Dental Costs. Set Or Not.?

[ibizaboy]

Had a dental appointment on Friday. work needed was to re build a cracked molar and refill. N.H.S. bandings are 1. £23.80. 2, £65.20. and 3 £282.80.
work took 30 minutes and cost £150. the dentist in his chat with me said " a grey filling is £60 and a white £150. he suggested white as its stronger, which i went for.
Why was i not charged the £65.20 set price. just asking before i ring the dentists next week to find out, thanks.

[Buenchico]

Did you actually specify that you wanted NHS treatment? Most dentists offer both private and NHS treatments and it's easy to end up being treated privately, when you want to be treated on the NHS, if you don't make it clear which option you're going with.

[gingejbee]

Sounds like you may have been treated privately, rather than as an NHS patient?

[barry1010]

You was told it would cost £150 and chose that option - you had private treatment.
NHS fillings are usually amalgam (the silver grey) unless visible on a front tooth.

[gingejbee]

...plus, you were given a choice of type of filling...I'm sure it was private treatment!

[Buenchico]

Another clue to whether you had private treatment or an NHS one is how long you had to wait for an appointment. The waiting time on the NHS is currently around three years in some places
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/24/people-in-england-face-three-year-waits-for-dentist-appointments
and anything under a few months strongly suggests that you were treated privately.

[barry1010]

If you had NHS treatment you would have completed a FP17 treatment plan form and given a receipt detailing your NHS treatment and cost.

[ibizaboy]

it is an N.H.S. dental surgery, i,ve been going there for 30 years now. i rang on Thursday and got an appointment for next Tuesday. because of the sharp tooth cutting in to my tongue i rang back Friday at 8.30 and was seen at 10.00. I will ring the dentist on Monday to find out.

[barry1010]

Did you complete the NHS forms and get the NHS receipt? Every NHS dentist also takes on private work.

[barry1010]

Having said that, the dentist should have made it very clear to you that you was having private treatment but he did tell you the cost beforehand and you agreed to it.
I don't really understand why you expected to be charged £62.50 when he told you in advance it would be £150

[gingejbee]

Moral...as always "caveat emptor"...or, in this case "cavity emptor"!

[Patsy33]

Strange, I was told white fillings aren't so strong as the grey ones...

[jennyjoan]

Patsy - I always thought that the white fillings definitely were not as as strong as the silver but I believe that has changed. Some friend told me a few weeks ago that the white has now become more superior.

[Patsy33]

Thanks, JJ. That's good news. I have a few dark fillings and asked dentist a couple of years ago if it was possible to have white fillings. That's when she said they weren't as string, so not ideal. I shall ask again when I go back.

[Patsy33]

Strong!!

[jennyjoan]

If I had the nerve too I would love all my silver fillings out and replaced with white but I'm too nervous.

I will be getting the tooth out that has the alleged gumboil on it. Went to a consultant in School of Dentistry last Thursday and he did say - he was very funny - I had said I'm trying to hold onto my teeth as long as I can - he said - well it's up to you - but when you are sunning yourself in Marbella you could wake up screaming with a big abscess. So just waiting for an appointment.

[Patsy33]

It's for the best, JJ.. :-))

[webbo3]

Gold is the strongest and longer lasting followed by composite(white) then amalgam( silver) I had a couple of gold crowns done in the hospital I work in and the dentist and dental student confirmed this when I questioned why.

[Peter Pedant]

going rate
( foo I aint payin dat - foo dat ! foo dey paid dey are etc etc until exhaustion sets in)
pay it

go NHS and your teeth will fall out

[Barsel]

I don't know if someone has suggested this, but I have it somewhere in my head that if you need a white filling for your front teeth, you can get that on the NHS, but if you ask for white on your back teeth, you have to pay private rates.

[ibizaboy]

Just to politely answer my own question and thank others for there personal opinions this was the outcome.
It is an N.H.S. dentist. They do have have private dentists also. ( mine was not one) I did not have to wait, my appointment was made at 8.30 i was seen at 10.
i was recommended a white filling because it,s stronger and it was my lower left molar. ( chewing tooth!) so i know why i paid £150 not £65.20. problem solved.