# Dentist in the Lot or nearby



## travertine

Hi. This is a similar inquiry to that for a dentist/doctor in the Saint Gauden area. I've got a broken molar and need to find a dentist who speaks enough English. I appreciate the pros and cons regarding the language issue. I live near Prayssac about 20 minutes west of Cahors in the Lot so I'm willing to travel to a dentist as far as Bordeaux and Toulouse and similar distances north if need be. I've explored the various web links suggested for finding a dentist (e.g. Doctolib, annuairesante.ameli.fr) and haven't had much success - one dentist in Cahors that will do an online consultation in late April. Not a good solution for the problem but maybe it's all that exists here at the moment.
*Question 1* - Does anyone know of a dentist in the region that might be taking new patients?
*Question 2* - Looking at the tariffs and cover provided by the carte vitale, it appears that there is some cover for a non precious alloy crown (up to 120 Euros). The total cost depends on the dentist. And the following additional advice is provided:
_"*Dans le cadre du 100% santé, cet acte est soumis à un plafond et est pris en charge intégralement par la complémentaire"_
It's not clear from Google what this specifically refers to. Is it a reference to the top up insurance (mutuelle) that one can take out?
Thanks for any feedback.


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## BackinFrance

The answer to Question 2 is yes, it refers to top up health insurance (mutuelle) - it is the mutuelles who refund for dental work, I don't believe CPAM provides any cover itself..


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## Bevdeforges

CPAM covers basic dentist appointments - and probably something for the initial appointment where the dentist makes an assessment of how to treat your problem (like a broken tooth). I know whenever I've had to have a crown, the dentist gives me a "devis" (estimate) and tells me to get an estimate from my mutuelle of what they will cover. It's not absolutely mandatory - but generally I have done that if only to be prepared for what I'll owe when the work is completed.


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## MataMata

A few years back now but a friend of mine (also from Prayssac but now sadly deceased) had extensive treatment carried out at the University hospital in Toulouse. Don't recall the details other than he spoke very highly of it and also that it was not overly expensive.

Maybe they take cases which are of interest from a teaching point of view, I don't know.

*CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE (CHU) DE TOULOUSE*


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## VERITE1

MataMata said:


> A few years back now but a friend of mine (also from Prayssac but now sadly deceased) had extensive treatment carried out at the University hospital in Toulouse. Don't recall the details other than he spoke very highly of it and also that it was not overly expensive.
> 
> Maybe they take cases which are of interest from a teaching point of view, I don't know.
> 
> *CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE (CHU) DE TOULOUSE*











Palmarès des Hôpitaux et Cliniques : toujours utiles et fiables ?


Bien que de nombreux hôpitaux caracolent en tête des classements, le Palmarès des Hôpitaux et des Cliniques n'est plus un outil pratique et fiable.




www.le-guide-sante.org





Every year, the magazine LE POINT publishes a list of the top hospitals and clinics in France and Toulouse is generally in the top 3 together with Bordeaux and Lille. However this classification by establishment/department/pathology is only available to its readers.
The above list is a similar classification, based on patients' appreciations.

I worked for many years in the CHU Toulouse and was often called upon to interpret for English speaking patients and their families. There is a list of potential interpreters among the hospital staff available to both staff and patients, covering a large number of languages.

So if you do find yourself in hospital, especially the larger ones, it's worth asking for an interpreter if you can't cope. This is also possible if you have an outpatients appointment if you ask in advance.


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## clothmama

Dr Daniel Oaten in St Astier (near Perigueux) is excellent and is English (moved here with his parents when he was 2), might be a bit closer than Bordeaux for you (but maybe not!).


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## BackinFrance

Bevdeforges said:


> CPAM covers basic dentist appointments - and probably something for the initial appointment where the dentist makes an assessment of how to treat your problem (like a broken tooth). I know whenever I've had to have a crown, the dentist gives me a "devis" (estimate) and tells me to get an estimate from my mutuelle of what they will cover. It's not absolutely mandatory - but generally I have done that if only to be prepared for what I'll owe when the work is completed.


I was of course referring to the refund for the crown that the OP quoted.


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## travertine

Thanks for all the responses and I will contact the dentist in St Astier. If you have to drive for 2 hours to reach a dentist that's what you have to do.


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## EuroTrash

Yep, finding a dentist as in locating a dental practice is the easy part. Making an appointment, not so much.


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## ko12

12 months ago, I had a faulty (40 year old) twin crown (2 teeth) replaced by 2 new crowns. Total cost €1060 of which €167.50 was refunded by CPAM & €885 by our Mutuelle (not special cover, just the 'reste à charge zero'). There are limits (according to materials) but ceramic is covered for 'front' teeth (defined, I think, as 'visible'), which was my case.


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## 1790260

On this subject, has anyone any good suggestions as to how to find a dentist that will accept new patients? Because it is most definitely *not* easy to find a dentist if you live in rural France, Doctolib and the _annuaire sante_ give no indication and you have to ring around, always getting same response "we don't take new patients". There are no waiting lists, you have to keep trying. The larger problem is that we're in a _désert médicaux_ and in the same situation as many people_._


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## Bevdeforges

Basically, you have to keep trying until you find one. Parts of the Ile de France region (i.e. Paris area) are also medical deserts. There is always the option of making a run up to Paris, but then again, the Paris doctors are generally mostly category 2 (i.e. expensive) and even some of those aren't taking new patients.

The Améli website includes dentists in their Annuaire Santé (which is available even if you don't have a personal space) where you can list registered practitioners by location. No guarantee they're taking new patients, but it gives you a listing of who is in the area. Same with Pages Jaunes. I also found a site called allo-dentiste.fr that can be searched by location. Not much information for each dentist's listing, but they give you the phone numbers so that you can call and ask.


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## 1790260

Bevdeforges said:


> Basically, you have to keep trying until you find one.


Yes, as I feared. I'm making the same half dozen calls every month, always to get the same answer. Feels like a fool's errand.


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