Private dental insurance and the NHS

OK, I need to make dental appts for 3 of us (one is my nearly 3 year old son who's never been to the dentist before). So, I have a few questions...

We all are covered under dental insurance through our work plus there's the whole NHS thing. Is there an explainer somewhere about how this works all together (whether on this site or somewhere else)? Is my private insurance to be used like supplemental insurance or do you have to choose completely one way or the other: NHS vs Private?

I read in other posts how if you're an NHS patient they can't mention what's available privately but I don't want to be denied options.

Also, are there such things as pediatric dentists here or dentists that specialize or are very good with children?

Any info would be good! thanks in advance!

First off you need to see if you can even get in to see an NHS dentist in your area. So many of them are not accepting NHS patients right now - there just aren't enough dentists in the UK to handle all the NHS patients.

As far as I am aware from the plans we had at my former employer (I worked for a private insurer), you do not need to chose between one or the other. I would be surprised if what you have is supplemental but that totally depends upon what policy your company has purchased (our company didn't sell that sort of thing but I suppose others may). You need to find out from your company what the plan covers and go from there. Generally, you'll find that these plans cover yearly checkups and cleaning and will cover a certain percentage of dental work.

The main thing with dental work, though, is that most insurance companies will only cover a percentage of the work done (be it fillings to dental injuries) up to what they consider a reasonable cost for the procedure. What this means is that private insurance companies seem to think that private dentists charge way too much for what they do. So while fillings aren't usually a problem, anything above and beyond that is often not covered that well. Well, that's my experience with the plans my old place offered.

This probably isn't an issue for you now, hopefully you're just looking to have your annual checkups! But if you're here for a while, it is a good reason to keep trying to get in with an NHS dentist if you can't immediately (waiting list).

Some people here think you'll get overall better dental care from private dentists. I can't comment on that personally but don't be surprised if you hear that.

I have been to NHS and private dentists here and would not say one is better than the other but with the NHS dentist I went to in London, I did find his facilities a little primitive as I had to get up put of the chair and walk to the sink to spit!! But I've never had that with other dentists outside London.

I've never heard of a pediatric dentist but your health visitor might know which ones in your area are good with kids.

First off you need to see if you can even get in to see an NHS dentist in your area. So many of them are not accepting NHS patients right now - there just aren't enough dentists in the UK to handle all the NHS patients.

As far as I am aware from the plans we had at my former employer (I worked for a private insurer), you do not need to chose between one or the other. I would be surprised if what you have is supplemental but that totally depends upon what policy your company has purchased (our company didn't sell that sort of thing but I suppose others may). You need to find out from your company what the plan covers and go from there. Generally, you'll find that these plans cover yearly checkups and cleaning and will cover a certain percentage of dental work.

The main thing with dental work, though, is that most insurance companies will only cover a percentage of the work done (be it fillings to dental injuries) up to what they consider a reasonable cost for the procedure. What this means is that private insurance companies seem to think that private dentists charge way too much for what they do. So while fillings aren't usually a problem, anything above and beyond that is often not covered that well. Well, that's my experience with the plans my old place offered.

This probably isn't an issue for you now, hopefully you're just looking to have your annual checkups! But if you're here for a while, it is a good reason to keep trying to get in with an NHS dentist if you can't immediately (waiting list).

Some people here think you'll get overall better dental care from private dentists. I can't comment on that personally but don't be surprised if you hear that.

I'm a little confused by what "NHS dentist" means. Aren't some private dentists also NHS dentists and vice versa? I keep hearing about how they do both. This is all really confusing to me. I do know how much my dental insurance covers for each thing. The concept of reasonable amounts occurs with US insurances also so that's not foreign to me.

What I'm asking is that if I'm registered as an "NHS" patient do I need to pay anything AND if so, can I use my insurance to cover that amount as long as its not above the amount they pay for each item (making it in effect a supplemental insurance). OR, do you have to say I'm NHS or I'm private full stop?

Basically, if I have private insurance do I still register as an NHS patient if the dentist I find has openings for that? I guess that's my root question.

Seems to the uninitiated as a very confusing system though I'm guessing it makes sense to Brits. :/

If you are an NHS patient, you pay NHS charges, whether you can use your insurance for that would depend on your policy but I would doubt it as that's the standard NHS fee, not the dentist's private fee. You need to clairfy with the dentist whether you are receiving treatment an NHS or private patient. Confusing? Yes!

