On the NHS, you are placed into one of three
price bands based on the type of treatment you have, not the quantity. This
means that someone who needs only one filling pays the same as someone who
needs 30. Someone who needs a small plastic denture pays the same as someone
who needs a complicated bridge. How can this be fair? Using the NHS logic one
person could buy a Reliant Robin while someone else can have a Rolls Royce
Phantom for the same money.
A brief
description of how the NHS works
Treatment is allocated to one of three bands. The price for each
band is set by the government and can be obtained by calling Bolton Primary
Care Trust.
BAND 1
Examination
Simple Scale and/or Polishing
Prevention
X-Rays
BAND 2
Any of the above plus
Any number of fillings
Any number of extractions
Any number of Root Fillings
Any amount of surgical work.
Deep Scaling and Polishing
BAND 3
Any of the above plus
Dentures
Crowns
Bridges