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Dentist bill


eddoakley
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Had a letter from the dentist a few months back:

"From time to time we check out records and it's seems that you owe £40 for services rendered.....If we have made a mistake please disregard this letter"

They had made a mistake so the letter was duely binned.

I called them to confirm an appointment time and pointed out that they had indeed made a mistake in sending me the letter.

The young lady appoligised and said she would update the records.

A few weeks later and another letter:

"despite previous reminders you have not paid.....If we have made a mistake please disregard. Other wise legal action"

So a quick call to explain that I have paid and it's always the same procedure, appointment, pay, book for next time.

"Well you will have to prove it" I was told.

I asked if they wanted to prove that I hadn't and they just said that they would stop seeing me and use a debt collector.

I asked when they were going to pay the invoice that I had sent them for my services (I hadn't obviously) and they said that I would have to prove that they owed me something....

I called in today to alter an appointment and was told that if I don't prove that I have paid them then they won't see me.

Why is it up to me to prove that I paid?

 

Edd

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2 hours ago, gotgcoalman said:

I got a nice bill from the NHS for the sons dental check up.

£21 + £100 fine.

No one at the dentist told us that "college students" had to pay and we assumed he was still exempt due to being in full time education.

 

I’ve jusf had £300 in fines off the nhs for prescriptions . Luckily they’ve cancelled it. 

I tried renewing my prepayment and it said still valid. Next I get a fin. 

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4 hours ago, eddoakley said:

Had a letter from the dentist a few months back:

"From time to time we check out records and it's seems that you owe £40 for services rendered.....If we have made a mistake please disregard this letter"

They had made a mistake so the letter was duely binned.

I called them to confirm an appointment time and pointed out that they had indeed made a mistake in sending me the letter.

The young lady appoligised and said she would update the records.

A few weeks later and another letter:

"despite previous reminders you have not paid.....If we have made a mistake please disregard. Other wise legal action"

So a quick call to explain that I have paid and it's always the same procedure, appointment, pay, book for next time.

"Well you will have to prove it" I was told.

I asked if they wanted to prove that I hadn't and they just said that they would stop seeing me and use a debt collector.

I asked when they were going to pay the invoice that I had sent them for my services (I hadn't obviously) and they said that I would have to prove that they owed me something....

I called in today to alter an appointment and was told that if I don't prove that I have paid them then they won't see me.

Why is it up to me to prove that I paid?

 

Edd

It's up to them to prove that you haven't paid.  'Innocent until proven guilty'.....so I would suggest that you ask them to prove that you did not pay and provide the actual paperwork/ computer printout with time/ date of the dental work done, the cost, etc.  Did you pay by card?  If so, there should be a record of it on your bank statement.  If you paid by cash, they should have given you a receipt and retained a copy for themselves.  Did they give you an invoice, if you didn't pay immediately?  Finally, if you are 100% sure that you have paid this bill and can prove it, then tell them that you are prepared to go to court if they take the matter any further.    

 

 

 

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Just guessing but the original thread was about dental debt.

Is your dental practice a large chain ie My Dentist? I did hear they had been hacked and lost data a few years ago so are not sure whether people owe money or not so even if you do  just say no as the iIT systems should be better protected. 

Kids in college  / Uni still exempt you can claim it back or just evidence they aren’t in edu action and you will not be charged / fined

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2 hours ago, DoolinDalton said:

It's up to them to prove that you haven't paid.  'Innocent until proven guilty'.....so I would suggest that you ask them to prove that you did not pay and provide the actual paperwork/ computer printout with time/ date of the dental work done, the cost, etc.  Did you pay by card?  If so, there should be a record of it on your bank statement.  If you paid by cash, they should have given you a receipt and retained a copy for themselves.  Did they give you an invoice, if you didn't pay immediately?  Finally, if you are 100% sure that you have paid this bill and can prove it, then tell them that you are prepared to go to court if they take the matter any further.    

