Dentist charging for PPE

[9millioncansofbeans]

I have a routine dental and hygienist appointment In July and I’ve been unsure about whether to rearrange but I don’t see covid going away anytime soon so it’s possible that now is as safe it’s going to get, certainly safer than the winter.
But I’ve just been told the practice are charging £36 for ppe with the hygienist. Now I don’t know what to do as I want to support the practice but this seems a little unfair and expensive.
Has anyone else found this?

My dentist are only doing emergency appointments. No routine checkups or cleaning going on. They never mentioned extra charges, just said to contact them if it was an emergency. I certainly would put off the hygienist its not essential.

My hygienist already coat £70 through a private practice. I just can’t imagine how expensive this is going to become once the PPE cost is levied. I think I I’m going to have to change practise.

£36 for PPE???

What does that include?

A mask, (Which Dentists already wear) gloves, (Which Dentists already wear) an apron (Which Dentists already wear) and alcohol sanitiser (Which Dentists already use)

What extra PPE are they using that amounts to £36 for your visit? I would ask for a breakdown of those costs.

That seems excessive, what does it cover? I had a dental check up earlier in the week, we had to wear a mask while we were waiting and sanitise our hands on arrival, that was all. The dentist was in full PPE with mask, visor, gloves. I'd want to know what you are getting for that!

Sounds like profiteering to me

The price hike is because the masks they use (ffp2/3) have gone up by a lot. I speak to a couple of dentists and they have both said the same, the ppe they usually buy has gone up so much, i get they have to increase prices but I do think some private dentists are taking the piss with the charges though..

I had to use an emergency private dentist during lockdown and she charged me £100 for ppe! I ended up paying £400 to have a tooth removed, pick a time to get toothache or what 😂 £100 for ppe is just ridiculous but if she said £1000 I would of payed it with an abscess that 3 lots of antibiotics didn't help. I'd had it 5 weeks!

My own private dentist is seeing patients again now and has increased the cost of some treatments (a few pound that's all) but no specific charge for ppe. Thankfully.

I couldn't get an nhs dentist for the life of me and that's before all this so I imagine it will be impossible now. I'd been on several waiting lists and used to phone every couple of months to see if I was any further up the list. I can't afford private though but then I need to go to the dentist (not great teeth!) so don't really have a choice.

It “includes all modifications implemented by us to make your patient journey an even safer one. Some of these changes include air extraction units, air purifiers, reception barriers, fogging machines and certificate protections wear for you and for us”

Personally I think hygienist is more important than the routine dental check up. I just don’t know if I should put it off another 6 months given that would be January and potentially and even riskier time. I am surprised at how high the charge is. If I’m going to Cancel I need to do it today or I will be charged.

I have no issues with my teeth but I normally go to the hygienist very regularly as a preventative measure.

The specialist masks are required for aerosol work, anything that requires any drilling / scaling.

@9millioncansofbeans in your shoes I would go.

If we had a second wave and dentists closed again (god forbid I don't get an abscess the next time!) then who knows when you would get an appointment?

I'm going Monday for a hygiene appointment, I've got an area of soreness on my gums and she wants to have a good go (no idea what she's planning )

I'm not saying dentists will close again btw!

I just mean if you cancel and then you can't get in for whatever reason in 6 months will you kick your self?

A friend is a dentist and she has said that the price of PPE is through the roof, shes paying £10 per mask and needs a new one per person as does her dental nurse. So thats £20 just in masks per appointment!

Yes you're paying for the surgery to be safer too. Honestly I'd go for it while you can. Can't wait for my dentist to be open again.

bda.org/news-centre/press-releases/Pages/Dentists-PPE-costs-will-cripple-service-as-millions-set-to-go-without-care.aspx

There is something about how much they were paying for ppe and how much they are paying now, this is from the British Dental Association website.

Manufacturers or suppliers of ppe are clearly profiteering, this is a disgrace during a global emergency

The cost of PPE has absolutely skyrocketed.

The hygeinist will need a FFP2/3 mask, which is already more than a surgical mask. And these will be massively more expensive than usual

A gown, which they never usually use. A visor, which again the cost of visors is over 20x what it was pre covid.

If they have installed air extraction units these are 1000s of pounds. Also they are able to see less patients because of wait times between patients as scale is an AGP.

And where does all the PPE come from I wonder 🤷‍♀️

Realistically the practice has been closed for 3 months, running a practice costs a lot of money, a lot of practices will be struggling for money right now. They need to make money to be able to stay open and provide the service they do.

A hygenist doesnt make masses of money, the majority of that will go back into the practice to pay for the changes, equipment, staff costs etc. If the practice does profit (which i doubt) it will go towards improvements to the practice which will benefit patients in the long run anyway.

Yes, my private dentist has sent out an email advising patients about the cost for PPE use (aerosol procedures increase the cost).

Yes we are charging for ppe as will your hairdresser chiropractor chiropodist and beauty salons Etc

It’s massively expensive now eg a box of standard masks cost about a fiver until COVID now we looking at nearer £50

Complain if you want but these charges are here to stay

I went to my private hygienist last Saturday. I paid £15 extra. There was a dental nurse with her which was extra and they were both in full PPE including fitted masks gowns and foot covers. They said they need to cover the costs and PPE is horrifically expensive. They also have to cover all the requirements if they are going to open.