A warning has been put out regarding the lack of available dentists and the knock-on effect it is having on affordability of seeking private care.
According to this story, the scarcity of NHS dentists has not gone unnoticed by private practitioners, with patients allegedly forking out up to £775 for root canals, £435 for extractions and £325 for white fillings. This has been attributed to the price of fees for common procedures spiralling out of control since 2022.
The average cost of a non-surgical extraction has increased by up to 32%, according to comparisons made across private UK dental surgeries.
As a result, patient groups have warned that some potential patients were missing out due to the difficulty in finding NHS care coupled with the cost of private treatment being simply out of reach for many.
Chief executive of the Patients Association, Rachel Power, said:
“For patients struggling to access NHS dental care, and for those who choose to go private, the dramatic rise in private dental costs places essential care out of reach for many.
“This creates a dangerous cycle where patients bounce between an inaccessible NHS system and unaffordable private care, while their oral health deteriorates. The stark reality is that many are left with no viable route to essential dental treatment.”
MyTribe Insurance has tracked to cost of care across the board and concluded that patients are now paying between 14% and 32% more today for the same level of care received in 2022.
Across 450 private dental practices in the UK:
- Cost of a white filling is up 23%
- Extractions are up 32%
- A scale and polish is up 15%
- Initial consultations for new patients have risen by 23%
Additionally, routine private checkups are up 15% from £48 to £55, while root canal treatments have risen by 14% in expense (£350 to £400). Many are charging more than this, with root canal costs fluctuating anywhere between £366 and £775.
Rachel continued:
“Given these big recent price rises, some of the prices now being charged for private dental treatment are eye-watering and beyond the budgets of many, many people who need help with their dental health.”
Author of the research, MyTribe’s Founder Chris Steele stated:
“Our research clearly shows the increasing financial burden the public feels to access dental care. It’s concerning, as NHS dental services are in crisis and people need an affordable and accessible alternative.”
“I recommend that people shop around when looking for a dentist. Most publish their prices on their websites and time spent comparing them upfront can save you a lot of money in the long run.”
In response to these revelations, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care stated:
“NHS dentistry is broken after years of neglect and has failed patients and staff for too long.
“This government is committed to rebuilding NHS dentistry, but it will take time. We will start with an extra 700,000 urgent appointments to help those who need it most, and reform the dental contract to encourage more dentists to offer NHS services to patients.”
My two-penneth
Everything I read about the state of NHS dental care at the moment is incredibly disheartening, so it comes as absolutely no surprise to me that a sister market has stepped in and is absolutely hoovering up cash from citizens who pay for the NHS already with their tax contributions.
As previously stated recently – much, much more needs to be done with the progress on these new NHS contract negotiations, and very soon.