NHS vs Private Dentist Cost
Updated October 2026
NHS dental treatment is significantly cheaper than going private for most procedures. Here is exactly how the prices compare, and when private treatment is worth considering.
At a Glance: NHS vs Private Prices
- Check-up and X-rays£27.90
- Filling (any number, per course)£76.60
- Root canal£76.60
- Extraction£76.60
- Crown£332.10
- Dentures£332.10
- Bridge£332.10
- New-patient exam and X-rays£55
- Filling (per tooth)£90 to £330
- Root canal£349 to £649
- Extraction£149 to £440
- Crown (per tooth)£529 to £990
- Dentures£799 partial, £1,499 full set
- BridgeFrom £649 (Maryland)
Private costs are per procedure and per tooth. NHS costs are per course of treatment, regardless of how many teeth are involved.
Why NHS Is Cheaper: The Band System
The NHS groups all dental treatment into three price bands. You pay a single charge per course of treatment, and that charge covers everything you need within that band and below. This is fundamentally different from how private dentists charge.
One charge covers multiple procedures
If you visit an NHS dentist for a check-up and your dentist discovers you need three fillings, you pay one Band 2 charge of £76.60. That covers the examination, X-rays, and all three fillings. At a private dentist, you pay separately for each item: at Dentistry for You's published fees that is £55 for the new-patient exam plus £90 to £330 per filling, so £55 + 3 x £90 = £325 to £55 + 3 x £330 = £1,045 for the same treatment.
The band upgrades, not stacks
If you need a check-up (Band 1) plus a filling (Band 2), you pay only the Band 2 charge. If you need a check-up, two fillings, and a crown, you pay only the Band 3 charge of £332.10. The bands never stack on top of each other within a single course of treatment. Private practices, by contrast, charge for every individual item.
Maximum you can ever pay
The absolute maximum for any single course of NHS treatment is £332.10 (Band 3). Even if you need a crown, three fillings, a root canal, and dentures in the same course of treatment, you pay £332.10 total. No private practice in the country could offer anything close to that for the same work.
Procedure-by-Procedure Comparison
NHS charges below are the England bands for 2026/27. Private fees are set by each practice, so rather than an averaged range we quote two published price lists, checked October 2026: Dentistry for You (a multi-practice group in London, Essex, the South East and the Midlands) and Finsbury Dental Care (a single practice in the City of London, part of Portman Dental Care). Fees marked "from" are starting prices.
| Procedure | NHS (England) | Dentistry for You | Finsbury Dental Care |
|---|---|---|---|
| New-patient check-up | £27.90 (Band 1) | £55 (with X-rays) | £99 (X-rays from £19 each) |
| Hygienist / scale and polish | £27.90 (Band 1, where clinically needed) | £75 (30 minutes) | £105 |
| Filling | £76.60 (Band 2, all fillings in the course) | £90 to £330 per tooth (by material and size) | From £179 per tooth |
| Root canal | £76.60 (Band 2) | £349 front, £499 premolar, £649 molar | From £748 (plus £129 assessment) |
| Extraction | £76.60 (Band 2) | £149 (surgical £335) | From £237 (surgical from £250) |
| Crown | £332.10 (Band 3, all crowns in the course) | £529 to £990 per crown | From £950 per crown |
| Bridge | £332.10 (Band 3) | Maryland bridge £649; other bridges at crown unit fees | From £945 per unit |
| Full dentures | £332.10 (Band 3) | £1,499 (upper and lower acrylic set) | Not listed |
| Dental implant (single) | Rarely available on NHS | £1,999 placement plus £1,249 crown | From £3,500 (fixture, abutment and crown) |
| Teeth whitening | Not available on NHS (cosmetic) | £399 standard kit, £649 B1 kit | £349 (plus £75 consultation) |
| Porcelain veneer (per tooth) | £332.10 (Band 3, clinical cases only) | £749 (Emax) | From £1,100 |
Sources, checked October 2026: Dentistry for You private treatment fees and Finsbury Dental Care fees. NHS charges are the England bands from 1 April 2026. Private fees change; always ask the practice for a written treatment plan.
When Private Dental Treatment Is Worth the Extra Cost
There are genuine situations where paying more for private treatment makes sense. Here are the most common ones.
Cosmetic treatments
The NHS only covers treatment that is clinically necessary. If you want tooth whitening, porcelain veneers, or cosmetic bonding to improve the appearance of healthy teeth, you will need to go private. Published fees checked October 2026: whitening is £349 at Finsbury Dental Care and £399 to £649 for Dentistry for You's kits; cosmetic bonding is £349 per tooth at Dentistry for You and from £475 at Finsbury; porcelain veneers are £749 per tooth at Dentistry for You, so a full smile of 8 to 10 is £5,992 to £7,490.
