and may go down a level. I would make sure your dental place allows it, and if you can use the scheme against the work you need done.
Got the family plan and it is decent as it allows us all to have a scale and polish 2x/yr
Also, any x-rays are covered (80%).
If you know you are going to need work (my oldest needed orthodontics) then it can be really useful - esp if you are not on NHS.
I have to make a decision for Cal 2025 and may go down a level. I would make sure your dental place allows it, and if you can use the scheme against the work you need done.
I looked again today and it's actually bupa plan at work on my benefits.
It would cost me £600 quid a year to do the Level 5 on Bupa plan and double to add the missus on. So if I had a few fillings this year I would probably be paying this sort of money, so is dental insurance in effect an interest free loan with a bit of tax break and "discounted rates"?
What are Bupa dentists like from a charging process? When you look at the standard price list it has a lot of different things priced that seem to be part of the same process e.g. Check up and Xrays are priced separately.
I'm concerned they'll quote these prices then you'll actually have the treatment and end up with a lot of additional charges included.
It would cost me £600 quid a year to do the Level 5 on Bupa plan and double to add the missus on. So if I had a few fillings this year I would probably be paying this sort of money, so is dental insurance in effect an interest free loan with a bit of tax break and "discounted rates"?
What are Bupa dentists like from a charging process? When you look at the standard price list it has a lot of different things priced that seem to be part of the same process e.g. Check up and Xrays are priced separately.
I'm concerned they'll quote these prices then you'll actually have the treatment and end up with a lot of additional charges included.
Not wanting to start a new thread......
I've had a gutsful of my useless NHS practice and have started to look at private options including Denplan.
How does the charging actually work? Everything I have read is smoke and mirrors.
I likely need 2x root canal and crown work (one of which the NHS won't touch), so I highly doubt I can rock up to a private practice running Denplan and say hey chuck me on the top plan and sort these out for £35 a month, unless you're locked in for a minimum term?
I therefore assume you have to pay for any restorative work first prior to going on any plan? If that's the case I may as well get what I can done on the NHS then move across.
Can anyone shed any light?
I've had a gutsful of my useless NHS practice and have started to look at private options including Denplan.
How does the charging actually work? Everything I have read is smoke and mirrors.
I likely need 2x root canal and crown work (one of which the NHS won't touch), so I highly doubt I can rock up to a private practice running Denplan and say hey chuck me on the top plan and sort these out for £35 a month, unless you're locked in for a minimum term?
I therefore assume you have to pay for any restorative work first prior to going on any plan? If that's the case I may as well get what I can done on the NHS then move across.
Can anyone shed any light?
The smoke and mirrors is what I'm never happy with hence the post.
My interpretation is as follows.
You pay for bandings of cover, If you pay the top band it's say 100 quid.
The policy has a maximum you can claim for for treatments.
So if you had a root canal you'd get whatever the cover is (claimable) and pay the difference.
I went into denplan years ago naively thinking I paid 30 quid for unlimited NHS level of car but I got billed after a filling by a lovely rip of private dentist who didn't even explain the terms and went on with treatment.
My interpretation is as follows.
You pay for bandings of cover, If you pay the top band it's say 100 quid.
The policy has a maximum you can claim for for treatments.
So if you had a root canal you'd get whatever the cover is (claimable) and pay the difference.
I went into denplan years ago naively thinking I paid 30 quid for unlimited NHS level of car but I got billed after a filling by a lovely rip of private dentist who didn't even explain the terms and went on with treatment.
I had Denplan through work, but they only cover NHS costs and there is a distinct lack of NHS dentists round here. I now pay a monthly subscription to our private dentist that covers two check ups and two (had four this year though) hygienist appointments. It also gives you 10% off any other work needed. Still works out at £225 for a filling though.
I'm now looking for a dental plan too. Absolutely desert of NHS dentists around here. I've been quoted £120 for an initial check up but I actually need a filling as the one the NHS dentist gave me 18months ago has fell out leaving a large hole. BUPA is about £32 a month but that only covers check ups and they can't give me a figure on the filling!
