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Last updated: June 2026. Written by the Dentists Closeby editorial team. Figures verified against NHS Inform Scotland, the Welsh Government (gov.wales), nidirect and the Northern Ireland Business Services Organisation, and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
TL;DR NHS dental charges differ across the UK because dentistry is devolved. England uses three fixed bands costing up to £332.10. Scotland gives free check-ups to everyone and free treatment to under-26s, while paying adults are charged 80% of the cost up to £384. Wales and Northern Ireland also cap charges at £384.
If you have ever moved between UK nations, or simply compared notes with relatives elsewhere in the country, you may have noticed something confusing: NHS dental charges are not the same in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. The treatment is delivered by the same National Health Service (NHS) brand, but the price you pay, and the rules about who pays nothing, are set separately by each nation's government. This guide explains exactly what NHS dental treatment costs in each part of the UK in 2026, who qualifies for free care, and which nation works out cheapest for most patients.
Why NHS dental charges differ across the UK
Dentistry is a devolved responsibility, which means each UK nation sets its own NHS dental charges and exemption rules. The UK Government and NHS England decide charges for England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each run their own systems through the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Department of Health respectively. That is why a filling can cost £76.60 in England, around £23 in Scotland and £36.03 in Wales, despite all three being NHS treatments.
The figures in this guide apply to NHS dental treatment only. Private dental fees are not regulated and are usually far higher, so the comparison below is strictly about what the NHS charges patients in each nation. Throughout, "course of treatment" means a single set of dental work planned and carried out to make you dentally fit, not each individual appointment.
For the detailed England-only breakdown, see our complete guide to NHS dental charges in England. This article focuses on how Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compare with that English baseline.
NHS dental charges compared: the four-nation table
The table below summarises how NHS dental charges work in each UK nation as of 2026. It is the quickest way to see where you stand, with the detail for each nation explained in the sections that follow.
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charge model | Three fixed bands | 80% of treatment cost | Fixed care-package fees | 80% of item-of-service cost |
| Maximum per course | £332.10 (Band 3) | £384 | £384 | £384 |
| Routine check-up | £27.90 (Band 1) | Free for everyone | £25.00 (or free for under-25s and 60+) | Charged under the 80% model |
| Example filling | £76.60 (Band 2) | Around £23.36 per tooth | £36.03 (up to 4 teeth) | 80% of the item fee |
| Example crown | £332.10 (Band 3) | Around £164 to £205 | £140.44 | 80% of the item fee |
| Free treatment for | Exempt groups only | Under-26s plus exempt groups | Exempt groups only | Exempt groups only |
| Figures effective | 1 April 2026 | 1 November 2025 | 1 April 2026 | Cap set April 2007 |
Two patterns stand out. First, the £384 cap is shared by Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while England has no equivalent per-course ceiling beyond its £332.10 Band 3 charge. Second, Scotland is the only nation that makes NHS dental examinations free for every patient, which is a meaningful saving on a treatment most people need at least once a year.
NHS dental charges in England (the baseline)
England uses a banded system, where every NHS treatment falls into one of three price bands, plus a separate urgent care charge. You pay the charge for the highest band your course of treatment reaches, never a separate charge for each item. These are the figures effective from 1 April 2026 [12].
| Band | What it covers | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Examination, X-rays, scale and polish, preventive advice | £27.90 |
| Band 2 | Fillings, root canal treatment, extractions, gum treatment | £76.60 |
| Band 3 | Crowns, bridges, dentures, orthodontic appliances | £332.10 |
| Urgent | Emergency care such as temporary fillings or abscess drainage | £27.90 |
The England system is the reference point most UK patients know, so the rest of this guide compares each devolved nation against it. The key difference is that England charges a flat fee for an examination, whereas Scotland and, for some age groups, Wales do not. For more on how the English bands work in practice, our NHS dental charges guide breaks down each band with worked examples.
NHS dental charges in Scotland
Scotland operates the most generous NHS dental examination policy in the UK, but it is widely misunderstood. The common claim that "NHS dentistry is free in Scotland" is only partly true. NHS dental examinations are free for everyone, and all treatment is free for under-26s and exempt groups, but most paying adults still contribute towards their treatment.
