NHS Dentistry
 

I have read people complaining about the difficulty of getting NHS dental treatment. I think it may be a postcode lottery. We have a dental surgery on out island that happily provides dental treatment on the NHS. I have just had a crown replaced by a cheerful and competent dentist. No charge.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Free NHS dental treatment is only for people who meet specific criteria though, it's certainly not free for all.

No problems getting into an NHS dentist where I live either, in fact have just returned from a visit. £56.30 (Band 2) for check up, x-rays, one ordinary filling, one root canal and a clean and polish. Wouldn't have got any change from $2,000 in Australia for all that.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I'm out of the loop since 2004 but I remember the problem wasn't so much finding a dentist doing NHS treatment but that many would only take new patients for NHS treatment if they met the criteria for free treatment.

My original NHS dentist I saw regularly every six months and in five years all I had done was a re-stick of a crown for £9 and check-up and clean/polish for just over £9 a year.

So I was a bit miffed when he went private/denplan and wanted £15 a month premiums. More in a month than I'd been paying annually :eek:

I found an alternative for a year or so but then he went the same way so I found another one where the majority of patients were probably exempt. I think it showed in the furnishings and experience of the dentists there. :ohmy:

I just paid almost $3000 for two root canals in Canada. £1650 :eek:

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Like I said - Postcode Lottery. Come and live in PA20 !

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

And i can report that the croen replacement I go from my NHS dentist is still in place. The Lord is gracious !

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

You have to pay towards NHS dental work even in Scotland unless you are in receipt of certain benefits.

https://www.scottishdental.org/publi...tment-charges/

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Indeed.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I am in Australia & had a crown done yesterday. It cost $1,534 Aust dollars. Dental insurance paid $895 & the remainder I had to find myself.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

i plan on paying for my own dentist when I move if it's inexpensive enough

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Think yourself lucky. My wife had a complex crown replacement in Oz that had to be done by a specialist. The bill was several times yours (nearly five figures) and insurance paid barely anything.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Went to the dentist last week. Check up is free. A full clean and po,ish with a specialist clean to two teeth and a filling replacement £47.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

AWESOME! i have an implant to do. I'm wondering if I should do before I leave or get it done in the UK

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Brigette, you need to be aware that dental implants are only subsidised by the NHS if they're deemed medically necessary. You won't be eligible if the implant is just for cosmetic reasons. See here for further information www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/985.aspx

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Im pretty certain you wont get an implant on the nhs, even if you could pass the habitual residency test. Cost privately from a reputable nhs dental surgeon circa 2000 pounds, but 3-6 month process if done the conservative way.

All the normal services - same issue - first get registered with an nhs dentist. Be aware that some checks are done after you are signed up, its possible though unlikely to get a nasty bill or a fraud charge in the future.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

It's not difficult for a British citizen who's moved back to the UK to prove that they're 'ordinarily resident' for NHS purposes. Assuming that they're questioned, there are a number of ways to do this - current UK address, evidence of selling overseas property or a termination of lease document, confirmation of resignation from overseas employment etc, a simple statutory declaration.

If you're a UK citizen who has genuinely returned to the UK to live, you will be eligible for full access to the NHS from day 1 and there won't be any nasty bills or surprises down the track.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I believe normal dentistry is classed as primary care by the ccg’s, so accessible after registration. I do also believe you are generally right in as far as public intent from hmg, -

BUT read the linked gov website advising the nhs on how to guage this - i can see it might not be so straight foreward IN SOME CASES, especially as ultimately its a lawyer deciding... There is also still a 3 month moratorium on specialist services though unlikely to be a dental issue unless orthodontics etc involved.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...R_Tool__1_.pdf

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I haven't heard of a 3 month moratorium on NHS specialist services - mind you, you'd be lucky to get a non-urgent consultant appointment in under 3 months anyway!

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

No, its not 3, its 6 months, and thats when you enter the q.

Incant find anything concrete, but in a previous trust i was told 3 months, but the if one has to pass the habitual residence test first - im betting thats a 6 month process, though i feel the nhs would q you immediately but the pencil lickers would be waiting with the bill should you fail. The nhs is a mighty focussed place when getting money from punters or potential fraud is concerned - its another target...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...rom-Spain.html

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I thought you'd said 3 months, maybe I should get in the queue for a good neurologist :unsure:

I think the waiting period you're talking about is for certain benefits, which is definitely the case. I'm certain that there's no waiting period for NHS services such as consultant appointments or dental services - by that I mean no waiting period based on having just returned to the UK. If a person is deemed to be ordinarily resident, they get the full wallop straight away. How long it takes to actually secure an appointment depends on the wait list for your location, but that applies to everyone.

As I said previously, it's not difficult to prove that you're ordinarily resident.
Just as an example, my husband returned to the UK after living in Australia for 25 years. He and I (Oz citizen on UK spouse visa) registered at our local GP. Husband provided passport and Council tax notice for our UK address, I provided both those plus my biometric residence permit. We were both issued with our NHS numbers immediately.

