Private dentistry cost ‘falling to NHS levels’

The cost of private dentistry is falling so rapidly that some treatments are now available almost as cheaply as on the NHS, it has been reported.

According the Metro, a new crown costs an average of £200 through a private practitioner, £58 less than in 2005.

It claimed the average price of private dental treatment in the UK has fallen from £391 to £327 during the last three years.

This follows the recent publication of figures by Citizens Advice which reveal millions of England and Wales residents have not attended an NHS dentist since April 2006, mostly due to a shortage of suitable clinics.

It claimed 4.7 million people have sought private treatment because they were unable to be treated through the NHS and 2.7 million have gone without treatment.

Citizens Advice chief executive David Harker commented on the findings, warning that those on lower incomes were the most affected by the shortage as for many, private treatment was not an affordable option.