Free check-ups for everyone
Every patient resident in Scotland is entitled to free NHS dental examinations, including recall and review examinations, with no age restriction [1] [2]. This has been the case since 2006 and remains in force in 2026. In practice it means a routine check-up that would cost £27.90 in England costs nothing in Scotland.
Free treatment for under-26s
Everyone aged under 26 in Scotland receives all NHS dental treatment free of charge, a policy that took effect on 24 August 2021 and remains current [3]. This covers examinations, fillings, extractions, root canal treatment, crowns, dentures and orthodontics. The under-26 entitlement is unique to Scotland and is not matched anywhere else in the UK.
What paying adults are charged
Adults aged 26 and over who are not otherwise exempt pay 80% of the value of their NHS treatment, capped at a maximum of £384 per course of treatment [1] [2]. This is not a banded system like England's. Instead, your dentist claims each item of treatment separately under the Determination I payment system, reformed on 1 November 2023, and you pay 80% of the combined total up to the cap [5]. Around 40% of patients in Scotland pay nothing at all because they fall into an exempt group.
The fees below show what a paying adult actually pays (the 80% contribution) for common treatments, based on the rates in force from November 2025 [1]. Always confirm the exact figure with your own dentist, as item rates can change.
| Treatment | You pay (80% contribution) |
|---|---|
| Examination (check-up) | Free for everyone |
| Two small X-rays | £12.16 |
| Small white filling | £23.36 |
| Simple tooth extraction | £31.80 |
| Root canal treatment | £104.68 to £169.20 |
| Single crown | £164.52 to £204.76 |
| Complete upper and lower dentures | £379.60 |
Who is exempt in Scotland
On top of the universal free examination, the following groups receive all NHS dental treatment free in Scotland: everyone under 26, anyone pregnant or within 12 months of giving birth, and those on qualifying benefits or the NHS Low Income Scheme [4]. Qualifying benefits include Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, and Universal Credit where earnings fall below the threshold.
NHS dental charges in Wales
Wales overhauled its NHS dental charging system on 1 April 2026, abolishing the familiar three-band structure that had been in place for two decades. If you remember paying "Band 1, 2 or 3" charges in Wales, those bands no longer exist.
The new care-package system
From 1 April 2026, Wales charges fixed, regulation-set fees for each "care package" of treatment, with a maximum total charge of £384 per course of treatment [6]. The old Welsh bands of £20, £60 and £260 have been replaced entirely. The Welsh Government announced the reform on 23 September 2025 as the first major change to the Welsh dental contract in 20 years, moving away from activity targets towards needs-based care [7].
You may see the new model described as patients paying "50% of their treatment value". That phrase comes from the policy design and is misleading as a description of your bill. In practice you pay the specific fixed fee listed for each care package, not a calculated percentage, so the figures below are what you actually pay.
| Care package | Patient fee |
|---|---|
| Urgent care | £37.50 |
| New patient assessment (aged 18+) | £27.21 |
| Recall examination (adult) | £25.00 |
| Simple restorative work (up to 4 teeth) | £36.03 |
| Extensive restorative work (5 to 8 teeth) | £68.75 |
| Periodontal (gum) care | £48.53 |
| Anterior root canal (front teeth) | £91.18 |
| Posterior root canal (back teeth) | £182.72 |
| Crown, bridge, inlay, onlay or veneer | £140.44 |
| Denture care | £86.40 |
| Maximum per course of treatment | £384 |
Free check-ups for under-25s and over-60s
Wales gives free NHS dental examinations to two age groups: anyone aged under 25, and anyone aged 60 or over [6]. Patients in between pay £25.00 for a recall examination or £27.21 for a new patient assessment. Any treatment that follows an examination is then charged at the standard care-package rate unless you are exempt.
Who is exempt in Wales
Full exemption from all Welsh NHS dental charges applies to under-18s, those aged 18 in full-time education, anyone pregnant or within 12 months of giving birth, NHS in-patients, and recipients of qualifying benefits or a valid HC2 certificate under the NHS Low Income Scheme [6]. The Welsh Government estimates that roughly half the population is exempt from paying in full.
NHS dental charges in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland uses an item-of-service system run by the Business Services Organisation (BSO), the NHS body responsible for dental services in the region. It is structurally similar to Scotland's percentage model rather than England's bands.
