UK dentists ‘failing to explain costs clearly to patients’

The UK dental industry has come under criticism for being overly unclear in explaining the cost of treatment to patients.

An undercover investigation by consumer watchdog Which? assessed 25 dental practices, offering both NHS and private dental care, revealing that many dentists are not being clear about costs upfront.

Eight of the 25 dentists were rated poor or very poor for explaining prices, with the same number receiving low scores in terms of clarifying which NHS treatment patients may be entitled to. This is a potentially serious issue, as the costs associated with different treatments vary greatly.

As such, Which? is launching a campaign to improve standards in this area, calling on NHS England and regulators to make sure all dentists comply with existing rules and make the relevant information clearly available.

Executive director Richard Lloyd said: "Most of us will need dental treatment throughout our lives and it's important that when that happens, people feel clear about the nature of the treatment and what it will cost upfront."

Which? is the largest consumer body in the UK, with more than 617,000 members subscribing to its magazine and in excess of 254,000 online subscribers.