Complaints about dentists - advice please

[Messie]

In October I needed a small filling replaced becuase it had fallen out. It was just over one year since seeing my usual dentist, so they wouldn't see me as an emergency. Their next available appointment was December.
I found another very helpful NHS dentist, local to me, who could do it the next day. They did it, quickly and efficiently, and charged me £45. As I was happy with them I booked my next check up with them, for just before Christmas.

I turned up for the appointment and nattered withe the friendly receptionist; I was the first appointment of the day. 15 minutes after the alloted time the receptionist sheepishly said the dentist had probably forgotten and she made a phone call. true enough, the private dentists from across the road, who was 'helping them out' had forgotten. He was soon there and I was in the chair.

I explained that the filling I'd had in October was a little loose, but was causing me no problem or pain. He said no filling would ever stay in there and that he'd need to fix it. He checked with the nurse about having enough time then the next thing I knew was he'd jabbed me with a needle and was injecting me with anasthetic.

I was really shocked by this; thankfully I'm not scared of needles or dentists but this ruffled my feathers. I said I'd wished he'd told me he was going to do that and he just answered with 'women!'

Turns out he was preparing the tooth for a crown, which invlove taking horrible moulds and filling my existing tooth into a fang, and putting in a nasty, false white one until the real one is made.

Then I went to the receptionist to pay and she said that will be £196!
But I won't have to pay that until the crown is fitted at the end of Jan

So, what should I do. I will complain about the treatment by the dentist in terms of the injection and I'm seriously unhappy about £200 for a treatment I don't think was necessary, at least not at that time. I would have liked to have beed consulted about it, and to ave ad the choice if and when to have it done.

My plan is to have the new crown fitted, then when asked to pay, hand in a formal letter of complaint.

What do you think?

[tigersaw]

Thats a bargain for a crown, but I see your point.

[timwilky]

Dentists don't do work for the sake of it and for £196 for a crown aint bad.

I have had 4 teeth crowned and two have lost more than 2 crowns each so it gets damm expensive.

I always remember one dentist who booked me in every friday for 6 weeks and I had about 15 fillings. On the last one he yanked the tooth. I cursed him and asked him why he had not told me he was going to do it. Because you wouldn't have turned up. He was so right.

I think that's disgusting not to mention sexist!

Nothing should ever be done without your consent and you didn't give it! and for that reason - I personally would try and argue about paying the bill!

Thank god my dentist is so understanding of my phobias, anxieties and my medical conditions!

[Messie]

I had a filling in the tooth which was OK. My complain has two strands
1. I was not consulted over the need or desire for a crown
2. I felt assaulted by the anasthetic needle.

I'm not complaining about the amount. I think it's pretty standard NHS charge for crown work

[maviczap]

Try the General Dental Council for some advice

http://www.gdc-uk.org/General+public/

[Spiderman]

Thats a bit rude aint it? I'd not have let him jab me with anything till he consulted me and got my approval for the work he wanted to do, even if he insisted that it needs to be done. After all its your choice if you wanna walk away and not have the work done, or even walk away in chronic pain if thats your choice. He cant simply jab you and say "it must be done".

Originally Posted by timwilky

Dentists don't do work for the sake of it

I have to argue with this!

I went for a regular checkup with my local dentist (this was about 2 years ago) and as I move around the country a lot it was a new dentist. He did his usual poking around thing and then told me I needed TWO fillings. I told him I didnt want it doing right away despite his insistance that he do it now.

I went back to my old dentist who happens to be a friend of the family and an ex-army dentist. He told me that my teeth needed no work doing and were in generally very good condition, he also said the guy was just trying to fill his books, make money and achieve quotas. Most of these dentists work on some kind of points system and if they cant get enough real cases to make up the numbers they fabricate them.

I think most dentists are honest and very decent people, im not taring all people with being cheats but sometimes you do have to be careful.

[Messie]

Originally Posted by maviczap

Try the General Dental Council for some advice

http://www.gdc-uk.org/General+public/

I didn't know this organisation existed. It seems very useful. Thank you.

Still not sure whether to make my complaint before or after he finishes to crown work though

I'd definitely complain. Fair enough, a crown may have been the best idea for you concerning the filling but at the end of the day a crown is gonna cost, you need to know why its necessary! That's like you going for a filling and ending up with a root canal jobby, with the added bill on top.... As for jabbing you unexpectedly, well that's really not on, how was he to know you didn't have a huge phobia and prone to panic attacks? What if you'd had a reaction to the anasthetic? What if you'd jerked suddenly and he's stabbed you in the eye? (slight exaggeration but it's a possibility!) Gah, I doesnae like the dentists

Try giving Dissuade (MJ) a PM, she's a dental nurse or has been as far as I know although I've not seen her on here of late...