To ensure those of us in the UK who have been stung by hefty dental bills, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced it's going to be investigating the dental market. With the public striving to keep their nice, healthy, clean and white smile, it's turned the dental market on its head and in 2010, the industry was worth £7.2 billion, and is set to rise another billion by 2014.The OFT are looking into the prices and treatments as patients are increasingly becoming confused and unsure of what they should pay and what is a 'fair' amount. With haggling on price being a very 'un-British' thing to do, we have to rely on the OFT to see what the true cost of treatments are and if UK-based dentists are just cashing in. The study will look at the payment methods, practices and changing dentists, as well as the individual treatments. The investigation will look at any treatments that are performed but aren't needed, and wrongfully over-charging of patients.
With oral hygiene being of paramount importance not only for aesthetic appeal but for oral health and protecting it from disease and infections, the cost is normally a factor that causes 35% of Brits to steer clear of the dentist. In fact, that number accounts for those that haven't seen a dentist in more than 18 months! And, 10% of people haven't 'opened wide' for more than five years.
Cash Back Dental Plans: Paying a fixed amount every month is a better way of budgeting and settling your future dental charges. In many circumstances, dental insurance plans with cash back include a 100% money-back offer per year on check-ups, or for a scale and polish you can get 75% back. More in-depth and serious treatments can also fall under the cash-back umbrella and there is a small cost, sometimes as low as £2.50 per month, to add children (up to four kids) to your plan. Other dental insurance plans include taking out a plan for certain treatments only or a mix of treatments. Although, having a few 'maintenance' types of treatment covered will normally help you resist having to need serious work in the future.
The NHS Dental Option
While there is a a cheaper NHS option, it's still a cost that is something people don't like paying or haven't budgeted for. For example, there are three bands of charges for NHS dental services, which cost:
Band 1 – Advice, diagnosis, examination and a scale and polish, will normally cost around £17-20.
Band 2 – Further, more lengthy procedures will set you back around £47, such as root canal and fillings or an extraction.
Band 3 – Bridges, dentures and crowns fall into this category and can hit your wallet for around £200 or more.
In the UK, there are few NHS dentists that are available to take on more patients. With this shortage it means that emergency dental work is carried out in a 'private' dental clinic and that can be financially crippling!
