Something missing from your dental care?
As of April the 1st the Government has changed the way in which patients pay and the way in which dentists are paid, was it to improve care or access?
The new banding system set by the NHS is supposed to allay fears that dentists were making up their own prices and overcharging patients. However this means that the dentist will no longer be paid for the work they do, therefore not giving you the patient the care your need.
The new payment scheme set out by the NHS has been divided into 3 bands and Dentists are paid in “Units of Dental Activity” = UDA’s
Band 1 = £15.50 for a check-up, scaling and x-rays
Value to Practice is £23.00 (1 UDA)
Band 2 = £42.40 for fillings and root canal work. Whether a patient requires one filling or ten, one root filling or five the fee is the same.
Value to Practice is £69.00 (3 UDA)
Band 3 = £189.00 covering more complex dental treatment such as crowns and denture work, whether it be one crown or ten crowns.
Value to Practice is £276.00 (12UDA)
These band levels apply to children and adults equally despite the fact that adult care is more complex.
We will treat children under the NHS or carry out private examinations for FREE
We will educate your children in our surgeries or at their schools for FREE
Adult care does not make sense under the new NHS system
A Dental Surgeon is now in a difficult position – how to decide what treatment to carry out. For example, if a patient needs a couple of fillings, crowns or dentures and to see a hygienist he will receive the same fee as another patient needing a cheap partial denture and a couple of extractions! The first course of treatment is complex and expensive to provide, but gives the patient the best dental care. The second course of treatment is cheap and easy to carry out, but is it in the patient’s best interest?
Example
Patient A and patient B need to replace 3-4 teeth.
Option 1 = partial denture = 12 UDAs = £276(paid to practice). Cost to patient = £186.00, labs fees to practice = £60.00 + practice running costs etc
Option 2 = 6 unit bridge = 12 UDAs = £276 (paid to practice). Cost to patient = £186.00, lab fees for this option are £325 est + practice running costs etc
So ask yourself which CAN the practice afford to do? which offers the best treatment for the patient?
The work carried out by the dental hygienist is not recognised by the new NHS payment scheme. Preventative care is essential to patient well fare.
Many Dental Practices in the UK are in dispute with the Government over their implementation of this new scheme. The British Dental Association walked out recent negotiation with the Department of Health in disgust at their high handed attitude. What is exceptionally sad is the Government will not take advice from a professional body such as the BDA.
If the BDA and your Dental Practitioner are against such changes, you as the patient must look to your own NHS dental care with concern.
Private patients do not have such worries
Please browse this web site and appreciate the type of care we provide, the philosophy of our approach and the style of our delivery. Better still come and join us and let us be your dental practice, giving your treatment proper consideration and allow us to show you that good preventative care is not expensive.
We believe in treating the whole person and our effective team of Cranial Osteopaths compliment many of our treatment protocols.
Mark W Harris
Principal of Quay Health
Quay Health can treat the whole person for a life of living.