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FOOL'S EYE VIEW
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I'm sure I'm not the only one who has suddenly been informed that their dentist will no longer be offering treatment on the NHS. To be told you have to start paying more for exactly the same service is a bit of a blow although it's no-one's fault but the government's that dentists don't find NHS work financially rewarding enough. However, to a certain extent, I've found it a good thing because it's made me a little more assertive when seeking treatment. When I was being treated as an NHS patient I had a tendency to feel pathetically grateful if I asked for and got a bit of a clean-up along with my six monthly check-up. Because it was a cosmetic thing I didn't really feel entitled to take up his time on such trivial matters. It's different now though. A few months ago, when my dentist made some comment about how he didn't like using a particular bit of equipment because it took so long to clean out at the end of the day, I actually heard myself saying (albeit in a teasing sort of way): "Hold on a minute, am I here for your benefit or are you here for mine?" That shut him up. And, fortunately we get on well enough for me not to be concerned that the next time he has some drilling to do that he'll take his revenge on me! What I don't like – and I might tackle him about this next time I see him – is that he doesn't publish any prices for the various treatments available and, if I ask him how much something's going to cost, he usually a bit too vague for my liking. He's not the only one though and to remedy this, the Office of Fair Trading has launched a campaign today to encourage consumers to ask for clearer information on prices and treatment options. Thanks to some serious nudging from the Consumers' Association, the OFT published a report on private dentistry earlier this year after carrying out a survey of dental practices, a consumer survey and a mystery shop. It showed that only 40 per cent of practices published guide prices for treatments and services. The mystery shopper exercise found only 21 per cent of practices published this information while the consumer survey found that 47 per cent of private patients were given an estimate of treatment costs in advance. As the report revealed around seven million people receive private dental care and it's a £1 billion industry. It's simply not on that it's an industry that does not enable consumers, particularly those on a budget, to calculate costs or compare prices. As a result the government published an action plan on private dentistry which includes requiring practices to: The OFT is also doing its bit with its new campaign and has produced a leaflet 'Your guide to private dentistry' to help consumers ask the right questions when choosing a new dental practice, when considering particular treatments and when considering how to pay for treatment. It also lists sources of help in finding NHS dental care. Bear in mind that it's possible to get insurance to pay for your dental care although whether you think it's worth it is a matter for you. Personally, I prefer not to as I suspect I'd end up paying more in the long term. After all, if your teeth are in bad shape, then insurance is going to be expensive and if they're in good shape, then basic treatment will probably cost less than the overall insurance premiums. Family policies might be worth considering though. At any rate, although the government is tackling the problem of lack of information it's up to we consumers to ask for it too. So if you go to a private practice, make sure you use the teeth you have been given to demand better information on prices and services. More: Insurance Centre