 

 

 

You are missing the point, they will just drop you and you won't get signed on with another practice. 

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7 minutes ago, Vince Green said:

16% of all dentists in the UK earn more than £500,000 a year (office of national statistics) Making it hugely more profitable than doctors, lawyers etc. Even a top heart transplant surgeon doesn't earn as much as these dentists  

They’re certainly not earning that in general practice.

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7 hours ago, DoolinDalton said:

It's up to them to prove that you haven't paid.  'Innocent until proven guilty'.....so I would suggest that you ask them to prove that you did not pay and provide the actual paperwork/ computer printout with time/ date of the dental work done, the cost, etc.  Did you pay by card?  If so, there should be a record of it on your bank statement.  If you paid by cash, they should have given you a receipt and retained a copy for themselves.  Did they give you an invoice, if you didn't pay immediately?  Finally, if you are 100% sure that you have paid this bill and can prove it, then tell them that you are prepared to go to court if they take the matter any further.    

 

 

 

this is correct iv just asked my wife who is an hygienist, the practice should have a copy of every payment as should you even if you paid by card or cash so you shouldn't have to prove anything it should be on record

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3 hours ago, davewh100 said:

this is correct iv just asked my wife who is an hygienist, the practice should have a copy of every payment as should you even if you paid by card or cash so you shouldn't have to prove anything it should be on record

But they can’t prove a negative. They can only prove he has paid, they can not prove that he hasn’t. 

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10 hours ago, Vince Green said:

16% of all dentists in the UK earn more than £500,000 a year (office of national statistics) Making it hugely more profitable than doctors, lawyers etc. Even a top heart transplant surgeon doesn't earn as much as these dentists  

I wish all dentists earned this or even close to it, my mrs is a dentist and brings no where near that home. If she did I would probably stop working and finally get the house finished and be able to go on more extravagant holidays than taking the caravan to the west coast.

Generally if a dentist is an associate half of what they earn goes to the practice owner sometimes more, although this covers the nurse and rent of the room including chair and equipment. If someone does not pay not only does the associate not earn anything for the treatment carried out they also have to pay the practice owner for the other half of the expenses.

If the practice is NHS they also have a duty of care for all patients on their books and cannot by law refuse to treat someone who is in pain no matter how much they are in debt to the dentist.  

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As much as anything it's the attitude that has annoyed me.

The 1st girl said that they would update the records, their own letter says "if we have made a mistake..." 

Since then it's like I'm taking their own personal cash and each person I have spoke  to has just been a r see.

I have actually now found the payment going out of my bank, on the day I had the treatment, but why did I have to do that? 

Surely if they think I haven't paid they should just check their bank around that date?!?!

I'm actually happy to let them carry on with solicitors etc and then just produce my bank statement, just to make a point that they should have checked before telling me several times that I hadn't paid!

Edd

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11 hours ago, loriusgarrulus said:

It would be a lot less messing about if you just took a copy in of your payment transaction.

Job done, then express politely and firmly your disappointment in their poor book keeping. Leaves you on the high ground and them to apologise. :good:

This.

How on earth are they supposed to prove you haven’t paid? Are they supposed to provide copies of their bank statements and till receipts showing that you DON’T appear on them?

Whilst it might be annoying to you any sensible person will see that the sensible solution is to prove you paid which is far quicker and easier for you to do.

36 minutes ago, eddoakley said:

As much as anything it's the attitude that has annoyed me.

Then do yourself a favour, prove to them that you’ve paid and then write to the practice owner to say they have lost your business because of their bad attitude. Then go elsewhere.

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  • 2 weeks later...
48 minutes ago, strimmer_13 said:

Did this get sorted? 

Not yet. I've been very busy and not had time to go there again but I do have an appointment booked in a couple of weeks so if I haven;t heard from them by that date I will take a copy of my bank statement along.

Edd

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