EileenG

Hi,
I haven't lived in or even been to England in 20 years. But I don't have dental insurance and now I need MAJOR work done. I live in the U.S. Since I am a UK citizen, does anyone know if I have any rights to dental care (and health care for that matter) in the UK? Is it worth my while to fly there to get this work done? How do I go about finding out about this? Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!
Time is of the essence.
Thanks so much.
Eileen.

dunroving

The objective answer to your question is no, you are not entitled to free or reduced healthcare in the UK, unless you have an unexpected emergency while visiting the UK, in which case you (and citizens of any country in the world) will receive the best care the UK can give, for free. Only residents of the UK are entitled to routine free health care.

Be ready for some less than objective responses to your post ... I'm sure they won't be long coming.

[p.s. You might do a search for "NHS" on the MBTTUK board. You'll find this question has been asked many times before - and it will give you an idea of what to expect in reply. As you say your need is urgent, searching for past replies to this type of question will be a lot quicker than waiting for replies to your own post - although people are usually pretty quick to tell you what they think about ex-UK residents trying to get free NHS treatment]

TruBrit

why should you? have you contributed since living out of the country for 20yrs? you are after all living in the land of the free so squeeze their resources

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/...rom_abroad.htm

bevinva

One of my neighbours went home to the Philippines to get dental work done because it worked out cheaper. It wasn't free just cheaper even with the airfare. You could quite easily contact a private dentist in the UK and see if it would be cheaper, with computers you should be able to show him x-rays etc and what needs to be done. Since it won't be free you could just combine a vacation with it.

geeandtee

Have you thought about Mexico? I know a few people around here who head south of the border for major dental work. They seem to have found reputable dentists and have been happy with the results.

dunroving

That's a good point - I think there was a program on recently saying similar things about treatment in some of the new Eastern European members of the EU (I think they were showing people who went on cosmetic surgery vacations, but the principle is the same).

I'm sure Prague is nice this time of year...

englishrose

cant believe the cheek of some people

sans

As far as i'm aware the only people who get free dental in the UK are people on benefits and kids. Everybody else has to pay even on the National Health.
And chances are if you haven't already got a National Health dentist, you will have to go private anyway.

Old Lob

Eileen,

Just go - there are plenty of dentists in London. Explain to them that they need to get the finger out as, being a US resident you are coughing up money to stay here. They will understand. No need to pay for anything really. If you go to the DSS you can probably get benefit paid for the time you are here.

I am a sort of dentist and would be happy to pull out your teeth.

Fleaflyfloflum

PMSL

You just made a sick woman smile

geeandtee

brilliant...

JULIEROSE

I'm in the same boat I need an implant and all my wisdom teeth out which, will run into several thousand dollars over my military annual dental insurance coverage! I was recently thinking what part of south america is nice at least that way we can get a vacation out of it. The bit that really gets my goat is every dentist you go to, tells you what a CRAP job the last one did and my dentists in the Uk said leave the wisdom in and the yanks say out they need to come! ...

Old Lob

Don't open ypur gob too wide - or out they come!!

Get well soon mate!!

Old Lob

Yes but ask them if, at your cost, they will be willing to join you in a court case against the offending dentist...They never will.

India is a good place for teeth as well - getting popular as a form of medical tourism. When they remove your widom teeth do you become a divvie?

honeybee

[
Be ready for some less than objective responses to your post ... I'm sure they won't be long coming.


Yikes......time to duck!!