Nhs fees

[Thorpe55]

Nhs fees I need help I don't get free dental care, I'm on universal credit and when I've looked to see if I get it free it's says I don't get it free!
Would I be able to call up a nhs dentist and get appointment and pay the nhs band price or would there be extra charges on top, I don't think I can wait much longer as I'm in so much pain.

I'm really desperate to see a dentist, over the past couple of years I've been suffering really bad with my mental health and that's just made me want to smoke cigarettes more ? it's gotten to the point now I don't even like going out the house because of my teeth, my bottom teeth and gums are hurting so much, and I also have loose teeth due to smoking, the worst thing is I can't even smile when my son wants a picture of us both, my teeth are literally taking over my whole life, I want to be able to smile and go out without being so scared to talk, I really wish I could have better teeth so I could get a job and make myself and my son proud.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated right now.

 

[Thorpe55]

Sorry if I've upset anyone ?

 

[letsconnect]

So sorry to hear that you're suffering so much at the moment, and that you're not entitled to free dental care, despite being on Universal Credit ?. Did you ask someone or did you use the online tool to find out whether you're entitled or not?

I'm not sure what you mean by whether there are extra charges on top if you pay the NHS fee. Do you mean for private options that are not available on the NHS, or do you mean in case a second course of treatment is necessary? Here are the current fees for NHS bands and what they cover:

How much will I pay for NHS dental treatment?

Details of the costs of the 3 NHS charge bands.

www.nhs.uk

The NHS website also has an overview of practices that may accept new NHS patients. You can search by town and many practices have reviews (unfortunately, only for the practice as a whole as they don't allow reviews of individual dentists who work at each practice):

Find a dentist - NHS

Find a dentist near you on the NHS website. Check your local dentist's opening times, services, facilities, reviews and ratings.

www.nhs.uk

You may also be entitled to be treated by the Community Dental Service, given your mental health issues and (presumably) dental phobia. It looks as if you can self-refer in Staffordshire, so it may be worth calling them or emailing them to find out more:

Dental Services :: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

www.mpft.nhs.uk

And you definitely haven't upset anyone ?! How lovely to hear that you want to make yourself and your son proud - you really deserve it ?. Wishing you the very best of luck!!!

 

[Tolkienista]

I've just read your post Thorpe55 and while i can't give you any informed advice, because I honestly don't know about nhs fees i can just say.......I hope it all works out for you. I fully understand how you feel, your teeth have taken over your life, because we've all been there and it is a scary place. This website offers so much support from fellow dentally challenged patients and I've found it enormously useful. Good luck!

 

[worriedaboutteethandgums]

I’m really sorry you feel like this. . Have you tried applying to the NHS HC1 form?

 

[biffo1963]

I think that, sadly, it's very unlikely that you would be able to simply call an NHS dentist and arrange an appointment if you are not already registered as a patient of that dentist. You would need to find a dentist willing to take you on as a new NHS patient, and that I fear will be considerably more difficult. As Letsconnect said, the NHS website is the place to start and also the Community Dental Service if they will allow you to self-refer.

The good news however is that any dentist treating you under the NHS scheme will only charge you the appropriate band price and any extra fees are extremely unlikely unless you have clearly agreed in advance to pay for non-NHS "extras" as part of your treatment plan.