NHS · Dental charges
NHS dental charges
What NHS treatment costs — and help if you can’t afford it.
In England, all NHS dental treatment costs one of just three charges. Rather than paying for each item, you pay for a whole “course” of treatment, and every course falls into one of the bands below.
The three charge bands
You never pay per item — you pay a single charge for the whole course of treatment, set by which band the treatment falls into. Urgent care and a routine check-up cost the same; more complex work that needs a dental laboratory costs more.
| Band | Charge | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent treatment | £25.80 | Emergency appointments and any emergency or urgent treatment you need that cannot be postponed. |
| Band 1 | £27.90 | Dental check-ups, plus any X-rays or a basic clean (scale) your dentist finds you need — all included at no extra cost. |
| Band 2 | £76.60 | Everything in Band 1, plus treatment provided directly by your dentist — fillings, deep cleaning, simple root canal treatments and extractions — and simple changes to dentures, such as adding a tooth or relining the fit surface. |
| Band 3 | £332.10 | Everything in Bands 1 and 2, plus complex treatment that needs the help of a dental laboratory — crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures and mouthguards. |
Please note: NHS dental charges are normally updated on 1 April each year, so check the current figure before booking.
British Dental Association · #TaxOnTeethMinisters are simply making our patients pay more so they can pay less.
The revenue raised by charge increases doesn’t go to your dentist or towards improving your care — it covers cuts elsewhere.
Help with NHS dental charges
If you’re on a low income you may be entitled to free NHS dental treatment. It’s worth checking before you book — the help covers the full cost for those who qualify.
Check if you’re eligible
A quick eligibility check for help with NHS dental costs.
Check now NHS · ApplyApply for help with costs
Apply online for help towards the cost of your NHS dental charges.
Apply online BDA · ReadSetting the record straight
The British Dental Association on what the charge increases really mean.
Read moreValue for money — and its limits
The true cost of your treatment is usually far more than you’re asked to pay. NHS dental treatment is heavily subsidised by public funds and by each dentist’s goodwill, which makes it excellent value for money.
The NHS also has a duty to provide the most cost-effective treatment possible, so the limited budget can help as many patients as possible. That means some options aren’t routinely available on the NHS:
- Sometimes the appropriate option is no treatment — for example, leaving a space when a back tooth is removed.
- Cosmetic treatments — cosmetic fillings, crowns, veneers, onlays, inlays, dentures, bridges and implants — are only a private option when a cheaper functional alternative exists on the NHS.
- A polish isn’t considered essential to your oral health, so it’s usually a private option.
- Tooth whitening is cosmetic and only available privately — except for a single tooth that has already had root canal treatment.
The British Dental Association publishes a plain poster summarising the current NHS charges. Download the BDA NHS charges poster (PDF).
Unhappy about NHS dental charges?
If you feel the charges in England are unfair, you can use your voice to help improve NHS dentistry.