Dentists are turning to debt collectors to go after patients as post-Covid rise in non-payments sinks teeth into profits
- A dentist in Purley said some patients just walk out of the door without paying
Dentists are turning to debt collectors to go after patients as post-Covid rise in non-payments are sinking their teeth into profits, it has been reported.
One dentist in Purley said some patients just walk out of the door without paying, with it being suggested the introduction of the rent-relief scheme by the Government saw some think they did not have to pay for anything.
Now a debt collection agency has warned people failing to pay up poses a threat to the industry and claims non-payments have surged by 20 to 25 per cent compared to a few years ago.
Desperate dentists are calling in bailiffs to try and recoup the cash, with Harley Street practices among Frontline Collections’ hundreds of clients, reported The Express.
Operations Manager Chris Spencer said they had collected millions of pounds in unpaid fees.
Debt collection company Frontline Collectors say patients not paying up for treatment is a threat to the industry and it has Harley Street practices among its hundreds of clients
‘We aim to go after patients who have the money but blatantly don’t want to pay,’ he said. ‘They will say, “Do what you want, I have a lawyer”. We get that pompous nonsense every day.’
How much does NHS dentistry cost?
There are 3 NHS charge bands:
Band 1: £23.80
Covers an examination, diagnosis and advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, a scale and polish, and planning for further treatment.
Band 2: £65.20
Covers all treatment included in Band 1, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment and removing teeth (extractions).
Band 3: £282.80
Covers all treatment included in Bands 1 and 2, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures and bridges.
For comparison, check-ups can cost between £20 and £120 at private dentists, according to Which?.
Dentures and bridges can also cost up to £2,520, the consumer watchdog says.
Mr Spencer says they don’t go after people who live in the ‘poorer areas’ as they genuinely can’t afford it.
Some patients pretend they are going to get their money from their car and then scarper, he said, while others blackmail dentists by threatening to ‘expose’ them on social media.
He said: ‘The mentality seems to be – I have been through a lot of pain and I still have to pay? Or they find some spurious reason why they should not have to pay for treatment.’
NHS England figures last month showed less than half of adults in England have seen a dentist within the past two years.
Only 43 per cent of over-18s were seen by a dentist in the 24 months to June this year, compared to more than half in the same period before the pandemic struck.
It means 3.8million fewer adults have had their teeth checked by the health service compared to pre-Covid levels.
NHS dental services for children have also suffered, with only 56 per cent seeing a dentist within the last year, 700,000 fewer than pre-pandemic.
Experts warned that the difficulties accessing NHS dentists could see people forgo vital treatment or resort to DIY dentistry — risking more costly care down the line.
While last month the Mail on Sunday revealed record numbers of patients in pain due to problems with their teeth are flooding the NHS urgent care helpline because they can’t find a dentist.
Every month, 85,000 desperate patients call 111 with dental emergencies, compared with 60,000 in 2018 – a rise of 42 per cent.
NHS 111 staff say they are regularly contacted by patients with tooth pain, meaning that doctors on the helpline take longer to get to patients with life-threatening symptoms such as chest pain.
NHS England figures last month showed less than half of adults in England have seen a dentist within the past two years
The number of NHS dentists has plunged to 23,000 – its lowest in a decade. Nine in ten NHS dental practices are not accepting new adult NHS patients, leaving one in five Britons with no dentist.
The British Dental Association said many dentists no longer wanted to do NHS work because they were paid for only a limited number of NHS treatments each year.
The Government wants to train thousands more within ten years, but Dr Nigel Carter, of the Oral Health Foundation, said: ‘There’s a possibility NHS dentists won’t exist by 2030 – the system is so broken.’
Dr Nisa Aslam, a 111 GP, said: ‘We regularly hear from patients with tooth pain so bad they are desperate. These patients are probably in more pain that any patient I talk to because tooth pain is so intense. There’s little I can do – I’m not allowed to offer dental advice.
‘This means 111 doctors spend a substantial time answering calls from patients they cannot treat.’
NHS England did not respond to a request to comment.
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