My Dentist has changed me from an NHS patient to a private patient. Can he do this?

I had to go for an urgent root canal and the total charge at the end was 拢200. I was an nhs patient and the dentist still takes on new nhs patients but he told me I'm no longer an nhs patient with them. I missed an appointment previously and wondered if he has the right to do this because of that? I've looked up on the net to see what the charges should be on the nhs and I know that even though I'm working I am entitled to nhs treatment. Can't seem to find any rules or guidelines on whether a dentist can decide to change you from nhs to private though.

Please let me know asap as I'm due to pay the 拢200 this week and I don't want to pay that much if I should be entitled to nhs charges still.

Many thanks, Lou

simple do you want your teeth taken care off

buy a cheap flight to poland and have your dental work done there.. much better care and very cheap

I think they have to ask you first and you then need to make a decision. They can do some work on the NHS and say then that it won't cover the full treatment and private is the only option. Root canal treatment is nearer 拢350 plus the filling and if a crown then that's extra too.

Hello Lou

The Dentist must inform you before treatment begins if you have been move to his private list.
Missing an appointment without letting the Dentist know is one reason they give for removing patients from the NHS List so you might not have seen the notice displayed in the Surgery. Take a look around the waiting room before you say anything out of order.

Look for another NHS dentist now if you cannot go back on the current dentist's list.

I don't think he can just do that.

I missed two appointments due to my little boy being ill. They removed us both from the register. But when I went to rebook I explained the situation, and they put us back on again.

I think you should fight this. I am not sure of the legality of it all but maybe the CAB can point you in the right direction.

Good luck.

My dentist did this years ago. To register you as a private patient - probably under Denplan you have to be dental fit - i.e all outstanding work on your teeth should be done - you then get an assessment and he will tell you which band of private care you all into - this depends on your previous dental history. So for instance, as I have only ever had a couple of fillings, I am the second from the cheapest cover - if I had had lots of work done I would have been on a more expensive scale. I pay about 拢17 a month which includes free hygenist (clean and polish), free fillings, I have had two top of the range ceramic crowns fitted and only paid the lab fees of about 拢50 for each - I find private health care cheaper than the NHS system - I had to pay for my hygenist and some towards my filling before. You need to speak to the dentist regarding the 拢200 fee - it seems grossly unfair to change your status without telling you - I had months of notice in writing.

why did u fail ur appointment in the first place u cant just attend an appointment in pain only and expect dentists to oblige u its not fair on other patients who are regular attenders. there is a shortage of dentists and the NHS service is available so dont abuse it or else u will lose the privilege and be charged privately .

well in the uk now it is very hard to get into a nhs dentist ,if you miss your appointment without letting them know they take you off there list so you are no longer regestered as nhs patient.so yes they put you then as private patient.all you can do then is wait to see if they take any more on nhs then get regestered again.

if you were having treatment done before he told you this then you pay the nhs rate if he told you after and you still went ahead with treatment then its the private rate why has he changed you to a private patient please be careful as a lot of dentist try and rip you of .if you was already a nhs patient he cant just take you of the books there must be a reason ask him why and good luck .please note anyone living in uk weaher working or not is allowed nhs thats why people pay national insurance and tax

Well yes a dentist can switich you from an NHS patient to a private patient but he has to tell you that he has done so and give you a reason for his decision. He can not carry out treatment and then say you are being charged for private treatment. By right a dentist should tell you beforehand how much it will cost before carrying out any kind of treatment.

I would refuse to pay on the grounds that he did not tell you that he had switiched you to a private patient and given you a reasonable explanation as to why. And also on the grounds that you were not told it would cost 拢200 before treatment was carried out. I would pay only what root canal costs on the NHS which I believe is currently 拢43.60 under the new payment NHS system.

No they can not change you over with not your permission, the dentist may change over from nhs to private but you will be informed straight away. go to your local citizens advice beauru and get advice on this.

Yes they can I'm afraid.

No dentist has to treat anyone as an NHS patient, and you are no longer registered with a dentist under the new NHS guidelines laid down a year ago, so basically it is up to the dentist whether or not they wish to provide you with NHS treatment or not. You are not entitled to NHS treatment.

If you missed an appointment you have wasted your dentist's time, and they probably don't feel that you are entitled to NHS treatment anymore, especially as dentists now have a limit as to how much work they can provide each year and are having to ration it in many instances.

There is no point in contacting the citizens advice bureau.

On the other hand, you should have been informed when you booked the appointment that it would be a private appointment, and before treatment you should have been given an estimate as to how much the treatment was likely to cost you.