Dental charges

[Gasman]

Hi - can anyone confirm my suspicions that you have to pay for all dental care in spain? Is there any part of it which can be claimed back on the healthservice or is it all 'private' ? Do age factors come into it - eg free for over 60? We don't have private insurance being autonomos within the spanish healthcare system.
Thanks
Gasman

[gerryh]

My understanding, and I'd love to be proved wrong, is that all dental charges have to be paid here in Spain.
None are free. Although the dentist I went to did give me a free check up which revealed paid for work.
The work was definitely needed. She wasn't trying to rip me off.
Cheers
Gerry

[Jool]

At the moment it is as Gerry says although things are changing and I understand under 16 year olds will get free dental care.

Beware though as even private health insurers who offer dental cover seem to have a very limited number of practitioners, so much so that we cancelled our dental cover and pay as we go....it is a lot cheaper than in the UK and so long as you go to a modern surgery I think the care is superior.

[peteroldracer]

My OH was referred to a dentist who comes to our health centre once a week and treats under the health system. Her idea of treatment was to hit the suspect tooth with the handle of one of those little round mirrors they stuff into your mouth, resulting in some interesting gymnastic movements by the OH, as she tried to leap vertically from the chair....
You gets what you pays for, maybe?
A friend was referred by her English dentist (60€ an inspection) to a maxio-facial guy in Málaga, who charged 100€ for the appointment and 90€ for taking and having analysed a tissue sample....he then gave her appointments for his clinic in the Hospital Civil, which are all covered by the Health Service tarjeta, as are the prescriptions for antibiotics and analgesia - the treatment is ongoing, and she is a pensioner, if that helps?
Edit: have just read that anyone aged 6-15, pregnant women, and now (from 20th November, World Diabetes Day) anyone suffering from diabetes can get free treatment.

[Lavanda]

I've just had a check-up and two fillings at a total cost of €80. My OH is 65 and seems to get a discount of about 25% on charges. He had two extractions last month. €40 for the two - plus Bonjela before the injection and the injection as well, of course. This is fantastically much cheaper than our London dentist who charged £60 per check-up and £150 per filling. Well, we were with BUPA and the dentist was on the make!

[markwilding]

Three years ago I had to have an implant Which cost me 1,500 euros which was at the time cheaper compared to the UK . now the price must be more or less the same due to the exchange rate. I used a company called Vital Dent which is all over Spain. I go back every six months for a check up and every year they clean my teeth all for free

[frank]

"This is fantastically much cheaper than our London dentist who charged £60 per check-up and £150 per filling. Well, we were with BUPA and the dentist was on the make!"
I should hope it was, somewhere in the sticks in Extremadura would hardly be charging London prices. ;-) We are hundreds of miles from London, we are both with different private dentists, and pay £21 and £25 for a check up.

[Gasman]

Thanks everybody for your help. We have moved from France a couple of years ago and this is the first treatment we have needed from a dentist while here - comes as a bit of a shock as in France you only pay about 20% of the Dentists examination fee (who is considered as a doctor so the charges are basically the same as going to a GP) and that is covered by the insurance top-up system that most people have. And the treatment he provides is covered entirely by the health service - xrays and common or garden crowns included. Posh coloured crowns and some bridges etc carry an extra charge.
Thanks again - appointment due, so will dash off clutching a wad of euros in hand!

[Colinm]

a wad of euros in hand!

aah, cash, that's a different price then!!

[bunty]

The Health Service do take teeth out for free at least!
This includes wisdom teeth even the difficult ones which need to be taken out in hospital.

[Lavanda]

Why did I have to pay to have my wisdom teeth take out eleven years ago then? Is it free for everyone, or only for those under 16, over 60 and for the benefit careerists?

[bunty]

Lavander,
Did you first go to your G.P. and get referred to the dentist who works for the Health System?
Two of my kids ,who were only students then about 14 years ago, had their wisdom teeth taken out for free.One even had to go to hospital to have hers out.One was in her late teens and the other in her early twenties.

[Lavanda]

That expains it. I never had an NHS dentist.

[Jool]

Please see my separate post re dental charges in Andalucia - I´d really like some input as have a bill to pay this week and want to check I am not being over-charged. I don´t think I am but......

[peteroldracer]

If you haven't clarified and agreed what the bill might be, I fail to see how you can do anything other than pay it!
It's a bit like my stupidity (see relevant posts here) in ordering a lubina in a restaurant without asking what the price would be.

[julian]

I don´t think there is a "set fee" for dentistry, each dentist can charge what he wants, and what he thinks he can ask for for the quality of his services.

[Jool]

They have told me what the fee is of course (mid way through treatment as it was an emergency) but I can´t challenge it or question it in any way if I have no frame of reference can I?

[peteroldracer]

Maybe I am a coward, but the last person I would challenge is any guy who is going to poke around my mouth with sharp pointed implements and big pairs of pliers!

[julian]

but I can´t challenge it or question it in any way if I have no frame of reference can I?

correct, you can´t challenge it if you didn´t ask

[Jool]

I did ask otherwise I would have no way of comparing it with other prices would I? I will pay it this time or let them know if I think it is too much and still pay but I still want to know if it is within normal range or expensive in which case I will find another dentist for next time! Trying to find out seems to be as hard as pulling teeth!!