jobart

[QUOTE=ozzieeagle;4854160]

How does the UK handle these procedures for kids please, Ive been out of the country for a long while ?

QUOTE]


I'm not sure how it is for kids in the UK but for adults if you are under an NHS dentist, the prices just went up before I left!, it cost me 15.50 for a 6 monthly check up, if you need treatment you pay extra, but only up to a maximum of I think around 75 pounds. Prior to the price hike I paid 4.50 for a check up and the last filling I had was 15.00. So it's now a lot more expensive than it was, but nowhere near as bad as it is here by the sounds of it!

Hope I've helped.

Can't advise on private as I was NHS, and will be again after 16th June!

jobart

Jeeezzzz, that is expensive.

jad n rich

I dont know if they think that anymore around the time of the last budget there was some big outcry that something like 60% of aussies were in some sort of dental pain/need of work but couldnt afford it. Up here in qld theres not even flouride in the water and IMO a lot of kids eat a lot of crap, when the dental vans been round the boys were always coming in saying so and sos having 6/8 fillings one kid had 13 and I know thats not a grade 4 story we know his mother. We pay for our kids to have flouride treatments yearly (well the health fund pays).

ozzieeagle

Yes thats true about the waiting lists for government dentist. Up to 5 years for some of our country districts like Moe. I dont know anyone that uses a government dentist here though. There seems to be 3 levels of private dentist here as well. One like my kids go to, where you pay really over the top but can get seen straight away. One like my wife and I go to, (we didnt dare/couldnt pay the fees at our kids place) Where its around 160 bucks for an extraction and fairly reasonable for other procdures, yet provides top quality care, Trouble is there is generally a 3-4 week waiting list unless its an emergency. Then there are places you can go, generally manned by overseas dentist with mostly a migrant cliental, where you can pay as little as 70 bucks for an extraction, The latter seem to be avoided by most Aussies, and have quite large waiting lists.


Are braces and other orthodontic work subsidised by the NHS in the UK ?

wafc

Hi Pete,

So you're going back as well then? I know you were in the same frame of mind as me and you were unsure of what to do.

We've finally decided to go back for good so we fly a week on Tuesday! 13th June. Back to sunny Wigan! Like you say, its going to be hard again to pick up jobs and cars etc and try and get a house but I think we'd rather be doing that there than here at the present time.

I know what you mean about the Focus too, they dont seem to go into European cars much here sadly, just been to the dealers so will see what they come up with.

All the best on your trip back anyway and let me know how you get on.

jad n rich

Relatives who live in UK say for children on the NHS - yes subsidised or free.

But did read on the Oz forum in one of the price of dentistry in OZ threads someone said you would have to pay in the UK as well.

That wasnt our experience, when we left in 2000 all of us had a NHS dentist all of my family still do, sisters kids have free braces, know that because she couldnt believe we have to pay for glasses, prescriptions, specialists, teeth for the kids, they were moaning about the NHS and we told them some of our bills they nearly fell over

spuds

I really sympathise with you - my whole life seems to be baby step forward followed by giant 'leap tall buildings in a single bound' steps backwards. I am so fed up of it

We are really struggling at the moment with two mortgages and while we both have good jobs there's just nothing left after we've paid everything. I don't even want to think about the credit card bill and both me and hubby need dental work done that we are putting off! We do have private health now (2 ops and an emergency caesarian without private health cover is not an experience I wish to repeat!) which I intend to max out on everything possible before I leave as the premiums are painful but even then it doesn't cover anywhere near the cost of dentistry.

So we decided to sell the second car and get by with one, thereby saving all the assosicated costs and getting some money back for it. We bought it about a year and ahlf ago and it had a RWC so we didn't think it would be too hard to get another one. WRONG! The garage called today and there are all sorts of things wrong with it (no idea how it got a RWC in the 1st place as I am sure we haven't abused it that much.) The bill is alreday at $700 and we are no nearer to having it fixed to RW state Plus while they have been dicking about with it, the rego has become due so that's another $500. Knowing our luck we'll get bob all for it too.

How come everything that could go wrong (and cost you money) will do??

