A week or so ago, a very small piece of a tooth that had a filling in broke off and the dentist, today said a bit of filling,too. It left the tooth with a sharp jagged edge. There was no pain,no discomfort and I had no issue chewing on it..nothing. I told all this to the receptionist. Usually, the tongue will involuntarily go to something like that but even that wasn't the case. We're going on holiday in a few weeks and I thought the sensible thing to do was to just get that rough edge filed down. Sometimes it can be two weeks for an appointment so I called yesterday and was given a midday appointment today. Not with my regular dentist but I'd said that didn't matter.I was really pleased they had a free appointment.Does anyone ask how much it will cost for a treatment when they make an appointment ? I was called into the treatment room and I lay down on the long chair. The dentist was about to do the job and asked me if I'd been told how much it would cost. No, I hadn't. It's £120, he said. Is that alright ? I said it needs doing. It took me aback,though I was expecting about £60..these days but are you going to discuss the cost a moment before the treatment starts ? Of course not. About 5 minutes was spent filing the edge down and another couple of minutes while the dentist put some information on his computer. Then, he took me to reception and said to the receptionist, quickly and quietly, "treat as an emergency" He went back to his treatment room. I queried the cost with the receptionist who just said it was what she'd been told to charge ..he'd sent it from his computer to hers before we left the treatment room and I was also charged for not attending since the filling was put in almlost to the day two years ago. I have good teeth and my research shows that a check up every 18 months to two years is good enough. So,the receptionist told me that I was treated as a 'new patient' who gets a thorough examination including a x-ray. I've been going to the practice for about 27 years..at least. Three years ago I completed a dental plan after a check up..just a couple of fillings needed.
So..this afternoon I called the practice and spoke to the same receptionist and asked her to send me the cost of the treatment ,the added cost for categorising it as an emergency and the cost of charging me as a new patient.. Btw. They have the criteria of what is considered to be an emergency on their website and none fitted what I was experiencing...simply because I wasn';r experiencing any problems. When I asked why I was being treated as as a new patient she was unable to give a proper answer. Things change,she said. Things being my dental health. She did ask if I'd had an examination, a check up as a new patient would get. No. I was in and out in 10 minutes. She's sending me the breakdown in an Email tomorrow. I'll then take it up with the owner.
It seems that it's common practice for dentists at a practice to be either self-employed..just like hairdressers 'rent' a space in a salon..or they are associates.So, the more a dentist can charge the more in his/her pocket. There's a set fee for each treatment but that doesn't include 'an emergency' fee nor that rule about charging for not attending for a certain period. A rule I can't find online.
One day after a check up one of the dentists said he'd do an X-ray. The jury is out on whether they could trigger thyroid cancer. You have to wonder when the dentist and the assistant leave the room as the x-ray does its bit. I told him that I don't want unnecessary X-rays. What did he say. "That's ok, you'll soon know if there's a problem" Then he said "I'll put on your records.."no unnecessary X-rays"I know he did that because when I did need one another dentist brought that up. Another dentist at the practice once told his assistant to tell the receptionist to book me an appointment with the hygienist. I wasn't havig that. I'll have that done when I want it done. When I used to pay the receptionist they would say' I can give you an appointment for a check on whatever date.. .six months ahead. They soon stooped that. I still got an Email with this written in it. "You are very overdue ..an appointment for a check up" Very overdue ?
I replied saying that I had already asked,by Email, not to be contacted re treatment I hadn't asked for. I got a reply and a "sincere apology" from e the practice manager. Other than all that, the quality of the treatment is very good but nevertheless, it's a battle of wills.
I'll just ask this,too. I am 'old school' re etiquette, the way I was brought up so, when I was sitting waiting to see the dentist a lady who must have been in her 80's came from a treatment room to reception and was address by her first name by a receptionist.. It didn't sit well with me. I thought it should have been Mrs...whatever. As as kid I always called my mates parents Mr and Mrs. I called the neighbours Mr and Mrs. Thinking back on it,I don't recall what their first names were back then. That's all gone now. I was takien aback hearing my elder sisters children call her by her first name.
