How much is NHS dental treatment?
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In short: NHS dental treatment in England is charged in three bands: Band 1 (examination and prevention) costs £27.90, Band 2 (fillings, extractions, root canal) costs £76.60, and Band 3 (crowns, dentures, bridges) costs £332.10 from 1 April 2026. You pay one charge per course of treatment, not per appointment.
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Reviewed by Kaiser Khan
England uses a three-band charging system for NHS dentistry. Band 1 (£27.90 from April 2026) covers an examination, diagnosis including X-rays, preventive advice, a scale and polish if clinically needed, and urgent or out-of-hours care. Even if urgent treatment needs several visits, you pay only the Band 1 charge.
Band 2 (£76.60) includes everything in Band 1 plus fillings, root canal treatment and extractions. Band 3 (£332.10) covers all lower-band treatment plus crowns, dentures and bridges. You always pay the highest band needed for your course of treatment — if you need a filling and a crown, you pay the Band 3 charge once, not Band 2 plus Band 3.
You pay one charge per course of treatment even if it spans multiple appointments. If you need further treatment at the same band within two months, it is usually free. Your dentist should give a written treatment plan and cost estimate before starting work; practices may ask for payment upfront.
Many people qualify for free NHS dental treatment — including under-18s, under-19s in full-time education, pregnant women and new mothers, those on qualifying benefits, Pension Credit recipients, and HC2 certificate holders. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different charging systems; this answer applies to NHS dentistry in England.
Primary source: nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/how-much-nhs-dental-treatment-costs
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