Hubcaps

Ah well it had to happen. No:3 Son has had a problem with some of his teeth for about a year. One is so bad he's forever getting an abscess under the tooth but our NHS dentist in the UK refused to pull the tooth (it's a milk tooth) as it was cheaper to throw antibiotics at it than treat it. Last week no:3 son woke up with a ballooned out face and yet another abscess under his tooth. The dentist here, fixed him up with antibiotics and this morning pulled 2 of the teeth. Total cost so far...$850 (x-rays, nitrous oxide, extractions etc). We have to go back next week for a spacer to be fitted at another $100.

The thing I'm bitching about is we can't claim this on our insurance yet as we still don't have a bloody SSN, our details still haven't been processed from NJ over 3 weeks ago and we're still not in the system. We're rapidly running out of cash now but thank god it's pay day on Friday, we can struggle along till then on rice and beans but not for much longer than that.

Sorry about that, just need a bloody good rant about the SSN and a at the cost of the dentistry.

Jaxbar

My copay was $700.00 a few weeks ago

SanDiegogirl

Yours is the second recent message I have seen from recently arrived UK immigrants complaining about the cost of dentistry in the US. As a UK immigrant myself who arrived here in 2000 I can vouch for the excellent dentistry here in the US. Yes you have to pay for it but, in my experience, you get good dentistry. Which is more than I can say for the dentistry in the UK. As you say, your UK dentist did nothing but treat the tooth with antibiotics instead of probably providing more extensive treatment. This is of course because in the UK the dentists are paid certain monies for the amount of patients on their lists and it pays them to provide as little treatment as possible. It was not until I changed to a private dentist in the UK that I learnt how much work my teeth needed. When I then came to the States this work continued and I now have a great set of teeth - people comment on how good my teeth look. Please stop whining. You have just arrived and already you are complaining about not having your SSN and having to pay for dental treatment. You will probably be able to claim this treatment once your insurance is sorted out. (Presume you have a job and your employer is providing it for you). In the US you pay for health and dental treatment - even if you have insurance. You should have been aware of this before you came. There are always additional charges etc etc. However once in the system it IS one of the best in the world; and I expect your son is feeling much better now he has had proper treatment.

Hubcaps

Lol I'll moan as much as I like thanks. I know perfectly well how the system works here and yes I can claim the money back. It's the sudden expense of it I am horrified about and the fact we are rapidly running out of cash because of the hold up with our SSN. Blimey, I didn't expect such a bollocking

Jaxbar

You carry on thats what the site is for - support. I had some really good dentistry in England btw.

AdobePinon

I'd blame the NHS dentist. I don't believe for one second that pulling the tooth is more expensive (and I'm sure he wouldn't want to put in the space either).
You should have sent him a bill for all the time you wasted having to revisit his office because he wouldn't finish the job.

Bob

It's just like anything else over here, when it's good, it's good, when it's shit, it's shit.

It is more expensive though. Go private in the UK and it still costs peanuts compared to treatment in the US.

Mummy in the foothills

Yeah that's true. I had a crown done same time as my Mom in UK. She paid private, and I paid more just as my share of costs and co pay.
So moan away honey, I've been here forever and I do it all the time

Hubcaps

Thing is our usual dentist had left the practice 2 weeks before to go and live in Derry (you lucky, LUCKY people of Derry) and this guy we saw was new. He was horrible to his assistant (she was nearly in tears) and I didn't trust him at all. This all happened about 3 or 4 weeks before we were leaving and we couldn't get an appointment in time with someone else and even the emergency dentist we saw was horrified the new guy wouldn't take the teeth out. I couldn't afford to go private there with it I really just hoped we could get settled here and then get it sorted out as soon as our SSN had come through. Apparently if the emergency doses of antibiotics hadn't worked then it would have been a rush job into A&E for an IV of them and I have no idea how we would have paid for that

traceym

What a nightmare, feel free to rant!

Jerseygirl

Agreed. If you can pay or have good insurance cover you get excellent treatment at the dentists, doctors and hospital...if you don't well tough luck.

FWIW my dentist is brilliant...he's tried to talk me out of having certain procedures done because of the cost.

scrubbedexpat097

Of course a private dentist will tell you how much treatment you need, the more treatment the more money he makes


There is a difference between maintenance of the teeth, as in making sure they are functional, and cosmetic maintenance, as in functional with all the bells and whistles. NHS denitsry is there to help the patient get routine work and care to their teeth.


Anyway, let the girl have her rant. Whether she knew or not about paying out that is a pretty big chunk of moolah to be paying out with all the other expences of moving to a new country. Have some sympathy.

AdobePinon

Allegedly.

They should have pulled the tooth, which is hardly cosmetic.

Moonshadow_Girl

Have you absolutely checked that you need an SSN for your health insurance?

scrubbedexpat097

Not always when it's a milk tooth that needs to be kept to save the space. A lot of baby teeth "die" and can be left until the permanant tooth is ready. In a lot of cases keeping infection under control with an antibiotic works.

Even private dentists here will do the same.