They advise that all dentists should:
-display prices in practices, on websites, and in advance of any treatment plan.
-provide clear treatment options.
-specify whether treatment is NHS or private.
Mick Armstrong, Chair of the British Dental Association said:
"It is essential that patients have a clear understanding about treatment options and costs when they visit their dentist. Unfortunately, the rules determined by government have proved a recipe for confusion. Neither the NHS contract nor what the NHS will pay for is clear enough. It's a system that is failing patients and practitioners alike.
"In the narrow window available in a time pressed NHS, a dentist must explain not just the technical details of clinical treatment options, but also the workings of the payment system and where the NHS and private treatment cross-over. With such a muddled set of arrangements the system almost sets up the dentists working in it to fail.
"The BDA supports recommendations about clear published price lists as this helps to ensure both the patient and the dentist share a common understanding. NHS posters are not exactly eye-catching, so we are not really surprised that a minority of patients don't remember seeing them long after their visit - but that doesn't necessarily mean that they weren't there. Indeed, the CQC investigates pricing information as part of its inspection process. Nearly all 10,000 practices in England have been inspected by the CQC and 95 per cent have met their overall inspection standard.
"Whilst this Which? survey paints a mixed picture evidence continues to show that the public consistently value their visits to the dentist. New data from NHS England published just this month suggests that 84 per cent of recent patients viewed their experience as positive.
"We take our responsibilities seriously, but government must do more to remove the potential for conflict or confusion. We need an NHS offer for patients and an NHS contract for dentists that are clear to all."
Poster about NHS Dental Charges, 2014, http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Documents/2014/dental-charges-poster-2014.pdf
GP Patient Survey Dental Statistics; July to September 2014, England, NHS England, 8 January 2015 http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/2015/01/08/5536gppsw1201415/ 1.3 million adults were contacted, 425,000 replies were received, with a response rate o> f 32%. 84% rated their NHS dental experience as positive (48% very good and 36% fairly good)
Denplan comments on Which?
One of the UK’s leading dental payment plan specialists, Denplan, has provided comment on the recent investigation by consumer champion Which? into the transparency of NHS and private dental costs.
The report revealed that, of the 1000 people surveyed by Which?, one in five believed they were overcharged for dental treatment, while half said that no price list was displayed.
“The investigation highlights the importance of clear communication between dentists and patients, and we welcome any improvements that dental practices nationwide may make as a result of this report,” said Henry Clover, Deputy Chief Dental Officer at Denplan.
“Denplan strongly believes in providing patients with clear information regarding their treatment and any associated costs, and encourages all member dental practices to build in-depth discussions into each appointment. Being on a dental payment plan also provides clarity for patients - they know exactly what they’re covered for and how much their plan costs each month, making it easy for them to budget for their dental care. In a 2013 survey of over 6,000 Denplan patients, 87% said they valued Denplan because it allowed them to budget for their dental care.
“As part of their relationship with Denplan, we provide regular guidance for our dental practices and support them with a wealth of materials. When the General Dental Council issued new standards for practices to follow in 2013, including the requirement to display price lists, Denplan provided templates for its member dental practices on its innovative marketing platform, Denplan Commsbuilder.”
According to Henry, practices should not underestimate how much value patients place on clarity of information.
“In a 2014 Denplan survey conducted by YouGov, when we asked patients to rate what they thought were important factors in choosing a dentist, we found that ‘clear explanation of treatments and procedures’ was deemed ‘important’ by 92% of patients. This was the third most popular answer, and received a far higher importance rating than other factors such as practice location, customer service, or reputation.
“With this in mind, we hope that this Which? report reminds practices, whether they provide NHS care, private care, or dental payment plans, to provide patients with comprehensive information on treatment choices, costs and payment options as an integral part of patient-centred care.”
Bupa comments on Which?
Dr Steve Preddy, Dental Clinical Director for Bupa UK said:
“Our dentists regularly see the health problems caused by putting off dental treatment. In our recent dental survey, nearly a quarter (24%)* of respondents said they would actually be more likely to go to the dentist if they knew that there wouldn’t be any hidden costs.”
“We are committed to making sure our customers know the full cost of treatment before it goes ahead, so we welcome this campaign to improve transparency.”
