NHS Dental Charges and Bands

All NHS dental treatment in England is charged at one of three fixed rates, depending on what treatment is needed:

• Band 1 — £26.80: Covers an examination, diagnosis, X-rays, a scale and polish, and preventive advice. If you need only these items, you pay Band 1.
• Band 2 — £73.50: Covers everything in Band 1 plus additional treatment such as fillings, root canal treatment, and extractions. One Band 2 charge covers all such work in a single course of treatment.
• Band 3 — £319.10: Covers everything in Bands 1 and 2 plus more complex treatments such as crowns, dentures, and bridges. Again, one charge covers all the work in that course of treatment.

If your dentist starts treatment but you need to return for further work in the same course of treatment (typically within two months), you only pay one charge for the whole course. If you fail to attend or refuse part of the treatment, you may be charged for the work already completed.

You are entitled to free NHS dental treatment if you are:

• Under 18 years old (or under 19 and in qualifying full-time education)
• Pregnant, or have had a baby in the last 12 months
• Receiving Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or Pension Credit (guarantee credit)
• An NHS hospital dental service patient
• Holding a valid HC2 certificate (NHS Low Income Scheme)

You must declare your entitlement on the dental treatment form (FP17) when you visit. The dentist may ask to see evidence. Claiming free treatment when not entitled can result in a Penalty Charge Notice from the NHS Business Services Authority.

NHS dentists are not always easy to find — many practices in some areas have closed their NHS lists. Steps to take:

1. Use the NHS website dentist finder at nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist to search for practices accepting new NHS patients near you.
2. Call the practice directly to confirm they are accepting NHS patients before travelling.
3. If you cannot find an NHS dentist accepting new patients, contact NHS England on 0300 311 22 33 — they have a duty to help you find treatment.
4. For emergency dental pain or infection, call NHS 111, which can direct you to an emergency dental service or urgent treatment centre.

Be aware that some practices operate on a mixed NHS/private basis. Always confirm in advance whether the treatment you are receiving is NHS or private — a dentist must tell you before starting treatment.

If you are unhappy with your NHS dental treatment, you have several options:

• Talk to the practice: Raise your concern with the dentist or practice manager. Most issues can be resolved at this stage.
• Formal NHS complaint: Submit a written complaint to the practice. They must acknowledge it within three working days and respond within 25 working days.
• NHS England/ICB: If the practice does not resolve your complaint, escalate to your Integrated Care Board (ICB), which commissions NHS dental services in your area.
• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: As a last resort, the PHSO can investigate unresolved NHS dental complaints.
• General Dental Council (GDC): If you have concerns about a dentist's fitness to practise or professional conduct, report this to the GDC.

Dental patients have the same foundational rights as any NHS patient under the NHS Constitution, along with specific protections that apply to dental treatment.

NHS Constitution Protections in Dentistry

The NHS Constitution requires that NHS dental treatment be provided free at the point of use (aside from the band charges) to all who are entitled to it. A dentist cannot make receipt of NHS treatment conditional on you also accepting private treatment or private products. If a dentist charges you for something that should have been included in the NHS band charge — for example, a routine extraction charged separately — this is a breach of NHS dental contract rules and should be reported to your Integrated Care Board.

You also have the right to a written treatment plan before any course of treatment begins. This plan must distinguish between what is NHS-funded and what (if anything) is private. If you were not given a treatment plan before treatment started, or if the plan did not clearly mark the NHS/private split, you can challenge the bill and complain to the ICB.

Integrated Care Systems and Dental Commissioning

NHS dental services in England are commissioned by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) as part of their role within Integrated Care Systems (ICSs). Each ICB holds contracts with NHS dental providers in its area. Where NHS dental access is poor — a growing problem nationally — patients can escalate concerns to their ICB.

ICBs have the power to offer a contract to additional dental providers, incentivise existing providers to take on more NHS patients, or commission community dental services for vulnerable groups. If you cannot access NHS dental care in your area, complain formally to your ICB: this creates a record that feeds into commissioning decisions. Find your ICB at nhs.uk/find-icb.

NHS Complaints Advocacy for Dental Patients

If you need help navigating a dental complaint, free NHS Complaints Advocacy is available under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. Services such as POhWER and VoiceAbility can support you through the complaint process and, if necessary, PHSO referral. The advocacy service is available regardless of your income or circumstances.