I’ve used Denplan for years. My cover has just gone up to about £22 per month from January. I get 2 x yearly checkups and clean and polish. They have been great, my dentist is great, I’ve had 2 root canal fillings with no extra cost at all. My sister uses them on my recommendation, she has a little more problems than me and she pays £24.50 a month. Would recommend but I guess it depends how good your actual dentist is
I have a really good NHS dentist in Lancashire, nice surgery etc.
Just had my six monthly check, and a good 20 minutes with the hygienist afterwards......£28.00
My son who is 38 and his girlfriend has been trying to get on the waiting list at the same place, (after moving into the area,) for three years, but they are not taking anybody new on as they are oversubscribed..
He will have to go private.
Just had my six monthly check, and a good 20 minutes with the hygienist afterwards......£28.00
My son who is 38 and his girlfriend has been trying to get on the waiting list at the same place, (after moving into the area,) for three years, but they are not taking anybody new on as they are oversubscribed..
He will have to go private.
Our family is on Denplan. There are different levels of cover, so it's worth reading the policies.
Going back 30 years I was with an NHS dentist who changed to private only. He was so good (saved my teeth where another NHS had done nothing - I knew they weren't right!). I decided to stay with him, and he was a top and it would be worth paying.
A little anecdote.........
On one occasion I had a problem and he was on holiday - I saw another dentist under the same practice who wanted to do the work on NHS and gave me a price, stating if my dentist did it when he returned it would cost pricex2. I waited for Private dentist to return from holiday, and when he fixed it the price was half the NHS guy. He had the skill to reuse the crown which the NHS guy had said needed replacing - he went along the corridor and gave him a piece of his mind, and the NHS guy wasn't there 6 months later! I could just pay whatever for work done, and over years it worked out very reasonably. (what price can you put on your teeth?.
Alas things have changed now, we moved, he retired, and private requires a monthly payment in the practice we attend, and there is no NHS option. I would be very reluctant to go to an NHS dentist - not being elitist at all, but I'm convinced they are either not as skilled or just don't have the same level of equipment.
Going back 30 years I was with an NHS dentist who changed to private only. He was so good (saved my teeth where another NHS had done nothing - I knew they weren't right!). I decided to stay with him, and he was a top and it would be worth paying.
A little anecdote.........
On one occasion I had a problem and he was on holiday - I saw another dentist under the same practice who wanted to do the work on NHS and gave me a price, stating if my dentist did it when he returned it would cost pricex2. I waited for Private dentist to return from holiday, and when he fixed it the price was half the NHS guy. He had the skill to reuse the crown which the NHS guy had said needed replacing - he went along the corridor and gave him a piece of his mind, and the NHS guy wasn't there 6 months later! I could just pay whatever for work done, and over years it worked out very reasonably. (what price can you put on your teeth?.
Alas things have changed now, we moved, he retired, and private requires a monthly payment in the practice we attend, and there is no NHS option. I would be very reluctant to go to an NHS dentist - not being elitist at all, but I'm convinced they are either not as skilled or just don't have the same level of equipment.
Chicken Chaser said:
I'm now looking for a dental plan too. Absolutely desert of NHS dentists around here. I've been quoted £120 for an initial check up but I actually need a filling as the one the NHS dentist gave me 18months ago has fell out leaving a large hole. BUPA is about £32 a month but that only covers check ups and they can't give me a figure on the filling!
We pay £250 (-10%) for fillings. A recent one fell out and needed an extraction (at £900) with no discount for the filling that only lasted a few weeks.Also, private is no better treatment than NHS in my experience. My private dentist got in a flap over a lump on my jaw and referred me for an urgent appointment at the dental hospital. They responded after 8 weeks by letter, that they didn't think it was urgent and to join the 54 week waiting list. By then I had sought medical advice myself and found it to be nothing, but that my dentist needed to do an urgent follow up (she was cc'd in all correspondence). That was 3 months ago and I haven't had a reply from her yet.