As (bad) luck would have it, both of us required referral to a consultant within our first month. There were no problems at all.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

If you have insurance and it's still valid, you need to see how your share of the cost compares with £2000, I imagine.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Yep. Some comparative UK/US prices are given here although I don't know how reliable or recent the prices are https://www.dentaly.org/en/teeth-implants-cost/

As a guideline, the total dental implant cost per tooth can be anything from £700 to £2,900 in the UK and $1,500 to $6,000 in the US. It’s often the case that front tooth implants cost slightly more than those at the rear of the mouth. If multiple single implants are needed, the cost per tooth should reduce slightly since some costs (such as x-rays and scans) only apply once.

Just as an aside, I don't think it's possible to get a single dental implant including all the associated costs in the UK for anywhere near the quoted cheapest price of £700 - maybe if you're getting multiple implants. From speaking with my dental surgeon here (UK) the highest cost of £2,900 is more like the average cost for a single implant.

I had an entire lower jaw rehabilitation in Australia, which involved 4 titanium implants in my jaw supporting a full row of permanent and very natural looking falsies, the cost was AU$28,000.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Then, of course, there's Mexico. It seems quite a few in North America do that.

I remember a time when people in the UK could take a trip to have dental work in places like Czech Republic and the cost of flight, hotel and treatment was cheaper. Mexico seems the equivalent for North America.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Yep. People in Oz look to countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

It was something I considered given the cost of my treatment in Oz, but decided against it for a few reasons. It's not a single stage process so I'd have had to travel back and forth, if something goes wrong you have no recourse, and despite the glitzy marketing of the overseas clinics there is not the same rigorous oversight by dental standards organisations.

I'm sure there are overseas clinics that do a great job, and I'm equally sure there are those who don't.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Thanks so much for the link. It would appear that it would be cheaper to get the implant done in the US regardless of insurance or not. Why? well been with my dentist for years. Could go on a payment plan etc and in the UK would have to start from scratch (credit etc).

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

My london based uk nhs dental surgeon charges 2000 for a single implant regardless. He said he could afford to charge half that but to include all aftercare, bone implantation where needed, redoing it if theres infection etc plus the reassurance of a fixed price makes it a reasonable deal. Its paid in chunks over the treatment or you can get interest free loans to do it. He’s in chiswick, pm if you want info. He uses swedish implants and 3d printed crowns, lifetime warranty.

A half mouth is about 10-12k, you need 4 implants possibly up to 6, plus the magnetic crown so actually reasonable value compared with many other countries. He refuses to do the all in a day thing, saying the implants are stressed during healing and have higher problem/failure rates.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

For surgery generally i think people should be looking to western europe. Belgium has excellent hospitals and surgeons, low prices and very advanced management of their healthcare systems. Heres someone i can recommend.

Dr. Patrick Dedoncker - Plastisch chirurg - prices

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I see there's a separate charge for general anaesthetic. So there's a way of saving up to €600 if you fancy it. :eek: :rofl:

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Apparently lots of people opt to just have either a local anaesthetic or chair side sedation for a single implant. Not this little black duck, knock me out!

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I hadn't actually thought about it. I was offered implants in Montreal but opted for a bridge instead because the series of follow up appointments didn't fit with a time scale for moving.

That price list with the separate charge wasn't for dental treatment though :ohmy: :lol:

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Maybe different parts of country have different experiences in practice. In my experience if one has a British passport and proof of where one is living, no problems with NHS or Dental, including specialist services from day 1. Was never asked a question about habitual residence. Any waiting times I experienced were maybe a week longer than what I experienced in USA for more serious issues. Private insurance very affordable if needed to avoid waiting times ( though I haven't had any problem with waiting times).. Only bother is local GP insisted on quick discussion on phone prior to appointment, but then again policy at GP is always to schedule appointment the same day. Much more efficient than USA- had to go to emergency room for minor issue, they asked my name and address, looked up my NHS number on computer, and seen 15 minutes later. Just my experience but no complaints. Even some friends on the continent seems to ave ore costs or time required than UK.

i would guess perhaps down south maybe NHS looks closer at residence issues for major operations.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I've just read the list of procedures that have a GA as an optional extra - :eek:

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I guess I am lucky up here in the north, for consultant appointment longest I have ever had to wait is 4 weeks for non urgent matter.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Here in Mississippi my dentist charges 1400 for a crown after my insurance it was 240 but that used up my insurance for a whole year! so nothing else better go wrong. Just grateful my job at Walmart offers me dental insurance.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Sounds about the same for a crown as it is here in Australia. I got most of it back through private insurance & was glad I took out gap saver. This is is an optional arrangement that gives you extra rebate towards the gap. Like you I cannot claim for another crown until next January. It runs January to January.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

I'm moving back to Australia at the end of this year so it's back to those high dental bills for me too.

We were with HBF before we moved to the UK and although I didn't think it'd be relevant I asked them if we'd have to start private health cover from scratch if we moved back. That would have been the case, with the horrendous age loading that comes with it, but HBF allowed us to suspend our membership including our gap saver. Thank goodness for that, we can just pick up where we left off.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

Laughing on the way to the bank... This costs about 200us where i am now, in the uk about 300us on the nhs i think. I recently had a dental implant, it cost 1200us all in.

Re: NHS Dentistry
 

In asia this is close to £1200 for a dental implant