| This April the Government is forcing a new | | | | routine work but it won't pay for check-ups. |
| service contract on dentists that includes a | | | | Accidental damage up to 1,000 per year and |
| new pay scale, changes to their working hours | | | | dental emergencies are insured up to 5,000 |
| and surgery arrangements. Now dentists are | | | | per year. |
| not a cantankerous profession, but there's | | | | |
| widespread irritation and disillusionment | | | | Many policies also limit the number of dental |
| amongst them at the Governments seemingly | | | | treatments they'll pay each year. For |
| heavy-handed action. And they're determined | | | | example, the policy from Boot's limits your |
| not to be pushed around. | | | | claims to two check-ups, one crown and four |
| | | | fillings a year up to 500. Boot's policies |
| As a result thousands of dentists are | | | | start at 9 per month. |
| registering their refusal to accept the new | | | | |
| contract and have given their notice to quit | | | | Capitalisation Schemes This is the most |
| the NHS at the end of March. | | | | expensive option. Prior to taking up the |
| | | | policy, your dentist has to make an |
| This will create mayhem for clients. Many | | | | assessment of your dental health and places |
| seeking treatment on the NHS will be simply | | | | you in one of five treatment groups. This |
| turned away. Those dentists who do accept the | | | | will determine how much your scheme costs. |
| new NHS contract will then face a flood of | | | | The better your dental condition, the less |
| new clients seeking treatment. The vast | | | | you pay. |
| majority will again be turned away as even | | | | |
| before this bust up, there was a dire | | | | For example, Denplan's dental care scheme |
| shortage of dentists. Waiting lists are bound | | | | costs between 9 and 30 per month. We are told |
| to be a mile long. No, sorry, two miles long! | | | | that their average fee is 16. |
| | | | |
| As a result, if you are desperate for | | | | Cash Plans The last alternative is a |
| treatment to a broken tooth or an abscess, | | | | composite health cash plan. These pay out for |
| you'll be forced to search out a community | | | | dentistry but also a wide range of other |
| based dental surgery operated by the NHS | | | | health treatments such as optical treatment, |
| itself. Ask your Doctor for directions to the | | | | hospital treatment, physiotherapy, chiropody |
| closest to you. The odds are they'll be miles | | | | even allergy testing. Each policy spells out |
| away. This means a long journey plus a | | | | exactly what is covered and the maximum value |
| hospital style queue on arrival. Getting | | | | you can claim to for each kind of health |
| dental treatment will simply take all day! | | | | treatment. You have plenty of choice as most |
| | | | cash plans offer three or four grades of |
| For many, private dentistry is the only | | | | benefit level. The more you pay, the more you |
| alternative. Going private means you'll get | | | | can claim. Some plans allow you to reclaim |
| an appointment when you want one rather than | | | | 100% of the cost up to the annual maximum set |
| waiting for ages with the NHS, and you can | | | | for each health category, some will only pay |
| pick and choose your dentist. But it can be | | | | a proportion of the cost. With cash plans, |
| expensive. The only good news is that there | | | | the maximum cover for dentistry tends to be |
| are solutions to keep costs under control. | | | | in the range of 70 to 200 per year depending |
| | | | on the company you choose and the option you |
| You essentially have three key options: | | | | go for. |
| dental insurance, capitalisation schemes or | | | | |
| cash plans. | | | | For examples of cash plans, visit and Click |
| | | | on cash plans when you get there. |
| Dental Insurance The insurance industry has | | | | |
| responded with a whole host of varying dental | | | | How to get top value in Dental cover As with |
| insurance policies. The following are just | | | | most types of insurance, you'll get it |
| some typical examples: | | | | cheapest on the Internet. Search for dental |
| | | | insurance but use the .co.uk variant of your |
| Western Provident has been in the dental | | | | search engine otherwise you'll come up with |
| insurance market for many years. Its | | | | masses of American sites! |
| Providential policy provides a basic level of | | | | |
| dentistry cover with fixed monthly premiums. | | | | The best UK sites to visit are those that |
| For those aged 18 to 49 the premium is 12.48 | | | | either enable you to compare plans or those |
| and 15.90 per month for those between 50 and | | | | operated by a specialist dental insurance |
| 69. Policyholders have to pay the first 25% | | | | broker. With brokers, you submit your details |
| of each treatment but can claim up to 250 per | | | | and they'll come back to you with the options |
| year towards routine treatment including | | | | and best dental policies available for you. |
| check-ups, visits to the hygienist and | | | | |
| fillings. Emergency dental treatment can be | | | | If you do want to go direct to an insurance |
| claimed up to 1,000 per year but cover for | | | | company, you can still do it on the Internet |
| accidental dental injury is limited to 250 | | | | - but it's unlikely that you'll stumble on |
| per treatment. | | | | exactly the best policy for you amongst the |
| | | | many hundreds available. And the broker may |
| 6 per month gets you basic dental insurance | | | | well be cheaper. It will come as no surprise |
| with Universal Provident. Their policy | | | | that we recommend the broker route! |
| insures you for up to 1,000 per year for | | | | |