What happens at the dentist if...
Discussion
Ok so the last 3 years ive been on a crap wage and being relatively young i havent bothered going to the dentist,
However 3 or 4 coffees a day and I need to go, mainly for a good clean (yes i brush for 2 mins a day but the staining still builds up, my teeth are by no means yellow, just not as white as id like). Now, i know at the same time ill get a check up, 16 pounds not a problem, however i have a cracked tooth, not causing pain (yet!) and I know it will need root canal or something the cost of which is in excess of 200 pounds! I dont have 200 pounds spare.
so the question is, what happens if I go to the dentist and need a root canal but i cant afford the treatment. being an NHS dentist surely im as entitled to treatment as the dole scrounging gits that get it for free?
However 3 or 4 coffees a day and I need to go, mainly for a good clean (yes i brush for 2 mins a day but the staining still builds up, my teeth are by no means yellow, just not as white as id like). Now, i know at the same time ill get a check up, 16 pounds not a problem, however i have a cracked tooth, not causing pain (yet!) and I know it will need root canal or something the cost of which is in excess of 200 pounds! I dont have 200 pounds spare.
so the question is, what happens if I go to the dentist and need a root canal but i cant afford the treatment. being an NHS dentist surely im as entitled to treatment as the dole scrounging gits that get it for free?
There are three grades of NHS treatment if I recall, one about £17, the next about £47 and the last is £200 plus.
I had root canal on a front tooth and it only cost be £47.
If you can't afford it I guess it would be free if you were on benefits of some kind?
Can you not get pregnant? Its free then.
I had root canal on a front tooth and it only cost be £47.
If you can't afford it I guess it would be free if you were on benefits of some kind?
Can you not get pregnant? Its free then.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1786.aspx?CategoryID=7...
Go for a check up, it might just need a filling or something. Better to know than not!
Go for a check up, it might just need a filling or something. Better to know than not!
mu0n said:
Teeth are important.
Sure £200 is a lot, but could you not borrow/save/hold out on some other things?
One thing I won't skimp on, that's my teeth.
but i feel cheated that its called NHS when i have to pay, and the scrounging benefit scum get treated for free never having worked a day in their sad little lives.Sure £200 is a lot, but could you not borrow/save/hold out on some other things?
One thing I won't skimp on, that's my teeth.
BettySwollocks2 said:
but i feel cheated that its called NHS when i have to pay, and the scrounging benefit scum get treated for free never having worked a day in their sad little lives.
I don't blame you but it's just the way the 'system' works. I am quite right wing myself but even I realise that there have to be some trade offs in a first world country. Although I think that more should be done about the scum in this country (human rights need to be looked at) in reality, things will change very little.Also, we still get subsidised health care for our teeth.
The US on the other hand..... they have to pay full price.
My gf is having root canal this weekend.
BettySwollocks2 said:
mu0n said:
Teeth are important.
Sure £200 is a lot, but could you not borrow/save/hold out on some other things?
One thing I won't skimp on, that's my teeth.
but i feel cheated that its called NHS when i have to pay, and the scrounging benefit scum get treated for free never having worked a day in their sad little lives.Sure £200 is a lot, but could you not borrow/save/hold out on some other things?
One thing I won't skimp on, that's my teeth.
Don't know where in the UK you are, but I used to go to a Dental School (I think it was attached to one of the hospitals in Leeds) where you got free treatment as long as you didn't mind students having a go (supervised).
There may be something similar in your area?
Disclaimer: This was nearly 20 years ago, so the system may have changed in the meantime.
There may be something similar in your area?
Disclaimer: This was nearly 20 years ago, so the system may have changed in the meantime.
My wife had Root canal treatment for free on the NHS
Not because she's a scounging scum, but because 3 months earlier the dentist screwed up a filling and drilled through the tooth, and just filled it.
She was in pain for weeks before going back. The dentist had left the practise (I wonder why) but the Main man sorted it under an NHS warranty scheme.
Not because she's a scounging scum, but because 3 months earlier the dentist screwed up a filling and drilled through the tooth, and just filled it.
She was in pain for weeks before going back. The dentist had left the practise (I wonder why) but the Main man sorted it under an NHS warranty scheme.
Basically if you're earning enough to not be eligible for working tax credits, you have to pay - Dentistry isn't fully part of the NHS, rightly or wrongly that the way it is - IF you're lucky enough to have an NHS dentist the costs aren't terrible - but a root canal is going to be top band - maybe ironically it it's REALLY bad and they have to refer you to hospital it'll be free.
To put it politely, if you're earning enough that you're not eligible for tax credits, you can afford to have your teeth fixed, it's not insanely expensive if you've got an NHS dentist, you might just have to make some sacrifices.
