How Much Does a Dentist Cost in 2026?

A private dental examination and oral health assessment. Usually includes a thorough examination, oral cancer screening and treatment plan discussion. X-rays and hygienist appointments are typically charged separately.

A tooth-coloured composite resin filling placed by a private dentist. White fillings are more aesthetically pleasing than NHS amalgam and bond directly to the tooth. Price depends on the size of the filling and the quality of composite material used.

A custom-made porcelain or ceramic crown fitted over a damaged tooth. Involves preparing the tooth, taking impressions, fitting a temporary crown and then bonding the permanent crown. CEREC same-day crowns are available at some practices for a premium.

Saving a badly infected tooth by removing the infected nerve tissue from inside it, cleaning out the canals in the root, and sealing them. This avoids having the tooth pulled out. Front teeth are simpler and cheaper than back teeth. A crown is usually recommended afterwards to protect the tooth, at additional cost.

A straightforward extraction of a visible tooth using local anaesthetic. The tooth is loosened and removed with forceps. Recovery is usually 1-2 days. Does not include wisdom teeth or teeth that require surgical removal.

Surgical removal of a tooth that cannot be simply pulled, such as impacted wisdom teeth, broken teeth or teeth with curved roots. May involve cutting the gum, removing bone and stitching the wound closed. Sedation is often recommended.

A full set of dental X-rays including an OPG (panoramic) and periapical films. Used to assess bone levels, root health, hidden decay between teeth and wisdom tooth position. Digital X-rays are standard and involve very low radiation exposure.

A professional dental cleaning by a hygienist or dentist to remove plaque, tartar and surface stains. Includes ultrasonic scaling, hand scaling and polishing with a gritty paste. Often combined with advice on improving your oral hygiene routine at home.

An urgent same-day or next-day appointment for dental pain, swelling, a broken tooth or a lost filling. The emergency fee covers diagnosis, pain relief and temporary treatment. Definitive treatment (filling, extraction etc.) is usually booked as a follow-up and charged separately.

An NHS dental examination including diagnosis, X-rays if needed, and a scale and polish if clinically necessary. The charge is fixed at £27.90 across England from April 2026. One fee covers everything in the Band 1 course of treatment, regardless of how many visits it takes.

An NHS filling under Band 2 in England, which also covers root canal treatment and tooth extractions if needed in the same course of treatment. The fixed charge of £76.60 covers everything including the Band 1 examination. NHS fillings use amalgam (silver) or composite (white) at the dentist's discretion.

An NHS crown, bridge or dentures under Band 3 in England. The fixed charge of £332.10 includes all treatment from Band 1 and Band 2 as well. NHS crowns are typically metal or metal with a tooth-coloured coating, not fully ceramic.

A full clinical and general health assessment for a patient new to the practice, including a soft tissue examination, X-rays where appropriate, and preventive care such as oral hygiene and diet advice, fluoride application and fissure sealants. The charge is fixed at £27.21 across Wales from April 2026. An existing patient returning for a routine recall appointment pays £25.00 per visit instead.

The Welsh equivalent of an England Band 2 filling. One fixed charge of £36.03 covers fillings, temporary crowns, Hall crowns and extractions across up to four teeth. If five to eight teeth need the same treatment it becomes the extensive restorative package at £68.75, and seven or more decayed teeth fall into the stabilisation package at £75.00.

Covers up to two crowns, a bridge of up to three units, or a single crown and a single cantilever bridge fitted together. The charge is fixed at £140.44 across Wales from April 2026, well below the equivalent England band. Temporary restorations and laboratory charges are not included and are billed separately unless you are exempt.

An oral health assessment plus treatment to relieve pain or stop the problem getting significantly worse. The charge is fixed at £37.50 across Wales from April 2026. Where appropriate it should provide a lasting fix rather than a holding measure, and can include permanent restorations with your consent. You may be referred on if further care is needed.

Everyone in Scotland gets a free NHS dental examination, including review examinations — there is no charge at all for the check-up itself. You pay £17.32 only if the appointment includes preventive advice, which can cover a scale and polish where the dentist judges it necessary. X-rays are charged separately at £12.16 for two small ones or £14.92 for a large one of the teeth and jaws.

A small metal filling in a back tooth costs £14.00 and a large one £29.92. A small white filling in a front tooth costs £23.36. These are the patient charges, which are 80% of the treatment cost — the NHS covers the rest, and you never pay more than £384 for a whole course of treatment however much work it involves.

Root canal treatment costs between £104.68 and £169.20 depending on the tooth. Redoing a root canal that has failed adds a further £48.60. The figure is the patient charge at 80% of the cost, and the £384 course cap applies, so root canal plus a crown on the same course is capped rather than added together.

A single crown costs between £164.52 and £204.76 as a patient charge. A complete upper and lower set of dentures is £379.60, which is very close to the £384 cap on a course of treatment. Anything above that cap is fully subsidised by the NHS, so you will never pay more than £384 for one course however extensive it is.

A simple extraction costs £31.80 per tooth. A surgical or complex extraction, where the tooth has to be removed in pieces or the gum opened, costs £60.76 to £83.20 per tooth. Both are patient charges at 80% of the treatment cost and both count towards the £384 cap on the course.