What Treatment Are Available?

You're entitled to any treatment which you need to maintain your dental health. This could include the fitting of crowns, bridges and dentures. The dentist will give you a treatment plan after your check-up if you ask for it, which will show you what you need and the cost. There are three standard charges for a course of NHS dental treatment, depending on the treatment needed. These should be displayed in your dentist's waiting room. Some things, such as denture repairs, are free.

Your dentist may offer to do part of the work on your treatment plan or additional treatment, privately. Some treatment is not available on the NHS and can only be done privately, for example, white fillings in back teeth. If you have been getting NHS treatment and need to start treatment for something that has to be done privately, you should be given a form to sign to say you agree to begin private treatment.

How To Find A NHS Dentist?

If you want NHS dental treatment, you first need to find out which dentists in your area have contracts with your local Primary Care Trust to provide NHS treatment. Then you need to find one who is accepting new patients.You can do this by going to the NHS Choices website and clicking on Dentists, or by phoning NHS Direct - on 0845 4647.   If you can't find an NHS dentist who is accepting new patients, ask NHS Direct if there's a waiting list in your area you can go on.You don't need to register with a dentist in order to get NHS treatment but your dentist should keep a list of regular patients and provide ongoing treatment and care.

Some dentists do have contracts to only treat children on the NHS. However, they can't insist that they'll only treat your children on the NHS if you are taken on as a private patient.Under certain circumstances, your dentist may discontinue a course of treatment. This could happen, for example, if you don't cooperate with treatment or if you fail to turn up for lots of appointments. Where violence, or the threat of violence occurs, your dentist could discontinue treatment straight away, without any advance warning.

Understanding NHS dental charges:

Dentistry is one of the few NHS services where you have to pay a contribution towards the cost of your care. The information on this page explains what you may have to pay for your NHS dental treatment.

NHS Emergency dental treatment – £22.70

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

Band 1 course of treatment – £22.70

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 – £62.10

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 – £269.30

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