Dental implants
Implants are rarely available on the NHS and only in very specific clinical circumstances (for example, following oral cancer treatment). Dentistry for You lists implant placement at £1,999 plus £1,249 for the implant-retained crown, and Finsbury Dental Care lists a single implant (fixture, abutment and crown) from £3,500 (both checked October 2026). Full-arch implant work is quoted case by case. If you need an implant, you will almost certainly need to pay privately or look into dental finance plans.
Premium materials
NHS crowns are typically metal or metal-ceramic. If you want a full ceramic or zirconia crown for a more natural look, private is the way to go. Similarly, NHS fillings may be amalgam (silver-coloured), while private dentists routinely offer tooth-coloured composite or ceramic inlays. The clinical outcome is comparable, but the aesthetic difference can be significant for visible teeth.
Appointment availability
NHS dentists in many areas have closed their lists to new patients. According to the British Dental Association, around 4.4 million people who tried to get an NHS dental appointment in 2023 were unable to do so. Private dentists typically offer appointments within days. If you cannot find an NHS dentist accepting new patients, going private may be your only realistic option for routine care.
Orthodontics for adults
NHS orthodontic treatment is generally only available for children and young people with a clinical need. Adults who want braces or clear aligners like Invisalign will need to pay privately. Dentistry for You lists fixed brackets from £1,999 per arch and Invisalign from £2,199 per arch; Finsbury Dental Care lists Invisalign from £4,100 (Light) to £5,100 (Advance), checked October 2026. Some private dental plans offer partial coverage for orthodontics.
When NHS Is the Clear Choice
For the majority of routine and restorative dental work, the NHS offers excellent value.
A six-monthly or annual check-up with X-rays costs just £27.90 on the NHS. Published private new-patient examinations are £55 at Dentistry for You and £99 at Finsbury Dental Care (October 2026), so private is hard to justify for routine checks unless you genuinely cannot get an NHS appointment.
This is where the band system really saves money. Three fillings on the NHS cost £76.60 total. Three fillings privately at Dentistry for You's published fees are 3 x £90 = £270 to 3 x £330 = £990. The more fillings you need, the bigger the saving.
Band 3 at £332.10 covers everything including crowns, bridges, and dentures. A single private crown alone can cost more than the entire NHS Band 3 charge. If you need a crown plus fillings, the NHS saving is even larger.
Emergency NHS dental treatment costs £27.90. Published private emergency fees checked in October 2026 are £55 at Dentistry for You (with X-rays) and £79.95 for a new patient at Finsbury Dental Care, before any treatment. For sudden toothache or a broken tooth, NHS is by far the most affordable option.
What About Dental Insurance?
Private dental insurance plans typically cost £10 to £40 per month depending on the level of cover. They can reduce the out-of-pocket cost of private treatment, but they usually come with annual limits and exclusions.
A typical dental insurance plan at around £20 per month (£240 per year) might cover two check-ups, one hygienist visit, and contribute towards fillings or crowns up to an annual limit of £500 to £1,000. Pre-existing conditions are usually excluded or have a waiting period.
For comparison, if you visit an NHS dentist twice a year for check-ups with no treatment, you pay £53.60 total. Even if one of those visits turns into a Band 2 course for a filling, your annual NHS cost is £27.90 + £76.60 = £104.50. Dental insurance makes financial sense only if you expect to need significant private treatment or if you cannot access NHS services at all.
Dental plans from providers like Denplan, Bupa Dental, and Practice Plan offer different structures. Some are capitation plans (you pay a fixed monthly fee to a specific dentist), while others are insurance products with claims processes. Always read the terms carefully, particularly the exclusions and waiting periods.
Common Questions
Can I mix NHS and private treatment?
Yes, but not within the same course of treatment. Your dentist must be clear about which parts are NHS and which are private before any treatment begins. For example, you could have an NHS check-up and then choose to have private tooth whitening as a separate treatment. You cannot ask for a private ceramic crown within an NHS course of treatment and pay just the difference.
Is private dental treatment better quality?
Not necessarily. NHS dentists are trained to the same standards as private dentists, and many work in both sectors. The clinical outcome of an NHS filling is the same as a private filling. The difference is in materials (NHS may use amalgam where private uses composite), time (private appointments are often longer), and range of treatments available (cosmetic work is private only).
Do I need to register with an NHS dentist?
Strictly speaking, you do not "register" with an NHS dentist the way you register with a GP. However, once a dentist accepts you as an NHS patient, you are on their list for a set period (usually two years from your last course of treatment). If you do not visit within that period, you will need to rejoin and may find the list is full.
NHS dental charges shown are for England and were updated in April 2026. Private costs are estimates based on typical UK dental practice pricing and may vary by region and practice. Always confirm current charges before treatment. This page is for information only and does not constitute clinical advice.