How seeing a private dentist need not hurt your wallet as much as you fear
How seeing a private dentist may not hurt your wallet as much as you fear: But how much will you pay – and what’s the best way to finance your treatment?
A visit to an NHS dentist is now more expensive than ever, after costs rose by 8.5 per cent last week. The British Dental Association warns that prices could rise further next year, by a further four percent.
Prices had been frozen since December 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest surge – as well as a shortage of NHS dental appointments – has many considering going private.
But how much will you pay – and what’s the best way to finance your treatment?
What it costs
Rates vary from dentist to dentist. A check-up with a private dentist costs around £50. With an NHS dentist in England the cost is £25.80. Root canal prices range from £433 for front teeth to £912 for back teeth. Such treatment with an NHS dentist would now cost £70.70 – a difference of £5.50.
Complicated treatments such as dentures, bridges and crowns now cost £306.80 on the NHS – an increase of £24. Prices at private dentists vary wildly depending on the treatment, but can run into thousands of pounds.
Food for thought: If you’re going private, there are plenty of payment options if you can’t or don’t want to pay in advance
NHS dental costs are different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Wales, patients pay £14.70 for basic dentistry such as checkups; £47 for more involved treatments; and £203 for the most complicated, such as crowns.
In Northern Ireland and Scotland, NHS dentists charge 80 percent of the cost of the work, up to £384, unless you’re exempt.
If you go private, there are plenty of payment options if you can’t or don’t want to pay in advance.
Dental insurance
Cover costs range from £5 a month to hundreds of pounds a year.
Read the fine print, as some deals exclude certain treatments, such as teeth whitening or expensive procedures, or pay out only a limited amount per year. Most policies cover the cost of NHS and private dental treatment. Providers include Axa, Allianz, Bupa, Simplyhealth and WPA. You can purchase this coverage yourself or be provided by your employer, subsidized or as a free perk.
Greenhouse plans…
These cost a flat monthly fee and allow you to recoup some or all of the cost of dental work when you need it.
Money plans are generally cheaper than dental insurance, but you must have cash to pay for the treatment upfront.
Prices start from £5 per month and are usually under £100 per year. Some cash plans also allow you to reclaim costs for other types of treatments, such as opticians, therapy, and pedicures.
…or take out a loan
This option allows you to pay for the treatment for several months, but with interest.
Health insurer Bupa offers loans at 0 percent, provided you repay the loan within 40 months. Interest is charged at 7.9 percent on longer-term repayments.
A £350 loan from MyDentist has 0 per cent interest for repayments within 10 months, with interest at 5.09 per cent if repaid over 18 months.
Capitation schedules
These are payment plans administered by dentists or some private companies.
The idea is that you pay a small amount every month, which varies depending on the state of your teeth.
That covers the cost of basic dental treatments, such as checkups and polishes, but you’ll still have to pay for more advanced work.
The largest provider is Denplan. Others include Practice Plan and DPAS.
Go to a dentist for free
Millions of people don’t have to pay to see an NHS dentist.
This also applies to children under the age of 18, or under the age of 19 if they are still in education; pregnant women or women who have given birth in the past year; people in NHS hospitals and those claiming income-related benefits.