The 80% model and the £384 cap
In Northern Ireland, patients pay 80% of the gross NHS cost of each treatment item, up to a maximum of £384 per course of treatment [8]. The crucial detail is the date: this cap was set on 1 April 2007 and has not been uprated since. Unlike England, which reviews its charges every April, Northern Ireland's £384 ceiling has stood for nearly 20 years, so its real-terms value to patients has fallen considerably over that period.
What is always free
Three services are free in Northern Ireland regardless of whether you are otherwise exempt: denture repairs, arrest of haemorrhage (emergency control of bleeding), and emergency home visits by a dentist [8]. These are treated as essential interventions and carry no patient charge.
One point patients often ask about is whether the routine examination itself is free. Northern Ireland's official BSO charges page sets out the 80% model but does not explicitly state that examinations are exempt from it, so we cannot confirm a free check-up the way Scotland clearly does. If a free examination matters to your decision, it is worth confirming directly with the practice or the BSO before booking.
Who is exempt in Northern Ireland
Free NHS dental treatment in Northern Ireland is available to under-18s, those aged 18 in full-time education, anyone pregnant or within 12 months of giving birth, hospital dental in-patients, war pensioners (for treatment related to the pensioned disability), and recipients of qualifying benefits or an HC2 certificate [8] [9]. From 1 December 2025, automatic passporting to the Help with Health Costs scheme was reinstated for eligible Universal Credit recipients, meaning they no longer need a separate HC2 certificate to claim free treatment [10].
Access, not just cost, is a live issue in Northern Ireland. Departmental statistics published on 18 June 2026 showed adult NHS dental registration had fallen to 44% of the population, with 95,000 fewer registered patients year on year [11]. A charge is only relevant if you can find an NHS dentist to register with in the first place.
Who gets free NHS dental treatment across the UK?
Some exemptions apply UK-wide, while others are specific to one nation. The list below covers the groups that receive free NHS dental treatment in every UK nation, set by the broadly shared rules on age, pregnancy and low income.
- Children under 18
- Young people aged 18 in full-time education
- Anyone pregnant or who has had a baby in the previous 12 months
- People receiving Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-based Employment and Support Allowance
- People receiving Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- People receiving Universal Credit who meet the earnings threshold
- Holders of a valid HC2 certificate under the NHS Low Income Scheme (an HC3 certificate gives partial help only)
On top of these shared rules, two nation-specific entitlements are worth knowing. Scotland makes examinations free for all and all treatment free for under-26s. Wales makes examinations free for under-25s and those aged 60 or over. England has no age-based free examination for adults, so most English patients pay the £27.90 Band 1 charge for a check-up. If you want to check your own eligibility in detail, our guide to free NHS dental treatment walks through every qualifying group.
Which UK nation has the cheapest NHS dentistry?
Scotland is the cheapest UK nation for most patients, mainly because NHS dental examinations are free for everyone and all treatment is free for under-26s. For paying adults, the 80% item-of-service model also tends to make simple treatments cheaper than England's flat band charges. A single filling costs roughly £23 in Scotland against £76.60 in England, because you pay a proportion of one item rather than a fixed Band 2 fee.
The comparison is closer for complex work. A patient needing a crown pays up to about £205 in Scotland, £140.44 in Wales, up to £384 in Northern Ireland, and £332.10 in England. No single nation is cheapest for every treatment, so the honest answer depends on what you need and whether you qualify for an exemption. If cost is your main concern, our NHS versus private dentist cost comparison puts these NHS figures in context against private fees, and our guide to paying for dental treatment covers your options if you are not exempt.
What this means if you move or travel within the UK
Your NHS dental charges follow the nation where you are treated, not where you live or are registered. If you live in England but are treated by an NHS dentist in Scotland, you benefit from Scotland's free examination. If you move from Wales to Northern Ireland, you move from fixed care-package fees to the 80% model. Exemption status is assessed at the point your treatment starts, so it is worth confirming your entitlement with the practice before a course of treatment begins.
The bigger practical barrier across all four nations is access rather than price. Every UK nation faces NHS dental capacity shortages, with practices in many areas not accepting new NHS patients. Knowing the charges only helps once you have secured an NHS appointment, which is why finding a practice taking patients is often the first hurdle. Our guide to finding an NHS dentist accepting new patients explains how to approach that search.
