Major change to dentist appointments as charges will rise within DAYS – are you affected? | The Sun
DENTIST fees are set to rise this month, after remaining fixed for almost two years.
The changes will come into effect on April 24, will all fees increasing by 8.5 per cent.
As of later this month, the price of a NHS dentist check-up will cost you £25.80, up from £23.80.
Fillings, root canal treatment and tooth removal will now cost £70.70, up from £65.20.
And the price of more complex procedures such as crowns, dentures and bridges – which currently stands at £282.80 – will rise to £306.80.
Finally, you'll also have to pay £2 more for urgent treatments such as pain relief, a temporary filling or dental appliance repair. These'll cost you £25.80, up from £23.80
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Health minister Neil O'Brien announced the new fees to MPs on March 27.
It followed revelations from a YouGov poll which found that one in 10 Brits have resorted to DIY dentistry to save cash or because they couldn’t get an appointment.
Millions are struggling to see their dentist, with three in 10 kids now starting school with rotting teeth.
The British Dental Association (BDA) condemned the price hike as 'inexcusable' during the current cost-of-living crisis, claiming it was unlikely to 'put an extra penny into a cash-strapped service'.
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"Government data shows 1 million patients missed out on care for reasons of cost in 2022, but is carrying on regardless," the BDA added.
It said the change would hit millions of Brits on modest incomes.
Why are the charges going up?
The fees are typically uplifted on the 1 April of each financial year, according to Mr O'Brien.
He said: "NHS dental patient charges provide an important revenue source for NHS dentistry."
"The most recent uplift was in December 2020, delayed from April 2020 due to the impacts of the pandemic.
"Whilst there has been no uplift for two years, the cost of delivering NHS dental care has increased."
Mr O'Brien said the government recognises that the 8.5 per cent uplift 'is higher than uplifts to rates of some other government charges'.
But he added: "We consider that this is proportionate, as NHS dental patient charges have been frozen since December 2020 whilst other similar charges, such as those for NHS prescriptions, have increased."
Am I exempt from the price hikes?
You do not have to pay for NHS dental services if you're:
- under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education
- pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months
- being treated in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist – however, you may have to pay for any dentures or bridges
- receiving low income benefits, or you're under 20 and a dependant of someone receiving low income benefits
Treatments that are free of charge to anyone include having stiches removed, a dentist stopping bleeding in your mouth and denture repair.
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If your dentures can't be repaired, however, you'll need to pay for new ones, NHS guidance notes.
Check if you're exempt from paying NHS dental charges here.
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