Free Dental Treatment

[Dinger2]

Am I entitled to free dentistry? Iam 62,a retired postman on a company pension (I do NOT receive my State pension until 65) I DO receive free prescriptions as I'm diagnosed with Asthma so I'm wondering am I entitled to free dentistry as I paid NHI subs for my 43 years of working life. If so can I claim back the dental charges I have paid in the last four years and how do I go about it?

[ubasses]

No you only get free if you are on some benefits, are under 18 or pregnant.

[hc4361]

Nope. Even when you are in receipt of state pension you have to pay.

I am very surprised you get free prescriptions as asthma is not on the list of exemptions.
Medical exemption certificates are issued on application to people who have:
A permanent fistula (for example caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance
A form of hypoadrenalism (for example Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
Diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism
Diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone
Hypoparathyroidism
Myasthenia gravis
Myxoedema (that is, hypothyroidism requiring thyroid hormone replacement)
Epilepsy requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy
A continuing physical disability which means the person cannot go out without the help of another person. Temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months

[Buenchico]

As Ubasses indicates, you can only get free treatment if you go to a NHS dental hospital's outpatient unit for treatment. (I've done that several times. It means that you risk being treated by a dental student, but they're all properly supervised):
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Dentalcosts.aspx

[pond50]

everyone over 60 gets free prescriptions

[hc4361]

Silly me. You do of course get free prescriptions due to age, not asthma.

Thanks, pond50