Dental charges revenue over a quarter of NHS dental services spend

Dental charges revenue totals about 28.7% of government spending on NHS dental services. Last year the government was accused of charging patients a ‘stealth tax’ through NHS dental charges. Some patients could be paying subsidies to the NHS of up to £10 at every checkup, which means the government will be making £1.3 million over the next year. When the last increases were announced, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Dental charges remain an important contribution to the overall costs of dental services. This increase will ensure that there is no shortfall in the costs paid by service users and those met by the NHS through the contributions of taxpayers. We constantly strive for good patient access, and access to dental services continues to increase. From January 2015 to December 2017, 22.1 million adults were seen by a dentist, and almost seven million children were seen by a dentist between 2016 to 2017.”
Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, chair of the GDPC at the BDA, said: “When patients put in more towards their care than the government pays to provide it, NHS charges cease to be a “fair contribution” and become a bad joke. This absurd situation has been fuelled by inflation-busting increases, and flatlining budgets. These hikes don’t go to dentists, aren’t supporting needed investment or improving access. They are becoming a nice little earner for ministers, which actively discourage the patients who most need our care. This funding model reflects Westminster’s casual disregard for NHS dentistry. This service needs sustainable funding, not stealth taxes providing cover for stealth cuts.”