AIBU maternity exemption certificate can not be extended

[Sharon1983]

In May 2020 i had my dd and i had a maternity exemption certificate. Due to covid 19 i haven’t been unable to use it for dental care due to lockdown and lack of appointments. I have contacted the department and they have basically said tough.
AIBU to be annoyed that anyone who had an exemption certificate in 2020 have lost out 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🥺

I had DS in Dec 2019 and was due dental work as a direct result of the pregnancy the week lockdown started. Sadly as our dentist was closed for the remainder of 2020 due to lockdowns and isolations mine also ran out.

No advice unfortunately but lots of sympathy. I've just made peace with the fact I now cannot afford the dental work.

The reason you get free dental care when pregnant (I believe) is because during pregnancy and afterwards your teeth can be affected. Therefore you get free dental because of it. It wouldn't be right to carry that on just cos you missed out as you wouldn't have problems after it because of pregnancy.

That being said its rubbish and unfair that you have missed out

I'm currently pregnant and can't get registered with a dentist to get seen. I have no teeth issues so I'm hoping that continues

It is not worth being upset at missing out from potential treatment, which you didn’t need. It really is far less than a lot of us.

For example parents of young teens, who are not yet on waiting lists (eg my dd) are being told to pay for braces or wait 3 years.

I had to pay for corrective major surgery due to a botched nhs surgery.

No advice but I do sympathise OP I was supposed to have a tooth removed (pregnancy killed it and led to an abscess) but the appointment was cancelled 3 times and by that time the exemption had ran out and so now I can no longer afford to get the tooth removed. Pregnancy was the cause of my dental problems but I lost out because the dentist kept cancelling the appointments and so now I just have to suffer. This was pre-covid so I know tso many women must be suffering similarly now.

@Thebig3

To be honest it should be extended. Ive had major issues with my gums and teeth but haven't been able to see a dentist.
5 months post partum I still have issues but couldn't get an appointment until September!

So yes it should be extended as the dental issues related to pregnancy don't necessarily disappear when you give birth.

I got really lucky because I snuck an appointment in 11.5 months after birth recently and they gave me the follow up treatment free as part of that appointment even though it was over a year.

I appreciate that not every dentist would be available or as kind as mine were.

(The appointment I had before that would’ve been 17th March 2020 and obvs that got cancelled)

I think you can challenge this via your CCG and ask for an extension. I’m aware that this has happened successfully in a couple of cases.

I do have dental and gum issues which were caused by pregnancy and now i will have to pay for treatment which i can not afford 🥺 unfortunately corona has affected alot of people in alot of situations

@ChelseaCat thank you for this i will look into it

I’ve moved to
A new area in November - teeth are a mess so much so that I can’t smile now I’m so insecure. I’m Pregnant and still after
Months of trying and trying dentists further away can’t even get in a waiting list- so frustrating.