NHS dental charges in England
You pay one charge for each course of treatment, based on the highest band you need.
| Urgent treatment | £27.90 |
|---|---|
| Band 1: check-up, X-rays, scale and polish | £27.90 |
| Band 2: Band 1 plus fillings, extractions, root canal | £76.60 |
| Band 3: Bands 1 and 2 plus crowns, dentures, bridges, braces | £332.10 |
NHS dental charges in Wales
Wales charges for each care package, up to a maximum of £384 for a course of treatment. A check-up is £25 and urgent care is £37.50. Lab costs for dentures, crowns and back-tooth root canals can be extra.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
You pay a share of the dentist’s NHS fee for each item, up to a set maximum, so there’s no fixed price to calculate. Ask your dentist for a written estimate before treatment starts.
Worked example
Dev in England needs a check-up and a filling. A private dentist quoted £150.
| Highest band needed | Band 2 |
|---|---|
| NHS charge | £76.60 |
| Saving over the private quote | £73.40 |
Questions
Why is my NHS dentist charging more?
Some treatments, such as white fillings on back teeth or cosmetic work, aren’t available on the NHS. Your dentist should give you a written plan showing what’s NHS and what’s private.
Can’t find an NHS dentist?
Call NHS 111 for urgent care. In England you can also ask your local integrated care board for help finding a dentist taking NHS patients.