Dentists

[kevinval]

If I have the need to visit a dentist (only if I'm desparate) whilst I'm at our house in the Charente, will I have to pay or will my E111 cover me?, or should I be brave and get the problem sorted before we leave England. I really don't like going to the dentist, and as I don't speak French perhaps I would be better getting it sorted in France where I wouldn't know what they were going to do to me!!

[Teamedup]

I think that you will have to check as to what your E111 actually covers you for. As far as I was aware,it is for emergency treatment, so if you say got tooth ache in France I imagine it would cover your treatment. If you go and get a check up, would it cover you? I wouldn't have thought so.

Also, I don't know how other people have found french dentists but a simple filling can take up to five visits. Frankly this makes me ill. So be warned, this is what they do.

[Moorejw]

I don't hink your E111 covers dentistry, most of us couldn't get NHS cover in UK, let alone in France. However, our experience of French dentists is very positive so far. Two visits for a filling which cost 21 Euros. Language wasn't too much of a problem.

[Diane Rolph]

We had to find a dentist while our son was visiting us in France in September. He had broken a tooth on the outward journey.

We knocked on a dentist's door, he made an appointment for our son the next morning.

The repair took nearly an hour - the charge? 12.00.

Our dentist in the UK charges more than that for an examination!

Diane Rolph (79)

[Mazan]

Dentist's charges, like a GP's, are paid in full at the time and reclaimed later if you have cover. The standard repayment of 70% applies for charges that fit the Social Security scale, just like with a GP. If you have work done by a dentist who exceeds the set scale then the difference will not be repaid. Most simple work (fillings etc.) is charged at the regular scale but more complex work (plates) will not be. A standard check up and de-scaling costs under 20 here and 70% is paid back by the state.

[Owen]

I would get it sorted before you leave UK.

In an emergency you could go to a French dentist. (make sure that the dentist is "conventionnee", the vast majority are) but you will still have to pay. The dentist will give you a "feuille de soins" a piece of paper outlining the treatment and the cost. You will then need to give that to your local CPAM office with the E111. But even then you will only likely receive 70% of your costs. If you have French bank account give thm a "Releve Identite Bancaire" (RIB). A transfer to your UK account will incur bank charges. The E111 is only likely to cover the emergency nature of the treaatment (relief of pain).. If there is further follow up treatment required the E111 is unlikely to be valid..

Finally take a copy of your E111 as CPAM will want to retain your original as opposed to taking a photocopy and returning the original to you.

I would not worry about your lack of French. Pain is the same in any language!

[ckenway]

We went to the Dentist 2 weeks back because my wife had really bad toothache. We went to make the appointment because she didn't want to ask for one over the phone just in case there was a misunderstanding. Was shown to a waiting room immediately, 15 minutes later the dentist saw her for another 15 min (30 min in total). When she came out the tooth had been extracted and the cost was 20 Euro. We were not asked for any paperwork (E111 etc) but my wife, who is scared to death of dentists, said the equipment was way advanced of anything she had seen in the UK, the local aesthetic was brilliant, she didn't feel a thing, so she subsequently mad a follow up appointment for a teeth clean.

Overall we are VERY impressed with the service and at 20 Euro we were likewise very impressed with the price.

So unless you want cosmetic dental work done (although this is probably cheaper in France) don't worry, just go.

Chris

[Mjc]

as
>I don't speak French

You need only four words.
Ouvrez
Fermez
Crachez
Aieeeeeeeeee!