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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be really hacked off about this and think they really should have had their act together??

44 replies

NoWayNoHow · 05/04/2011 17:37

Went to dentist this a.m. - it was my 4th visit since 1st March as I have a root infection which they're trying to treat and clear.

It's a private dentist as my NHS dentist is what caused the problem in the first place Angry, so after every appointment I've been to, I've gone to reception and asked "how much do I owe" and each time I've been told nothing. This fits with what dentist said after first appointment - only thing to pay was prescription charges at Boots for antibiotics. I was a little Confused about that as he'd taken x-rays, but i do know that private dentists tend not to charg for the litle stuff as they get all their money from the big stuff that people need done.

Today after my appointment, I do to the desk and ask, "do I owe anything for today before I run out your door". She peruses computer and then says, "Yes, £129 " !!!!!!!!! Shock

I told her that can't be right, he'd only looked at my teeth, nothing else, and she tells me that these are the charges for initial consultation, x-rays, de-scaling, etc.

I asked her how it was that this is the first time I've heard about ANY charges, especially when I've been specifically asking about it. She said sometimes the information doesn't come straight through from the dentists computer to hers so may not have been on there when I asked. I bamboozled her bloody stupidity logic when I told her it may not have been immediately, but surely the charge for the first consultatino would have been there 2 weeks later at the 2nd consultation. Idiot.

AIBU to think that I shuoldn't have had to pay such a massive sum up front when it should have been split up not only over 4 appointments, but over two paydays?? What can I do about it??

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 05/04/2011 17:38

so.... did you honestly think he was just treating you for free?
i would ask if you can split the costs over a few months or something if you can't afford it

Original poster
NoWayNoHow · 05/04/2011 17:40

thisisyesterday he's frequently not charged my mother for consultations when she's been to him (he's her dentist) but did charge her when she needed the work done, and not only that, he wrote her a quote of how much it cost so she could decide whether or not to go ahead with it.

I asked about payment plans, was told "we don't those".

OP posts:
southeastastra · 05/04/2011 17:41

seems normal to me for private

lockets · 05/04/2011 17:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

belgo · 05/04/2011 17:42

129 pounds is not a huge amount for four appointments.

He sounds relatively cheap, especially if he gives check ups for free.

mumblechum1 · 05/04/2011 17:42

TBH I never seem to get charged less than £65 a pop, often q a bit more.

lockets · 05/04/2011 17:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
NoWayNoHow · 05/04/2011 17:44

Sorry, maybe my OP isn't clear. I'm not disputing that private dentists charge, nor what he's actually charging.

I'm just really cross that I've been specifically asking at the end of every appointment whether I've owed anything, and have been told NO. If I had charges from the 1st/2nd/3rd appointments, then why have I not been told when I asked?

It's just a lot of money in one go, when I should have been paying, say, £30 after each appointment, making it £60 out of March's payday, and £60 out of April's.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoWayNoHow · 05/04/2011 17:45

It's not about how much it costs!!!!!!! I don't dispute it's good value!!!!!

It's about not telling me I owed money and enabling my to pay after each appt!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 05/04/2011 17:46

yes but my point was, when they said nothing you didn't say "are you sure? i've had work done" or "really? that was free?"

i mean, come on... you really thought he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart?

thisisyesterday · 05/04/2011 17:46

yanbu to think they should have told you though and been clear about costs.

lockets · 05/04/2011 17:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShatnersBassoon · 05/04/2011 17:49

YANBU to think they should have been able to give you an estimate for the treatment required before they started, but YABU to have been surprised when you were finally presented with a bill.

Original poster
NoWayNoHow · 05/04/2011 17:50

thisisyesterday as a matter of fact, I DID double check with a "Really? No charge?" and got a "that' right"

To be fair, there wasn't any actual work done on my teeth. First appt was xray, 2nd appt was a de-scale, and 3rd and 4th appts were just to check that the infection above the tooth wasn't getting worse.

Not exactly like a had root canal, or a tooth pulled.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoWayNoHow · 05/04/2011 17:53

shatners that's exactly why I'm cross. I have always been perfectly prepared to pay, which is why I've repeatedly asked what I've owed. It's the principle of them not having a good enough system in place that it takes them over a MONTH to suddenly go "Oh, I think you owe us some money from 4 weeks ago". That's just being very pants at being a business, and is bad customer service. I am now out of pocket for one large amount of money, rather than 4 small ones that would have been spread over two paydays, and they just weren't prepared to help at all.

OP posts:
ohhappyday · 05/04/2011 18:33

YABVU - this is not a "massive" sum and the woman clearly is not an idiot she is acting in her bosses best interests and possibly to his instructions. He does sound a bit haphazard and laid back - but to be honest sounds like a good guy.

Sorry but these guys are there to treat you, not to worry about how to manage your finances. You were more than aware he was a private dentist - you should have queried prices with him at one of the consultations - no one can afford to do xrays free. You got off very lightly - I would be showing gratitued not annoyance. Also, you could have opened an interest free credit card and put charge on this.

ChaoticAngelofDenial · 05/04/2011 18:40

YANBU

They should at least have warned you that they would charge at the end of the 4 appointments and given you some idea of how much so you could have put some aside.

WTF should the OP have to open up an interest free credit card?

ChaoticAngelofDenial · 05/04/2011 18:40

Btw it's a massive sum to some people Hmm

ohhappyday · 05/04/2011 18:41

So that she could pay it up and not have to pay all in one go

HarderToKidnap · 05/04/2011 18:43

It is a massive sum to some people. Not ones that go to a private dentist, I would have thought.

YABU. You knew you weren't getting four appointments free. It's is annoying for you though.

belgo · 05/04/2011 18:45

I can imagine it's annoying, but I don;t understand your anger about it. I would be grateful that he is a relatively good value dentist.

slartybartfast · 05/04/2011 18:48

how annoying op.

BringBackGoingForGold · 05/04/2011 18:50

I don't think you're being U. They should be clear about what each session/treatment costs, and not stack up costs without telling you and then present them to you as a lump sum. That's a bit fly IMO. If I were you I'd point this out, stand firm and say you'll pay in instalments.

JaneS · 05/04/2011 18:52

YANBU at all to expect they'd tell you how they expected you to pay. You should have had a treatment plan at the beginning. However, YABU a bit to have gone ahead without one - my NHS dentist fucked up with me too, and I went private, and my total costs were eyewatering. Not remotely in the region of 129. I'm just wincing to think of you going in there and not asking before you had the work done about how much it would be, it's really not a good idea.

diddl · 05/04/2011 18:54

Is it that you´ve only been charged now that the work is finished?

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