Covid profiteering dentist.

[RipOffForNothing]

NC for this.

I'm pissed off at my dentist, I called today to make an appointment because my filling dropped out 3 weeks ago and now I'm in bloody pain, both top and bottom gums hurt.

I called up and got told, I've got to pay 7 pound for fuckin PPE. Nevermind the fact they are not the cheapest dentist anyway.

AIBU to think they are just profiteering?

I mean really a fuckin apron does not cost 7 pound. It's total bullshit. I did disagree down the phone but the short and sweet is, it's tough shit.

The dentist always wears an apron and mask anyway.

They are a private dentist as well as NHS. I'm private. I'm not saying that to sound stuck up, but to point out I do not pay NHS prices as is. I just think it's shady as fuck to be marking a apron up so much. I will be leaving them after this.

NHS is charging around £7 for PPE I though private was considerably more. This isn’t profiteering it is what the head practices are telling dentists to charge. They have no say over it. I would expect it isn’t just the normal surgical mask which will be required if they are doing fillings but the FFP3 masks not to mention the down time after appointment and deep clean before next patient. Do t get me wrong I definitely think there is profiteering going on in places but it doesn’t sound like your dentist is tbh.

£7, the cost of a coffee and a sandwich or a glass of wine. Count yourself lucky you have a dentist who has reopened and is doing fillings. Many in my town still haven't due to the PPE shortage.

If you're in that much pain, surely you'll gladly pay an extra 7 quid??

No wouldn’t be blaming your dentist here by the makers of ppe. Seriously when you see how much they have hiked the prices of ppe then you would understand. I can’t recall the exact figures, but I was disgusted by it. Something like less than a pound to more than a tenner for a box of gloves, it’s madness.

YABU

It’s not just standard PPE, because dental procedures are high risk of spreading Covid. It’s also the extra cleaning, the extra gap between patients to allow for the cleaning.

Seems very reasonable.

Wouldn't like to be a dentist at the moment... Months of lost income, sky-high costs and endless preparation to reopen safely and one of the most dangerous professions for being exposed to infection. It's a wonder we still have any...

Look, it's the cost of three coffees!

I went to the dentist the other day and can well believe it costs at least £7 for the PPE. The dentist and nurse were head to toe in several layers of aprons and masks and visors. I think it's fair enough to be honest, sorry. My dentist is NHS so I wasn't charged anything though. I'd expect to pay extra if I chose to go private.

Assuming that you can take the stuff home and wear it about the house if you want to, I think that's not bad, especially in this hot weather that's probably all one needs to wear - providing you not expected any online deliveries that you need to sign for.

£30 charge for me

I saw my dentist last week, nothing charged for PPE, just the normal check up and xray costs.

It costs £33 for PPE per person. Not to mention that after they do your filling they have to wait an hour until they're allowed in there to clean

I don't have Sky or whatever, because I choose dental insurance instead. Even though I have no TV reception, so if my internet goes down, no TV.

I've seen my dentist twice since their lockdown was lifted. Once an emergency, once a check up. Not charged. Nor was my son (who is NHS with the same dentist) charged extra.

Choose your dentist and choose your priorities.

When I go any other time both in the room wear a mask, gloves and apron also a face screen thing if doing anything like drilling.

No, I don't think spraying a few things down costs 7 quid a time. Also dentist would have to wipe the sodding chair an change the mouth wash anyway. Covid or not.

I can see I must be being U here. I still feel the same however, they are profiteering in my eyes. They factor PPE cost in anyway, covid is just a excuse to add extra.

A bit of spray and airing a room. Sorry I don't believe one apron and mask costs 7 quid or more.

I'm just pissed off, I will get over it. Also I would not pay 7 quid for a coffee. I am spending enough at this dentist without the 7 quid but will be paying that as it's not a choice.

Amazing how we are all expected to pay for our own face masks but yet these dentists are not. I wonder if shops will be charging soon for the "extra" cleaning and masks the staff wear on shop floor.

I can see this "extra cleaning" thing being the new scam. Shops, pubs, schools will all be demanding more money for extra cleaning.

It's not profiteering if they have an extra outlay. It's business.

That's irrelevant what someone said about think about the extra time to clean up etc. A dentist who is seeing you as an NHS patient would not be doing that, I.e extra charges etc, so the same dentist who does both NHS and Private as most do, unless solely private, which the OP's dentist isn't solely private, should not be charging extra if they are seeing you as a private patient, but my guess is their way of getting around it is that with private charges they can do pretty much as they please. Where as with NHS they can't, unless they could charge a fee for PPE, which would be perfectly possible as they would just put that down as a private charge, but that would be pretty ridiculous!
Unless carrying out big surgical work, then the PPE should be the same, so that is no excuse for charges.

I paid £7 at the dentist for PPE. And the same 2 weeks later at the hygienist.
And I don't begrudge a penny.

I need to make an appointment for an extraction. I was due to go before lockdown and it’s been ok (nerve already out) but I’m not looking forward to it anyway. I feel for the person who will have to put on extra PPE to yank this stupid tooth out, especially in summer when it is always hot in the dentists.

As far as I'm concerned, it's the suppliers who are profiteering. A box of face masks costing £1.66 a year ago now costs £24.95! The disposable long sleeved gowns are £8, the face visors over £1 each and the gloves have gone up horrendously too. Add on the two sets of fpp3 masks, hats and sleeve covers required for each AGP and it's definitely a lot more than £7! Dentistry is the highest risk profession and it's bloody hard work keeping both staff and patients safe - it's not just "spraying a few things down"! Perhaps you should ask your practice to run through their decontamination procedures with you - maybe then you'd appreciate the time, effort and money involved.

Don't go to the dentist then, simple as that! They're a business at the end of the day.

All I can say is think god I'm not a dental nurse anymore, I wouldn't be going into work every day for near on minimum wage and being so at risk, dentistry was ranked as being the highest risk profession right behind people actually working on covid wards.

Seriously OP 'spraying a few things down'

You probably don't get higher risk outside a hospital treating a confirmed case, than dentistry. Pay the 7 pounds. It could be the best 7 pounds you spend this side of Christmas.

@redruby25 they aren't seeing NHS patients at all (in Scotland at least) because the NHS don't have the funds to pay for PPE

They have extra costs. They need a high specification of PPE due to the high risk nature of their job. They have been without custom for a long time too, so can’t you just suck it up and pay? Or simply don’t have work done by the dentist. You are an adult so you can make the choice to not pay and forfeit dental treatment. Think of others, not just yourself.

My dentist charges £35 per appointment for PPE.

My dentist doesn't charge for ppe but despite being NHS only offering private appointments unless you get stroppy. Turns out I've gad an abscess since April but only just managed to get an appointment for help as I can't afford private appointments on mat leave!

Sounds completely reasonable to me.