I have been on Denplan for 20+ years and can’t see any ‘smoke and mirrors’
Antibiotics and some aspects of root canal work had to be paid for separately but it was about £150 all in as I recall.
I think (it’s a long time ago) I had to pay for an initial consultation and a filling. But needing a filling replacement and not being able to get a decent NHS dentist was why I was there in the first place. After that it’s just been the monthly fee
Is it VFM? Maybe/maybe not but we all know the minute I change to “pay as you go” something hideously expensive will occur!
Antibiotics and some aspects of root canal work had to be paid for separately but it was about £150 all in as I recall.
I think (it’s a long time ago) I had to pay for an initial consultation and a filling. But needing a filling replacement and not being able to get a decent NHS dentist was why I was there in the first place. After that it’s just been the monthly fee
Is it VFM? Maybe/maybe not but we all know the minute I change to “pay as you go” something hideously expensive will occur!
Red9zero said:
We pay £250 (-10%) for fillings. A recent one fell out and needed an extraction (at £900) with no discount for the filling that only lasted a few weeks.
Also, private is no better treatment than NHS in my experience. My private dentist got in a flap over a lump on my jaw and referred me for an urgent appointment at the dental hospital. They responded after 8 weeks by letter, that they didn't think it was urgent and to join the 54 week waiting list. By then I had sought medical advice myself and found it to be nothing, but that my dentist needed to do an urgent follow up (she was cc'd in all correspondence). That was 3 months ago and I haven't had a reply from her yet.
Unless I change practice then the same dentists I was under the NHS for will now charge me extra for the same. I doubt I'll get a better service for it. Also, private is no better treatment than NHS in my experience. My private dentist got in a flap over a lump on my jaw and referred me for an urgent appointment at the dental hospital. They responded after 8 weeks by letter, that they didn't think it was urgent and to join the 54 week waiting list. By then I had sought medical advice myself and found it to be nothing, but that my dentist needed to do an urgent follow up (she was cc'd in all correspondence). That was 3 months ago and I haven't had a reply from her yet.
The dentist I use is Private only
But it is a family business and acts like one.
Examples, free check ups for my wife when she was pregnant. She wasn’t even a customer, we bumped into my Dentist in M&S and I told him our news. Also offer of a second opinion on some suggested treatment by the NHS dentist for my son.
It’s a very popular practice, I don’t think a dentist doing a mix of NHS and Private would be able to offer that.
But it is a family business and acts like one.
Examples, free check ups for my wife when she was pregnant. She wasn’t even a customer, we bumped into my Dentist in M&S and I told him our news. Also offer of a second opinion on some suggested treatment by the NHS dentist for my son.
It’s a very popular practice, I don’t think a dentist doing a mix of NHS and Private would be able to offer that.
Fastpedeller said:
Our family is on Denplan. There are different levels of cover, so it's worth reading the policies.
......
If you do Denplan directly with your dentist (ie, not through a company scheme) your dentist decides the cost supposedly based on how much dental care they estimate you'll need over the next 12 months.......
We don't pay any separate charge for fillings and extractions - not that we've had many - but I've no doubt the cost of the chances of doing those is worked into the monthly payments.
Sheepshanks said:
Fastpedeller said:
Our family is on Denplan. There are different levels of cover, so it's worth reading the policies.
......
If you do Denplan directly with your dentist (ie, not through a company scheme) your dentist decides the cost supposedly based on how much dental care they estimate you'll need over the next 12 months.......
We don't pay any separate charge for fillings and extractions - not that we've had many - but I've no doubt the cost of the chances of doing those is worked into the monthly payments.
In the second year, if the dentist considers you're more stable, then the monthly will be a lot less to perhaps just cover routine check up and hygiene.
I've looked around my local private dentists and the price disparity is unbelievable for work. For example a standard Crown can be between £500 and £1400 depending on the practice.
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