Written by Christina Boman-Markaki, reviewed by the Find Care Compare team · Last updated October 2026
At a glance
- Ask for a written, itemised treatment plan and estimate before treatment starts. GDC standards expect dentists to provide one.
- NHS charges in England are fixed per course of treatment, not per item: Band 1 £27.90, Band 2 £76.60, Band 3 £332.10.
- Red flags include lump-sum pricing with no breakdown, pressure to decide immediately and treatment without a clear clinical reason.
- Compare published fees from two or three practices, and get a second opinion for expensive, non-urgent work.
- To complain, go to the practice first. If that doesn't resolve it, contact your local ICB for NHS care or the Dental Complaints Service for private care.
Under General Dental Council rules, you should always be given a written treatment plan and cost estimate before treatment starts. If a dentist will not put a quote in writing, that is worth questioning.
Start by checking whether NHS treatment is an option
If you are registered with, or can access, an NHS dentist in England, charges are fixed by the government and are the same everywhere. From April 2026, they are:
- Band 1 (examination, diagnosis, X-rays, and a scale and polish if clinically needed) - £27.90
- Band 2 (Band 1 plus fillings, extractions, and root canal treatment) - £76.60
- Band 3 (Band 1 and 2 plus crowns, bridges, and dentures) - £332.10
These are charges for a whole course of treatment, not per item, so three fillings in one course still cost a single Band 2 charge. If someone quotes you a per-filling or per-extraction NHS price above the band charge, or bills you twice for treatment within the same course, that is worth querying directly with the practice.
Scotland and Northern Ireland use a different model: instead of fixed bands, most adults pay 80% of the cost of their treatment, capped at £384 per course, and examinations are free for everyone in Scotland. Wales moved away from the band system in April 2026 to a set of fixed fees per care package (for example, a filling package or a crown package), also capped at £384 per course. If you live outside England, it is worth checking the current charges for your nation before comparing any quote.
Understand why private prices vary so much
Private dentistry has no fixed price list, so fees are set by each practice and can vary widely based on location, the dentist's experience, the technology used, and local overheads. That is normal and is not, on its own, a sign of overcharging.
What is useful is having a rough sense of the going rate before you agree to anything. According to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), average private fees rose noticeably faster than inflation between 2022 and 2024: initial consultations increased by more than 23% to around £80, and routine check-ups by more than 14% to around £55. These are national averages and will not match every practice or region, but they are a useful reference point. If a quote sits well outside the range you see when comparing two or three practices' published fee lists for the same procedure, it is a reasonable prompt to ask for a further explanation, not an assumption that something is wrong.
The CMA opened a market study into private dentistry in March 2026, looking specifically at price transparency, complaint handling, and how easy it is for patients to compare providers. The CMA published an update in July 2026, adding dental practice plans to its scope, and its final report is due by 4 March 2027, so the rules around how prices must be displayed and explained may become clearer over the next year. Alongside the study, the CMA published its own short guide for patients on choosing and paying for dental care, which makes much the same point: get a written treatment plan, ask about costs upfront, and ask what the cheaper alternatives are.
Learn more: how much does a private dental appointment cost in the UK
Compare private dentists in your area
Prices for the same treatment can vary widely between practices, so it pays to check a few before you commit. Compare private dentists near you side by side and see what each one charges.
What you'll get
- Private dental practices near you
- Fees for the same treatment, compared
- A shortlist before you commit
Red flags to look out for in a treatment plan
The main red flags are no written estimate, vague lump-sum pricing, pressure to decide immediately and treatment recommended without a clear explanation. None of them proves overcharging on its own, but several together are a good reason to pause and ask more questions or seek a second opinion.
- No written treatment plan or estimate. Under the General Dental Council's Standards for the Dental Team, dentists are expected to give patients written information about proposed treatment and its cost before it starts. A verbal figure with nothing in writing is a gap worth flagging.
- Vague or bundled pricing. A single lump-sum figure with no breakdown of which fee applies to which procedure makes it difficult to check anything, or to compare with another practice.
- Pressure to decide immediately. Reputable practices expect patients to want time to consider a significant cost, particularly for non-urgent work.
- Treatment recommended without a clear clinical explanation. You are entitled to ask what a treatment is for, what happens if you delay or decline it, and what alternatives exist, including simpler or lower-cost options.
- A sudden jump from the fee list. If a practice publishes indicative prices but your quote is substantially higher with no stated reason (added complexity, additional appointments, materials used), ask for that reason in writing.
- Reluctance to answer pricing questions. A straightforward, unhurried answer to "can I have this in writing" or "why is this priced this way" is a reasonable baseline to expect.
How to check a quote before you agree to it
- Ask for an itemised, written estimate. Each procedure should be listed separately with its own cost, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
- Ask what happens if additional treatment is needed. Get a sense of the maximum likely cost, not just the starting price, so there are no surprises partway through.
- Compare against two or three other practices' published fees for the same procedure in your area, where that information is available.
- Ask whether NHS treatment is available for any part of the plan where you are eligible, particularly for fillings, extractions, or root canal work.
- Get a second opinion for any high-cost or non-urgent treatment, such as multiple crowns, veneers, or a full smile makeover. A second dentist reviewing the same mouth can confirm whether the proposed work matches what they would recommend.
- Check any dental payment plan or membership scheme separately. These can be good value, but read what is and is not included, and what happens to your rate if you miss a payment or leave the practice.
Could part of your treatment be free on the NHS? Check below.
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What to do if you think you have been overcharged
If you have already been charged, or been given a quote you believe is unfair, there is a clear path to raise it:
- Raise it with the practice first. Every NHS and private practice is required to have a complaints procedure. Put your concern in writing and ask for a written response.
- For NHS treatment, if the practice cannot resolve it, contact your local Integrated Care Board, which commissions NHS dental services in your area. NHS England still handles some of this while it is being wound down. The Health Bill to abolish it and move its functions to the Department of Health and Social Care is going through Parliament, with abolition targeted for April 2027, so you may see either referred to depending on when you look this up.
- For private treatment, the Dental Complaints Service, run by the General Dental Council, can look into unresolved complaints about private dental care, including fees. The GDC's own guide to getting a refund or making a complaint explains both the NHS and private routes if you are not sure which applies to you.
- If you paid by credit card and the treatment cost more than £100 (and no more than £30,000), you may have additional protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which can be worth raising with your card provider if the practice will not resolve things directly.
- Keep every document. Written estimates, invoices, treatment plans, and any correspondence all help if a complaint needs to go further.
Not sure if your quote is fair?
Talk to a care navigator
If you are weighing up a private quote, wondering whether NHS treatment is an option, or just want a second view before you commit to anything, a care navigator can talk it through with you and send you a written plan within 48 hours.
Find out more20-minute call · Written plan within 48 hours · Independent guidance
What you get
20-minute call
One-to-one with a UK care navigator.
Written plan in 48 hours
Clear next steps, tailored to your situation.
Independent and neutral
No referrals to specific providers - your choice stays yours.
Tailored to your situation
Not a script. A focused conversation about your specific case.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and information
- NHS - Understanding NHS dental charges
- Competition and Markets Authority - Private dental services market study
- NHSBSA - Help with NHS dental costs (current charge bands)
- General Dental Council - Standards for the Dental Team
- Dental Complaints Service
- GDC - How to get a refund or make a complaint
- CMA - Choosing and paying for dental care