I’m a dentist. I commented already early in the thread. However it’s been such an interesting discussion that I can’t help myself and want to come back to address a few points that have been made. all are valid by the way!!!
why on earth should the dentist be asked to cover the cost of the white filling? There is absolutely no reason to request this. The dentist had a patient in the chair, was of the legal age to consent.
We don’t know because the OP has not come back to the thread but hopefully the dentist has taken good notes and possibly radiographs. you can diagnose caries without the need for radiographs and it’s always best to only take them if really necessary. But they do help to justify decisions in cases like this.
I would assume a conversation took place. I would hope that the reason a filling was required would have been explained and documented. Options would have been given. The OP needs to establish that all of this occurred before becoming “fuming”
The dentist will not have profited from this procedure at all, ( added this as a few posters have suggested this) The reason they offered to this straight away was just that this was the most efficient use of time.
a private white filling would have been more than £100 most likely. Personally I would have advised a 16 year old to have a think and come back another time when they could have a chat with mum, who would be the one paying. But I still don’t think the dentist did anything wrong.
regarding the comments about amalgam on this thread. Dentists have been using versions of amalgam for two hundred years. Yes, of course there are issues around mercury toxicity but modern amalgam is not toxic to humans, else why would it still be used? Modern amalgam is encapsulated, fast setting, uses high volume aspiration, safe disposal measures and good ventilation to remove and place safely. Plus it’s great! Easy to use, works well and can often last up to 30 years with no issues!!
The main concern with amalgam is quite rightly the environmental impact. See the Minimata convention. It has already been banned in the EU and has been phased down with the plan to remove completely by 2034. I’ll be retired by then!
The issue really just now is to find a cheap, hard wearing alternative. Composite ( white) fillings are very expensive, slower and technically challenging to place, don’t last as long as amalgam and are not suitable for very large cavities. The government are concerned how to incorporate posterior composite fillings into the NHS and how that will work.
But back to the OP, it is worth providing feedback to the practice. I would maybe speak directly to the practice manager rather than relying on ChatGPT. I would ask for the facts first, however they may be unwilling to speak to you without your son’s consent. Advise them in future it is best practice when faced with any 16 year old, to give them the option of a white filling, and that they should suggest to the patient to check with the bill payer! However also acknowledge that you weren’t actually there, and in hindsight, the situation arose because of that reason.
ps I have two full time trainee dental
nurses working alongside me in practice. They are hardworking, sensible and can make decisions for themselves really well. I don’t need to phone their mums before arranging their hep B vaccination. I trust them to be able to make informed decisions regarding their own health