About Bupa dental centres:
- Bupa has a network of 33 dental centres across the UK, which are open to all and provide affordable, high-quality dentistry in convenient locations close to where people work. It has a target of owning 50 dental practices by the end of 2015.
- Bupa Dental Centres are open to all and provide a wide variety of dental care from routine examinations to specialist treatments such as oral surgery as well as cosmetic dental treatments.
- Bupa Dental Centres are led by experienced clinicians, working to the highest clinical standards and using the latest technology.
- Exclusive to Bupa Dental Centres, patients can now receive full cover on all routine dental care, with no claim shortfalls or forms to fill in, using the Bupa Dental Health Plan.
- Bupa also insures or funds over 130,000 dental customers through dental insurance and cash plans.
* Total sample size was 1088 adults across Kent, London, Bristol, West Berkshire, and Birmingham. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7th - 15th October 2014. The survey was carried out online.
FGDP(UK) responds to Which? report on dental costs
The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) is concerned that the Which? investigation into dental costs does not present a full picture of the volume and complexity of dental consultations, but agrees that it is vital that all patients are provided with clear and accurate information about treatments and their cost to enable them to make informed decisions about their dental care.
Dentists are required to provide clear information to patients about costs in order to comply with Standard 2.4 of the General Dental Council’s ‘Standards for the Dental Team’, and the FGDP(UK) believes that the majority of the 38,000 dentists in the UK are committed to meeting these standards. However, the Which? report has highlighted the complexity of the current NHS and private delivery and pricing systems, and we believe that greater awareness of the issue among patients, as well as dentists, will be helpful to encourage improved understanding in future. Changes to the contractual arrangements for dentists offering NHS care have been proposed for some time, but the continued lack of clarity around the new system, and the length of the transition period, have posed additional difficulties and challenges for dentists, particularly those providing a mixed NHS and private service.
The FGDP(UK) is supportive of any measures that increase understanding of the dental treatments available both on the NHS and privately, and that may encourage the public to visit the dentist, when necessary, without undue concern about the cost of treatment.
Dr Trevor Ferguson, Dean of the FGDP(UK), said: “Confusion about treatment options, or about the costs of those options, should never be a barrier which stops patients from obtaining the dental advice and care that they need. We hope that the Which? investigation will draw attention to the complexity of providing mixed NHS and private care in the hope that these processes may be reviewed and simplified in future”.
Dental Protection responds to Which?
Which? report oversimplifies complex treatment options, says Dental Protection. Dental Protection is disappointed to see that a recent Which? report on dental treatment and costs oversimplifies a complex and highly individual range of treatment options and undermines the relationship between the patient and their dentist. The report revealed that concerns around patient choice and communication remain an issue, two years after they were raised by the Office of Fair Trading. The concerns raised involve a lack of patient access to information and choice when seeking and receiving dental care, and in particular, the need for better communication about treatment options and costs. Kevin Lewis, Director at Dental Protection, acknowledged that the findings and tone of the article would not be welcomed by the profession, also commenting that the article was significant not for what it said, but what it failed to say. “I am sure that everyone would agree that patients should not be misled about the cost of their dental care and treatment, and that they should understand whether they are being treated within the NHS, or privately, or perhaps a mix of both. “Improving communication is the key to avoiding many of the problems that end up at the door of Dental Protection. So it is always disappointing to discover that patients have experienced communication problems like those described in this report. But just as disappointing is the degree to which this report – just like many others that have preceded it – oversimplifies what is a very complex and highly individual range of care and treatment options. It makes for a populist consumer story but it is ultimately unhelpful because it undermines the trust that the overwhelming majority of patients have in their dentist.” Dental Protection believes the report should have also taken into account the selective and misleading information on NHS Choices that suggests an unlimited and unconstrained scope of NHS dentistry. Furthermore, dentistry is one of the few areas in healthcare where the patient pays for treatment at the point of use, which can lead to complaints if the patient does not feel entirely happy with the service. Mr Lewis added: “General practitioners and their staff are responsible for explaining the complexities of the current three-band system to their patients, as well as dealing with any queries or complaints that result as a consequence. Patients, not surprisingly, find it difficult to understand and accept that you can have less treatment and still be expected to pay the same.”