Do 18 yo pay for dental treatment before they go to Uni?

[Shoppaholic]

My 18yo DS was charged by our dentist for a check up last August. We were told the reason was cos he was not technically in full time education as he was waiting for 6th form college A2 results, in the hope of starting Uni in Sept. We were told to fill out a HC1 form to try & claim it back. Does anyone know if this is right? I thought he was technically still a college student in f/t education but they insisted he was not! Any direction welcomed. Thanks.

I would have thought he was still classed as a student until August 31st as you would have still got child benefit from him and if the chance he had failed his exams he would have continued at college for another year to do retakes, as long as he was under 19 it should have been free.

I have it the other way my son is 19 in September but doing his A-Levels over 3 years so will still be at school but he will have to pay as he is over 18,which is silly as I get child benefit and child tax credits for him and he is at school so not earning.

This is the form you (or he) would have had to sign

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Documents/DentalServices/A4_PR_V2.pdf

It does say full time education and I suppose its their interpretation

Who told you to fill out a HC1 form to get a refund as that's not correct its an HC5 (D) for a dental refund which you can get by phoning 0300 330 1343 but you would have had to apply for a refund within 3 months of the treatment.

To apply for a HC2 (this Is what you fill out the HC1 form for) you can also use the above number.

This is actually related to prescriptions, but when DD started university she was 18, and both the university medical centre doctors and the campus pharmacists told her she was entitled to free prescriptions until she turned 19 (which was quite handy as all the first years tend to pass colds and flu about between them, especially in the first term!).

So I don't see why it wouldn't be the same for dental treatment? Perhaps your dentists are just not very clued up as they don't come across this situation very often?

Op My DS is 18 and hoping to go to Uni in Sept. I specifically asked this question at the recent check up we had and was told it is free until 19, if in full time education, which Uni is. It sounds like you were charged wrongly.

We have booked another appt for Fri of Oct half term, late pm, hoping his timetable allows him to come (he is hoping to be about 45mins away on train). Otherwise it will be xmas hols but he will be 19 then. If he has to pay at xmas, so be it, but we thought we'd try and sneak next appt in before his birthday!

Surely the college academic year is until 31st Aug, so he was still a registered student until then? What if he had chosen to re-take A2s at same college, he would surely have continued seemlessly in FTE from August into Sept?

Thank you everyone for your really useful feedback. I will take it up with the dentist/practice manager. We were told by the receptionist for DS to fill out the HC1 form they gave us to claim back the £20 odd within 3 months but had not heard anything back. . And Kath6144 I agree, my interpretation was that as long as he was in any form of f/t education until he was 19, he would not need to pay for treatment. It does not specify on the NHS website whether it matters if child is at Uni or College. Feel a bit ripped off now but will report back once I have followed up. Thanks everyone.