Your first visit will just be a check-up and cost you £17, if you require any additional work you'll be told then and asked to make and appointment - by the sounds of it at very least you'll need to spend 20 mins with the hygienist to clean your teeth, this will cost around £30. If the dentist tell you need a pile of expensive work, bare in mind 2 week delays are the norm for appointments so you'll have a little time to get some money together or just make an appointment for after your next payday, alternatively if you really can't pay quickly ask to pay a certain amount each month, they may say yes, they may say no - but the bit the NHS pays for your treatment will probably cover costs so they won't be risking anything.
Whilst you're on PH, why not have a gander at the Jobs / Employment sections and have a gander at how many 'normal hardworking PH'ers' are "dole scrounging gits" at the moment through no fault of their own.
To put it politely, if you're earning enough that you're not eligible for tax credits, you can afford to have your teeth fixed, it's not insanely expensive if you've got an NHS dentist, you might just have to make some sacrifices.
Your first visit will just be a check-up and cost you £17, if you require any additional work you'll be told then and asked to make and appointment - by the sounds of it at very least you'll need to spend 20 mins with the hygienist to clean your teeth, this will cost around £30. If the dentist tell you need a pile of expensive work, bare in mind 2 week delays are the norm for appointments so you'll have a little time to get some money together or just make an appointment for after your next payday, alternatively if you really can't pay quickly ask to pay a certain amount each month, they may say yes, they may say no - but the bit the NHS pays for your treatment will probably cover costs so they won't be risking anything.
Whilst you're on PH, why not have a gander at the Jobs / Employment sections and have a gander at how many 'normal hardworking PH'ers' are "dole scrounging gits" at the moment through no fault of their own.
I had a root canal done 2 weeks ago on a number 3 tooth (from the centre point, count 3 back. It's what I would call the front, cost me £139 on the NHS. Two weeks on I'm on the second set on antibiotics (£7ish each), as it got infected, the temporary filling fell out last night leaving a hole. Need to go back in a month to have it filled in properly.
Root canal is a doddle, didn't hurt a bit and they even dangled the nerve in front of me to show what they removed. Infection afterwards abosolutely killed though!
If you think root canal is pricey, try the £3.5k I had to pay 6 years ago for one implant and partial jaw rebuild following a football in the face during a sunday league game!
Root canal is a doddle, didn't hurt a bit and they even dangled the nerve in front of me to show what they removed. Infection afterwards abosolutely killed though!
If you think root canal is pricey, try the £3.5k I had to pay 6 years ago for one implant and partial jaw rebuild following a football in the face during a sunday league game!
Just to correct some of those prices above.
RCT on the NHS is £49. Anyone charging more than that is not doing it on the NHS.
The £49 pounds includes your Examination, Xrays, Scaling and Polishing (if needed) and fillings in other teeth (if needed).
Extra charges for seeing a hygienist is not NHS treatment. Cleaning and polishing can be done by the dentist and doesn't need to be done privately (for extra money) by a hygienist.
It's possible that a crown may be required on the RCT tooth but this is not automatically be the case. If a crown is required the total charge, including all the other treatment above, will be £214.
If I worked it out, for the time it takes to do a NHS RCT, I'm earning much less than my nurse does.
RCT on the NHS is £49. Anyone charging more than that is not doing it on the NHS.
The £49 pounds includes your Examination, Xrays, Scaling and Polishing (if needed) and fillings in other teeth (if needed).
Extra charges for seeing a hygienist is not NHS treatment. Cleaning and polishing can be done by the dentist and doesn't need to be done privately (for extra money) by a hygienist.
It's possible that a crown may be required on the RCT tooth but this is not automatically be the case. If a crown is required the total charge, including all the other treatment above, will be £214.
If I worked it out, for the time it takes to do a NHS RCT, I'm earning much less than my nurse does.
Just called my dentist to complain.
I see 2 dentists at the same practice, one is a private dentist to look after my implant, the root canal was on the tooth next to it so he offered to do it. No mention it was a private rate.
I see the NHS dentist in the same practice for all my other teeth, he could have done the root canal for me at £49. Ridiculous that I was mislead and am now waiting for a call back from the practice manager.
One thing the receptionist mentioned, is the NHS root canal cost of £49 time depenedent. She said that I was booked in for a 45 min slot (even though it took 25) and that you cannot have 45 minute slots on the NHS. Is that right?
I see 2 dentists at the same practice, one is a private dentist to look after my implant, the root canal was on the tooth next to it so he offered to do it. No mention it was a private rate.
I see the NHS dentist in the same practice for all my other teeth, he could have done the root canal for me at £49. Ridiculous that I was mislead and am now waiting for a call back from the practice manager.
One thing the receptionist mentioned, is the NHS root canal cost of £49 time depenedent. She said that I was booked in for a 45 min slot (even though it took 25) and that you cannot have 45 minute slots on the NHS. Is that right?
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