Dentist penalty charge help!

[Sn1859]

Hi all, just looking for some advice on this long-winded post!

Back in February, I attended an emergency dental appointment. When filling out the form, I indicated that I pay for my treatment and signed the correct section — I double-checked this.

When it came to paying and booking a follow-up appointment, I asked the receptionist when I should pay, and they told me it would be at the next appointment since I was having further work done. So, I booked the next appointment and left.

At that next appointment, I paid for my treatment, and the same happened again at the following one. I didn’t think anything of it until I received a PCN (Penalty Charge Notice) through the post, stating I was being fined for not paying for that original appointment.

I requested a review, explaining that I believed this was due to that first appointment when I hadn’t paid upfront — based on what the receptionist told me. They emailed back stating that I had claimed I was tax credit exempt when I wasn’t and that I had ticked that box on the form.

I was previously tax credit exempt the last time I visited the dentist (last year), so I think the receptionist may have just used the old exemption information from the system instead of checking the back of the form, which is where I had correctly indicated that I pay for treatment. That’s likely where the confusion started.

I’ve now requested a second review, as I don’t feel the person who looked at my first one properly read it — they claimed I should have ticked the box to say I pay, which is exactly what I did.

My question is:
Is there any chance I might win the challenge, or should I just pay the fine?

TIA,
SN

There is no box to say you pay, only boxes to tick if you don't. That's how I've always seen it at least

Don’t they still have the form you filled in? Why can’t they check that to confirm what you ticked? I believe they’re supposed to keep all paperwork.

I wouldn’t be paying any fine. Id just pay for the treatment. Seeing the form would prove it all but they might retrospectively tick a box to maje themselves look in the right as they sound awful.

Dentists manage themselves in the main by the way, so this PCN might be their policy but I very much doubt it’s anything legally enforceable unless you’ve signed some kind of contract with them as a patient. You could refuse to pay it, the consequence would mostly likely be they’d refuse to treat you again. Or was this an emergency service somewhere, rather than an appointment at your regular dentist? Not sure what the rules are for those.

I'd probably query it but ultimately id pay it. I had a payment issue with my last dentist. I booked a hygienist appointment when I had my checkup. Next day I changed my mind and cancelled it. It appears the cancellation wasnt done because I got a bill for the cost of the hygienist.

Point blank refused to pay it. They chased it a few times then I got a letter saying id been removed from their patient list.

As it turned out it didn't matter I moved house about 3 months later and registered at the dentist in my new village.

By all means fight it but dont risk getting removed from the practise unless you know someone else will take you on

I'd ask the practice to see the forms they've submitted. You should have paid at the first appointment so that's when the mistake happened. The FP17 has been submitted as you being exempt for whatever reason. Ask to see your form at the practice they should have kept it. The practice would normally have been asked what was paid and if the mistake has come from what they signed they can contact the BSA on your behalf. You will still need to pay the NHS band charge.

Thank you all.

In retrospect, I don’t think I ticked anything—just signed where I was supposed to—so it’s making me question myself! I’m going to call them tomorrow anyway and see where I can go from there.

The fine has come from NHS England, so I’m not sure how enforceable it is. The email I received states that if I don’t pay, they’ll add more on top. I’d rather it didn’t come to that, but I want to find out what I can at the dentist first. I don’t have an issue paying for the appointment if I haven’t already—it’s just that I thought I had!

Call the dentist, they should have kept your form in your notes. You need to sign twice if you're exempt, once to say you're accepting NHS treatment, and once to say you're claiming free treatment. They should give you a receipt too.

I’ve never been given a form
at the dentist - is it like the ones you get for prescriptions?

Dental NHS fines are issued centrally from government. I’d flag it up but first go to the practice and check what you paid for. Send any receipts to the NHS BSA as well.

it looks like for some reason you have been put down as exempt from charges which will incur a fine if you have incorrectly claimed that you are exempt. But if you’ve paid the correct money for an NHS course of treatment and have receipt then there has been an error either at practice level or at government level (NHSBSA)

If you google NHSBSA dental helpline, there is a number you can call and a usually helpful human should be able to help.