Frequently asked questions
Is NHS dental treatment free in Scotland?
Not for everyone. NHS dental examinations are free for all patients in Scotland, and all treatment is free for under-26s and exempt groups. Adults aged 26 and over who are not exempt pay 80% of their treatment cost, capped at a maximum of £384 per course of treatment.
Do you pay for an NHS dentist in Wales?
Yes, most adults in Wales pay fixed care-package fees from 1 April 2026. A recall examination costs £25.00, a filling up to four teeth costs £36.03, and a crown costs £140.44, with a maximum of £384 per course. Examinations are free for under-25s and those aged 60 or over.
How much does an NHS dental check-up cost in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland uses an item-of-service system where patients pay 80% of each treatment fee, up to £384 per course. The official BSO charges page does not state that examinations are free, so a check-up may be charged under the 80% model. Under-18s, pregnant patients and those on qualifying benefits pay nothing.
Which UK country has the cheapest NHS dentistry?
Scotland is cheapest for most patients because check-ups are free for all and treatment is free for under-26s. For paying adults, simple treatments such as a single filling cost less under Scotland's 80% model than England's £76.60 Band 2 charge. The cheapest nation for complex work varies by treatment.
Why are NHS dental charges different in each UK nation?
Dentistry is devolved, so each UK nation sets its own NHS dental charges and exemptions. England's charges are set by the UK Government, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set theirs through their own governments. This is why the same NHS treatment can cost different amounts depending on where in the UK you are treated.
Is the £384 dental charge cap the same across the UK?
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all cap NHS dental charges at £384 per course of treatment. England has no equivalent cap, but its highest band charge of £332.10 acts as a practical ceiling for most treatments. Northern Ireland's £384 cap has not been increased since it was set in April 2007.
Do under-18s pay for NHS dental treatment anywhere in the UK?
No. Children under 18 receive free NHS dental treatment in all four UK nations. Young people aged 18 in full-time education are also exempt. Scotland goes further by making all NHS dental treatment free for everyone under 26, which is the most generous age-based entitlement in the UK.
What NHS dental charges apply if I am pregnant?
Pregnant patients, and those who have given birth in the previous 12 months, receive free NHS dental treatment in all four UK nations. This covers examinations and any treatment needed during the exemption period. You will usually need to show a maternity exemption certificate or proof of your due date when you attend the practice.
Conclusion
NHS dental charges are far from uniform across the UK. England runs three fixed bands up to £332.10, Scotland gives free check-ups to all and free treatment to under-26s while charging others 80% up to £384, Wales now uses fixed care-package fees capped at £384, and Northern Ireland applies an 80% model under a £384 cap unchanged since 2007. Knowing which rules apply where can save you a noticeable amount, especially on routine examinations.
Wherever you are in the UK, the first step is finding an NHS dentist who can see you. Search for a dentist near you on Dentists Closeby to compare practices in your area and check who is accepting new NHS patients.
Sources
- Receiving NHS dental treatment in Scotland -- NHS Inform Scotland, accessed 2026-06-19
- Do I pay for dental examinations? -- National Services Scotland, accessed 2026-06-19
- Removal of NHS dental charges for all young people -- Scottish Government, accessed 2026-06-19
- Help with NHS dental costs -- mygov.scot, accessed 2026-06-19
- Dental reform: an overview -- National Services Scotland, accessed 2026-06-19
- NHS dental charges and exemptions -- Welsh Government, accessed 2026-06-19
- New contract will improve access to NHS dentistry -- Welsh Government, accessed 2026-06-19
- Dental charges and fees -- Business Services Organisation (HSC Northern Ireland), accessed 2026-06-19
- Seeing a dentist -- nidirect (Northern Ireland Government), accessed 2026-06-19
- Automatic passporting to Help with Health Costs scheme to be reinstated -- Department of Health Northern Ireland, accessed 2026-06-19
- Family Practitioner Services: General Dental Statistics for Northern Ireland 2025/26 -- Department of Health Northern Ireland, accessed 2026-06-19
- How much will I pay for NHS dental treatment? -- NHS.uk, accessed 2026-06-19
