NHS and 3-month waiting period

In terms of NHS treatment, there are 3 price bands -

NHS Dentist Charges Structure:

    * £16.50 - This charge includes an examination, diagnosis and preventive care. If necessary, this includes X-rays, scale and polish, and planning for further treatment. Urgent and out-of-hours care also costs £16.50.

    * £45.60 - This charge includes all necessary treatment covered by the £16.50 charge PLUS additional treatment such as fillings, root canal treatment or extractions.

    * £198 -This charge includes all necessary treatment covered by the £16.50 and £45.60 charges PLUS more complex procedures such as crowns, dentures or bridges.


If you choose to go private, then I believe the most common thing to do is take out a private dental plan, paying a certain premium per month, which will cover your dental treatments. I go to an NHS dentist because I've never really needed to spend much on dental care. I usually only have to pay £16.50 for one check up a year (or £45.60 if I need any fillings), so for me, I don't feel it's worth paying a monthly premium for private care - it would end up costing me much more than my current NHS care.

great, this is helpful!  a lot!

so I'll call this same place and ask if they are taking new NHS patients..
If not, then I guess I just have to call around until I find one?
And then, after someone says yes, and I can make an appt. with them... why do/will I need in terms of proof of qualifying for NHS services, because I'm sure they must ask something.

On a lighter note...  no one told me to bring a winter jacket for the month of June...

All I had to do was fill out a slip of paper for the dentist about my dental history, etc.  I had like, my passport, etc in case it was necessary, but it wasn't.

I think I had a NIN number at this point, but I honestly don't remember!  Work took care of that for me, so I don't know when the paperwork came in vs when I had the dentist appt, etc.

But yeah, just call around.  From other threads on the topic I was worried that it would be a long waiting time, but there are loads of NHS dentists in London.  Loads.  Just depends on the area where you want to go.

On a lighter note...  no one told me to bring a winter jacket for the month of June...

A winter jacket for this week?  It's been the hottest week of the year so far (actually, I think this is the warmest weather we've had since I returned to the UK last August)!! I've been in summer tops, shorts and sandals all week and I spent most of Monday sunbathing in the garden .

It did drop a bit, though, from this weekend!  I was spring summer dresses all the way til Wednesday, and then on my way home (from the dentist, oddly on topic), it was decidedly chillier. 

well I called and ask'd 'em if they were taking new NHS patients, and the answer was "yes, but only if you are currently receiving benefits", to which I ask her to explain, but I have no clue what she said afterward but I assumed the answer is basically "no" because I am not receiving any benefits...
so do I have to find a dentist that will say 'yes' without this 'receiving benefits' caveat, or will all say the same thing, and what is it exactly, 'receiving benefits' ?   :\\\'(

 

i'll keep looking, but for now will keep my 'private' appointment for next week...   


& thanks all for your insightful comments!

I know the weather was nice/great/sunny/clear skies earlier this week...  but now the sky is covered with grey clouds, and people did leave for work this AM wearing winter coats, or at least Fall coats     I dont mind, I'm not a big fan of the miami heat...  but still interesting weather...

what is it exactly, 'receiving benefits' ?   :\\\'(

Welfare, basically.  Benefits are "public funds", which you are not allowed to claim as a condition of your visa.

It depends on what you are having done.  A cleaning is a cleaning I think, but the NHS does not offer white filings or better quality material for crowns.  

Not true.  I went to see my NHS dentist this week and was told I could have white fillings if needed.  I'm in the year after having a baby, so my dental care is free on the NHS (!!!!) but I have to pay for cosmetic stuff like seeing the hygienist.  I asked about fillings and was told that I could have them for free, but that I would have to pay some for white fillings on my back teeth, but that if I needed them on the front teeth they were covered by the NHS.

By the way, if you're having a hard time finding a dentist I believe you should call your NHS trust and they can tell you if there are any openings in your area.

I stand corrected on the fillings.

I'm up in Scotland and was told, rather rudely, but my local practice that I couldn't have NHS coverage until I was working and contributing to National Insurance.

I need my US meds renewed and it looks like I'm going to have to pay for a consult.

I called the Scottish government to make sure this was correct and they confirmed it - you have to live here for a year until you can have coverage regardless of employment status. I'm here on a Tier 1 Migrant visa, and sure would have like to know this beforehand!

This has been discussed on the board previously. I don't know if it is a change but the rules state that you either have to be employed or a resident for 12 months to qualify. Spousal visas are a bit different where the visa holder is the spouse of a person already eligible so their eligibility is from the first day they arrive. Tier 2's are sponsored and already have employment so they're covered as well, Tier 4 students are covered if their program is longer than 6 months or if less than 6 months it must be government funded. It seems that Tier 1's are the only ones left out if they do not have employment.

An extensive discussion of this can be found here: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=55928.0

- you have to live here for a year until you can have coverage regardless of employment status.

This seems inconsistent with

It seems that Tier 1's are the only ones left out if they do not have employment.

So if you have employment as a Tier 1 you are okay to use the NHS?

So if you have employment as a Tier 1 you are okay to use the NHS?

Yes.  There's no inconsistency...if you are in the UK with a valid visa for more than a year, then you can have NHS even if you are unemployed.  But if you are Tier 1 and unemployed and haven't been here for a year, you can't use the NHS until you get a job.  Utter rubbish, but consistent. 

Yes.  There's no inconsistency...if you are in the UK with a valid visa for more than a year, then you can have NHS even if you are unemployed.  But if you are Tier 1 and unemployed and haven't been here for a year, you can't use the NHS until you get a job.  Utter rubbish, but consistent. 

Right, but that is not what midwest was told, correct?  Or am I reading

I called the Scottish government to make sure this was correct and they confirmed it - you have to live here for a year until you can have coverage regardless of employment status.

this wrong?