Plants that's awful that they didn't tell you they could bulk bill (I am having a fine needle aspiration done on the 15th btw - is ot really horrible?) that seemed to happen to me all the time BEFORE I had private health. Now that I am paying an arm and a leg for a super duper policy they b*ggers never bloody charge me!

The private care here is pretty good though so I am actually thinking of hanging around for anoter baby (and another Caesar) before I head back to Blighty. My friends' stories of having babies on the NHS are not exactly inspiring!

Nicstids

[QUOTE=ozzieeagle;4854160]


I am curious to know how they would handle braces in the UK (circa 6,000 bucks here). With my son the orthodontist have put plates in his mouth to make his jaw larger, as he has a very tiny mouth. Not sure what they call this procedure. I do know it costs upwards of 7,000 bucks.


How does the UK handle these procedures for kids please, Ive been out of the country for a long while ?

QUOTE]

My son had this work done privately in the UK - it's not something that the NHS will cover as far as I'm aware - I think it's still not a mainstream treatment - our son started at age 8 (he's now 11 1/2) and we are very pleased with the results. We paid £2500 in instalments over 2 years so not far off your price.

Since we've been in Aus he's gone to an orthodontist and he's being kept under review - he still has the wires from the UK in his bottom jaw holding the teeth in place. The orthodontist says he probably will still need braces though as his canines (yet to come out) are pointing sideways in his jaw at the moment!

We're hoping that the treatment he will need now will be less extensive and hopefully, because his jaw has been expanded, he shouldn't need any 2nd teeth pulling out. (Our English orthodontist said that she wants to have words with any Aussie who wnats to take any of his teeth out - she was very happy with the way his treatment turned out

ozzieeagle

[QUOTE=Nicstids;4854229] Thanks for this info, I feel a little better now. The reason we are having such extensive treatment with our 9 YO son, is so that he doesn't have any teeth taken out like your son. It does come at a premium price though. You'll find if any dentist here uses the words Holistic dental practice, they will move mountains and jaws not to take any teeth out.

In reply to the early poster re the check up prices, here it is generally 60 dollars at the midrange dentist, and the health care fund will reimburse circa 70 pct of that fee. Beyond that you will find that every dentist has their own indvidual fees, it comes down to how much your health fund reimburses.

LIBBY

Crickey, I did open a can of worms on this one.

My sympathys go out to all of you.

LibbyX

megansmummy

[QUOTE=wafc;4853867]Yep, many people slate the NHS but its got to be one of the best systems out there for when you need treatment etc.

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Totally agree Stu!

The UK dont know how lucky they are. Its a good service on the whole & i for one certainly miss it

Ive yet to go the dentist here & dont want to as ive heard its over priced.

Is it not something that can wait till your home so your not dipping in your funds??

LIBBY

I wish it was something I could wait for, but I was in pain and needed treatment to stop the pain.

I was in no position to argue laying flat on my back in the dentist chair...I felt very pressured to carry on, and glad I did as I am not in pain anymore, but the bank balance has gone down considerably.

My teeth were OK until I had children....they take so much calcium off you and nobody really tells you at the time and its later when you suffer, they decide to tell you the facts, then there is nothing you can do because its to late.

LibbyX

Kath & Graham

Im off to the dentist Tuesday and told the girl I dont want any fillings etc just check up and a clean!!! Huh see what happens....

My sister just went last week, she found a NHS dentist near her,obviously in UK LOL she paid 15 UK pounds!!!! for 2 x rays and a filling, lucky mare

Last time I went when we first arrived went to dentist in Ocean Keys only to be told I needed every single filling replaced as she said they were disgusting!!! I DONT THINK SO!!! Never went back, what flippin annoyes me is me and the kids went every 6 months back in UK and hardly ever had to have any treatment as my teeth arnt too bad...but unfortunately have very achy mouth this week so gonna try another one in Clarkson that comes highly recommend so any of you want number pm me, suppose to be good and not a rip off!!! I'll let you know.....

wafc

Well I've just sold the car to the dealers, we paid $27k for it in Dec/Jan and I've just sold it for $19,500!!! Thats a 3k GBP loss!!

I'll know not to buy a brand new European car if I ever come to Oz again!

Rosie Cheeks

Thats awful. You can never win on cars, well I never have.
Consistantly ripped off, makes me mad!