NHS charges
NHS dental charges at our Helsby practice
NHS dental treatment in England is charged in three bands, plus a separate charge for urgent care. Everything you need seen to at once counts as one course, and you pay one charge for it.
We are a mixed NHS and private practice on Chester Road. New NHS patient appointments are subject to our current capacity and availability. Ring and ask where that stands rather than going by this page.
The three bands
What each band covers
The band is set by the treatment you need, not by how long it takes. If a course spans more than one band, you pay only the charge for the highest band that applies.
NHS charges
| Band 1Examination, diagnosis and advice, X-rays if you need them, scaling if your gums need it, and small adjustments to a denture or brace | £27.90 |
|---|---|
| Band 2Everything in Band 1, plus fillings, root canal treatment, extractions, more extensive gum treatment, and adding a tooth or clasp to a denture | £76.60 |
| Band 3Everything in Bands 1 and 2, plus crowns, bridges, dentures, inlays and onlays | £332.10 |
| Urgent careGetting you out of pain. Draining an abscess, one urgent filling, taking out up to two teeth, or dealing with a knocked-out tooth | £27.90 |
Three fillings is one Band 2 charge, not three. A course that starts with a filling and ends with a crown is charged at Band 3 only, not Band 2 on top. Need more treatment within two months of finishing a course? There is nothing further to pay, as long as it falls in the same band or a lower one.
Paying less, or nothing
Who does not pay
You may not have to pay at all. If none of these applies, the NHS Low Income Scheme can still cover all or part of it. Reception can point you at the form.
-
Under 18, or 18 and in full-time education
Free either way. Sixth form, college and full-time training all count, so if you are 18 bring something that shows it.
-
Pregnant, or a baby in the last year
Free while you are pregnant and for twelve months after the birth, and that applies after a stillbirth too.
-
On certain benefits
Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit Guarantee Credit all qualify. Universal Credit counts only if your earnings were below the threshold in your last assessment period. Bring your statement and we will check it with you.
-
Under 20 and a dependant
If you are under 20 and the dependant of somebody who qualifies, the exemption passes to you.
Replacing a lost or broken NHS appliance is charged separately. It is £99.60 for one denture, bridge or orthodontic appliance and £199.20 for two. That charge can apply even if you normally qualify for free NHS treatment, which catches people out.
Common questions
Questions about NHS charges
Four things people ring up to check.
Can I get on the NHS here?
Sometimes. New NHS appointments depend on our capacity at the time, and that changes. Ring and ask rather than going by a web page, and we will tell you where the list stands.
What counts as a course of treatment?
Everything your dentist sorts out in one go. If you need two fillings and a scale, that is one course and one charge, however many appointments it takes to finish.
Can I have something the NHS does not cover?
Yes, privately. Work done purely to change how teeth look, whitening being the usual one, is not NHS treatment. Some things sit in between. A white filling is available on the NHS where your dentist judges it the right material, but on a back tooth they may recommend a silver one instead because it lasts longer under chewing. If you would rather have white there anyway, that is the private option, and they will tell you the cost before you decide.
Do I pay for an urgent appointment on top?
Urgent care is its own charge of £27.90. It is the charge for being seen and treated at short notice, before any further course of treatment begins. Further treatment afterwards is charged in the usual bands.
What should I bring if I think I am exempt?
Whatever shows it. A benefit award letter, a maternity exemption certificate, or proof of full-time education if you are 18. We check at the appointment.
Ask where the NHS list stands
We are at 208 Chester Road, Helsby, open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm. Ring us for the current NHS position, and what a private appointment would cost. If you are in discomfort now, ring instead, and say so.