It's really up to you how you want to register. But if you register as an NHS patient you'll be given NHS treatment. This will mean that certain things might take a bit longer (the dentist might use a different lab for NHS work v. private work) and certain things like colour matching if you have a bridge, etc. will be slightly different. An NHS dentist cannot refer you for private treatment (to him/herself or to another dentist) unless what you need isn't available on the NHS (which is very rare).

Many NHS dentists also do private work, but may not be accepting new NHS patients because in their contract with the Primary Care Trust they will have a certain amount of "dental activity" that they can perform each year - once they are near their limit they might close their list temporarily.

The Primary Care Trust in your area has an obligation to try to find you an NHS dentist if you want one, though you might have to wait 6-8 weeks for an initial appointment or go out of your area if you're in a hurry.

NHS Costs are:
£15.90 - examination, diagnosis, x-rays, advice on how to prevent future problems, scale and polish if needed.

£43.60 - all of the above plus fillings, root canals, extractions

£194.00 - all of the above plus crowns, dentures, bridges

Just as an aside, too, many NHS doctors (specialists, not so much GPs) also see NHS and private patients. So this is not just confined to dental care. So yes, it is confusing!

I think some dental insurance plans may reimburse for NHS dental care, but again, that just depends upon your policy. It's not the norm though.

thanks I think I'm a bit clearer now. Sounds like you just choose full-stop. I'll check with some dentists around here and perhaps near work and see what their costs are and compare them with what my insurance covers to see if i'll be paying yards above what i'd pay on the NHS.

For what it's worth, I dropped my NHS dentist like a hot potato after the first appointment because he would not even consider scheduling a cleaning. I'd not had a cleaning in over a year, and I'm used to getting them every 6 months. What did the dentist say? "Your teeth are fine, and anything I could do right now would be too much. Call me if you have any problems." !!!

I found a private dentist and made an appointment with the hygienist. What a world of difference.

Folks in other areas may have had much better luck with NHS dentists, but where I am the dentist certainly did not believe in maintenance.

I'm one of those who had a lovely experience with my NHS dentist, and it was very easy to get an appointment for me (and my husband).  I thought why not give it a go, and I was so pleased with how nice he was and how everything was done perfectly fine.  And for only £15.90 - wow!  What a bargain. 

For what it's worth, I dropped my NHS dentist like a hot potato after the first appointment because he would not even consider scheduling a cleaning. I'd not had a cleaning in over a year, and I'm used to getting them every 6 months. What did the dentist say? "Your teeth are fine, and anything I could do right now would be too much. Call me if you have any problems." !!!

I found a private dentist and made an appointment with the hygienist. What a world of difference.

Folks in other areas may have had much better luck with NHS dentists, but where I am the dentist certainly did not believe in maintenance.

I've never had a cleaning in my life... in fact I didn't even know people got cleanings until I read a post about it here on UK-Y couple of months ago . I don't believe my teeth have suffered for it either - they are in good condition and I had my first ever filling 6 months ago at age 24.

Like many things in life the state of your teeth can be influenced by genetics.  I brush and floss twice a day everyday.  I haven't missed flossing at night in 15 years, even at boot camp and my teeth still hate me. 

My father missed a cleaning and went for ten months without one and had severe problems because of tartar issues and he takes excellent care of his teeth. 

Sigh, I hate teeth.

Sigh, I hate teeth.

ditto that.

after having a US dentist royally mess up my teeth- i moved to a UK dentist here that i love.  due to my laziness, i didn't even think about looking for an NHS dentist.  i know i should have.  but i like him, i trust him.  my cleanings are every 6 months- pay £25.  fillings are around £50 - £75 depending on how many sides of the tooth need it. 

I brush and floss twice a day everyday.  I haven't missed flossing at night in 15 years, even at boot camp and my teeth still hate me. 

That's me, minus the boot camp part.  I take great care of my teeth and my dentists have always said so, but I still can't get out of there without a few fillings or whatever!

That's me, minus the boot camp part.  I take great care of my teeth and my dentists have always said so, but I still can't get out of there without a few fillings or whatever!

I would sit by my locker after lights out and floss.  It made me feel slightly better.