A DENTIST'S BILL

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 125, 23 November 1926, Page 10

A DENTIST'S BILL

ALLEGED EXCESSIVE CHARGE.

A refusal to pay the full amount of a dentist's bill on the ground that the charge was excessive resulted in a claim being made by Dr. A. N. Jones against E. Cannons in the Magistrate's Court to-day for £5 ss, for professional services to the defendant's wife. Tho plaintiff's case, as outlined by Mr. F. T. Clere, was that Mrs. Cannons made thirteen appointments for the extraction of teeth and the fitting of a. false set. She was in a delicate state of health, and special care had to be exercised during the operations. Plaintiff made her a set of teeth, which, owing to the state of her health, she was unable to wear successfully, and he took them back again without charge. The plaintiff was cross-examined by Mr. B. Egley on the question of payment for consultations. He said that his claim was based on the charges for extractions, consultations, and moulding the teeth. He had worked under particularly trying conditions. Mr. Egley: "If she had taken tho teeth, would you not have accepted £12 12s for the whole debt if you had not had a quarrel?"—"No, she would have been charged £2 2s extra for the extractions." Mr. E. Page, S.M.: "Why have you charged £5 ss?" Plaintiff said that it was usual to charge more for extractions only than if sets were also ordered. In evidence, the defendant's wife said that she had had a set of teeth made for her by another dentist and had been charged £10 10s, the extractions being free. In his decision, the Magistrate remarked that the plaintiff had said he would have charged £2 2s if the set had been taken. Ho was claiming £5 ss, but that could not be allowed. Judgment was given for £2 10s.