Understanding NHS dental charges (2017-18)

Dentistry is one of the few NHS services where you have to pay a contribution towards the cost of your care. The NHS dental charges information on this page is reproduced from the NHS website and explains what you may have to pay for your NHS dental treatment during the year from 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2018.

• Emergency dental treatment – £20.60

  This covers emergency care in a primary care NHS dental practice such as pain relief or a temporary filling.

• Band 1 course of treatment – £20.60

  This covers an examination, diagnosis (including X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if clinically needed, and preventative care such as the application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant if appropriate.

• Band 2 course of treatment – £56.30

  This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or removal of teeth but not more complex items covered by Band 3.

• Band 3 course of treatment – £244.30

  This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures, bridges and other laboratory work.

For information about help with dental charges, including how to claim a refund, see our section on help with health costs.

Any treatment that your dentist believes is clinically necessary to achieve and maintain good oral health should be available on the NHS.

You will not be charged for individual items within an NHS course of treatment. Depending on what you need to have done, you should only ever be asked to pay one charge for each completed course of treatment, even if you need to visit your dentist more than once to finish it. A course of treatment is completed when the treatment listed in your treatment plan has been provided in full.

SpaDental only provides NHS treatment at some practices where we also provide private and plan dental treatment.  If you are at unsure whether you are paying for NHS or private treatment, or a mixture of the two, please ask any member of the SpaDental clinical staff before your treatment begins.

Be aware that being repeatedly late for your treatment sessions or failure to attend appointments will result in the early termination of the course of treatment.  You will not be offered another NHS appointment at a SpaDental practice.

Treatments free of charge

You do not have to pay a dental charge:

• if you are having stitches removed
• if your dentist has to stop bleeding from your mouth
• if your dentures need repair. However, if it isn’t possible to repair your dentures and you need new ones then you’ll have to pay for this with a Band 3 charge

Not available on the NHS

The NHS will not provide cosmetic treatment such as teeth whitening, which you may want to make your teeth more attractive, but which are not clinically necessary. Even where treatment is clinically necessary the dentist will offer you a treatment option that is clinically appropriate. If you choose to have alternative treatment options then you will have to pay privately for these.

The regulation:

• NHS (Dental Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2016:Written statement – HCWS606

Useful Links & Information