NHS Dental Charges Explained: What Bands 1, 2 and 3 Actually Cost

By the team at Bollington Dental Practice, under the clinical direction of Dr Ellie Burrows, Principal Dentist. Updated August 2026.

NHS dental pricing confuses almost everyone, and no wonder: you are not paying per filling or per visit but per “band”, a system that dates from 2006 and behaves like nothing else you buy. This guide explains exactly what each band costs in England, what is included, who pays nothing at all, and how the charges compare with private prices, from a practice that treats both NHS and private patients and will give you a straight answer either way.

The short answer

NHS dental treatment in England is charged in three bands: Band 1 is £27.90, covering examination, X-rays and preventive care. Band 2 is £76.60, adding fillings, extractions and root canal treatment. Band 3 is £332.10, adding anything made in a laboratory such as crowns, dentures and bridges. You pay one charge per course of treatment, at the highest band your treatment reaches, however many items that course includes.

What each band actually covers

Band 1 (£27.90) covers an examination and diagnosis, X-rays where needed, advice on preventing future problems, a scale and polish where it is clinically necessary, and fluoride varnish or fissure sealants. Urgent NHS appointments are also charged at the Band 1 rate, whatever treatment is done to get you out of pain.

Band 2 (£76.60) covers everything in Band 1 plus treatments such as fillings, root canal treatment and tooth extractions. The point most people miss: it is one charge for the whole course. If you need three fillings and an extraction, that is still £76.60 in total, not per tooth.

Band 3 (£332.10) covers everything in Bands 1 and 2 plus anything requiring laboratory work: crowns, dentures, bridges and other appliances. Again, one charge covers the course, so a crown and a partial denture in the same treatment plan cost £332.10 together.

The rules worth knowing

• One band per course. You pay the highest band your course of treatment reaches, once. Everything your dentist writes into that course is included.
• Two-month window. If you need more treatment at the same or a lower band within two months of finishing a course, you should not pay again.
• Twelve-month guarantee on some work. Certain restorations, including fillings and crowns, are normally repaired or replaced free within twelve months if they fail.
• No charge for the appointment itself. The charge is for the course of treatment, so a check-up that finds nothing to treat stays at Band 1.
• Missed appointments cannot be charged on the NHS, but practices can decline to offer further NHS appointments after repeated missed visits.

These are the English charges. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own systems with different (generally lower) charges, so check locally if you are outside England.

Who pays nothing at all

NHS dental treatment is free if you are under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education; if you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last twelve months; if you are being treated in an NHS hospital by the hospital dentist; or if you receive certain benefits, including Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or Universal Credit within the earnings limits. The NHS Low Income Scheme (HC2 and HC3 certificates) also gives full or partial help. If any of these might apply to you, tell the practice before treatment, and keep proof, because incorrect exemption claims attract a £100 penalty charge on top of the fee.

Why finding an NHS dentist is the hard part

The charges above only matter if you can find a practice with NHS capacity, and that has become the real problem. NHS dentistry is funded through fixed contracts that cap how much NHS work each practice can do in a year, and in most of Cheshire those contracts are full. This is why so many practices, ours included, cannot take on new NHS adult patients even when they would like to: the funding for those patients does not exist within the contract. We have written honestly about what your options are if you are looking for an NHS dentist in Macclesfield, including how to search for capacity nearby and what NHS 111 can do in an emergency.

NHS versus private: an honest comparison

For anyone who qualifies for free treatment, or whose needs fit what the NHS bands cover, NHS dentistry is excellent value and we would never pretend otherwise. The differences that lead people to choose private care are usually time, materials and choice: longer appointments, a wider range of materials (for example, the NHS provides white fillings on front teeth but not always on back teeth), and treatments the NHS does not fund at all, such as teeth whitening and implants in most circumstances.

For comparison, at our practice a new patient examination is £89 including any X-rays, fillings start from £95, and our dental plan spreads routine care from £15.95 a month, including two hygiene visits a year and 15% off most treatment. Every price is published on our fees page, so you can compare like for like before deciding anything.

Budgeting for treatment? The cost checker lets you add up the treatments you are considering and see the plan-member price next to the standard one.

Frequently asked questions

How much is an NHS dental check-up?

£27.90 in England, the Band 1 charge. That covers the examination, any X-rays needed and preventive advice. If the check-up finds treatment is needed, the course moves to the appropriate band and you pay that single higher charge instead, not both.

How much is a crown on the NHS?

A crown is Band 3, so £332.10 in England. Because the charge covers the whole course of treatment, that same £332.10 also covers any examination, X-rays and fillings needed as part of the same treatment plan, and even a second crown in the same course.

Do you pay per filling on the NHS?

No. Fillings fall under Band 2, and the £76.60 charge covers every filling in the course of treatment, along with any extractions or root canal treatment in the same course. Three fillings cost the same as one.

Who gets free NHS dental treatment?

Under-18s, those under 19 in full-time education, women who are pregnant or have had a baby in the past twelve months, and people receiving qualifying benefits or holding an NHS Low Income Scheme certificate. Proof is required, and wrongly claiming free treatment carries a £100 penalty.

If you are weighing up your options, whether that is finding NHS care or understanding what private treatment would cost instead, we are happy to talk it through honestly. Call us on 01625 574609, and every one of our prices is on the fees page.

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