Private dentist mistake on quote

[gellielli]

Any ideas on best way forward? Having work done by private dentist, bridge, white fillings, few other things. Took out a loan to have it done and paid upfront. Work started with white fillings which were not essential but the dark ones affected my self esteem. So glad to have them done, but the quote has randomly gone up by nearly £700. They made a mistake on the first one (literally a clerical error). If I'd have known I would have left off some of the white fillings and had them done one by one at a later date, but now I am only left with essential things left (crowns on root canalled teeth and a bridge). I feel quite upset that they made an error of so much money and now I have to find it somewhere. I budgeted for what I was having done based on my income and really don't want to increase the loan. I thought about not having one of the crowns done instead and trying somehow to find an NHS dentist who will do it. Do I have any leg to stand on asking them to do it at the original cost? I guess not...

I would ask them

Did the original quote include the white fillings? If it did I would point out to them that their error isn’t your fault it’s their problem and they need to honour their original quote!!

Honestly it's just made me feel guilty about getting my teeth done. Something I've desperately wanted to do for years and now I've finally done it it's been messed up and I owe them nearly £700. I can't increase the loan and I really don't want anothet credit agreement on my account in quick succession as I currently only have the bank loan and my phone bill. Just feel really miffed.

It included everything.

They did caveat it by saying that as the treatment plan changes so can the cost (they said it could vary slightly) but it's a x3 increase on one element because of a clerical error. I do feel bad arguing it as the dentist and staff are lovely, but I just don't have an extra £700 lying around!

I think it depends on why the cost has gone up. If it was say a small filling that when they started drilling they found the tooth was more decayed so needed a larger filling fair enough. But a clerical error where the receptionist has typed a wrong digit and they haven't bother to check it I wouldn't be happy with.

It is for a three tooth bridge. They forgot to times the element by three, so it's gone from £330, to £990. And that's just for the fitting element not the prep.

The treatment was agreed on the basis of the quote they gave. The treatment hasn’t changed therefore the price shouldn’t. They made the error and should bear the cost.

However, I do know it can be difficult with dentists, they have you over a barrel. If that approach fails, they should at the very least be prepared to offer you time to pay in instalments.

The thing with instalments is that I don't want another loan on my credit file. Not sure what to do. I do feel for the dentist as I can see how the mistake was made. It wasn't intentional just very annoying!

It was their mistake and not yours. You shouldn’t have to pay and I would resist. But if they won’t do the treatment at the original quote you are a bit stuck so instalments or a negotiated reduction are your next best steps.

Ask for a meeting with the practice manager they shouldn’t be allowed to do this

I think it depends whether it says quote or estimate. If it quote then they should honour it. Estimate is a bit different

For starters I wouldn't be comfortable paying up front for work that hadn't happened.

I always pay on the day for be what they did. Please be assertive and ask every single thing about the cost. There's no way a decent dentist would just up the price without checking with you first and then agreeing both verbally and in writing. They don't sound very transparent.