New increased patient charges introduced for NHS dentistry

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that NHS dentistry patient charges will be increasing by around five percent from April.

Band one treatments will rise by GBP 1 to GBP 21.60, while band two treatments will increase to GBP 59.10, up by GBP 2.80. Meanwhile, band three treatments will now cost GBP 256.50, an increase of GBP 12.20.

The government estimates that this will increase revenue generated through patient charges by GBP 72.4 million per year at a time when more patients are relying on these services, but the decision has nevertheless been received negatively by the British Dental Association (BDA).

The industry body observed that this marks the third consecutive year of above-inflation price increases, while also noting that dental charges are increasing as a proportion of the NHS budget, with contributions from general taxation in long-term decline.

Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, the BDA's chair of general dental practice, said: "We are health professionals, not tax collectors. These hikes don't go to us or towards improving the services our patients receive, they simply provide cover for cuts in state contributions."

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