Treatment on the NHS is cheaper than going private, however you often receive very high quality levels of treatment by going private, and so the price should not scare you away from private care straight away. Most dentists in the UK do a mixture of NHS and private work, so you can easily ask them for advice.

Recent Changes

From April 1 2007, some big changes were made to NHS dental treatment. There are now three standard charges for NHS treatment. The most you will have to pay for a course of treatment is £194, but most treatments will cost either £15.90 or £43.60. These three standard charges for NHS dental treatment means that you know how much you may need to pay, and also that you are getting NHS care, and not private care, where you could be charged a lot more. Under the new system, you only pay for a course of treatment once, even if you have to make more than one visit to get it done.

However, if, when treatment starts you:

-         Are under the age of 18

-         Are under the age of 18 and in full-time education
-         Are pregnant, or have had a baby in the 12 months before treatment starts
-         Are getting, or your partner gets, Income Support (support paid by the government to unemployed people), income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (financial help from the government for people who are actively seeking work) or Pension Credit (for people over the age of 60 living in Great Britain)
-         Are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate

-         Are named on a valid HC2 certificate (a certificate you gain if your income is not great enough for you to afford treatment)

Then you will be able to receive free treatment on the NHS.

Event though the NHS has changed its payment structure this year, you will still be able to get all clinical treatments that you could before.

A few years ago, there was a serious shortage of NHS dentists in some parts of the UK. Many were only seeing private patients, because they earn a lot more money this way. Many dentists only took on a few NHS patients because their books were full with private patients. And a lot of the NHS patients that were taken on board had very poor quality teeth because they hadn’t been to the dentist for so long. However, since the dental changes in the UK, you no longer have to be registered to a dental practice to get NHS treatment, so it is now a lo easier to gain access to NHS dental treatment, as dentists are no longer just focusing on serving private patients.

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By Tristan Mann

KEY WORDS

dentist / dental surgeon
hygienist = a person who works with a dentist and whose job is to clean teeth and give advice about keeping teeth clean
dental practice /surgery
register at a dental practice
make an appointment
go for a check-up = an appointment to look at the general health of your teeth and make sure everything is ok
dental treatment = work to deal with a problem with your teeth
a course of treatment = several appointments to complete some work
go private = pay the dentist or an insurance company for dental treatment
NHS (National Health Service) = a subsidised system of state healthcare in Britain

tooth / teeth
front / back teeth
wisdom teeth = four large teeth at the back of the mouth that do not grow until you are an adult
gums = areas of flesh in the mouth to which the teeth are attached
toothache = a pain in your teeth or in one tooth
filling = a small amount of metal or other material used to fill a hole in a tooth
abscess = a swollen and infected area, usually around a tooth
antibiotics = tablets to destroy or prevent the growth of bacteria and kill infections
scale and polish = cleaning and polishing of the teeth
have X-rays
rinse your mouth = wash with clean water
spit = to force liquid out of your mouth

clean / brush your teeth
toothbrush
toothpaste
(dental) floss = a type of thread used for cleaning between the teeth
mouthwash = a liquid used to make the mouth fresh and healthy
orthodontics = treatment of problems concerning the position of teeth
braces = a device worn inside the mouth to straighten teeth
crown = an artificial cover for a damaged tooth

Teeth Idioms
I want something to get my teeth into = to put a lot of effort into something that is difficult enough to keep you interested
He’s lying through his teeth = saying something that is not true at all
We’ve got the bit between our teeth = become very enthusiastic about something so that they are unlikely to stop until they have finished
I cut my teeth on Shakespeare = do something that gives you your first experience of a particular thing
I’d give my eye teeth to own a car like that = I want it very much
It was a real kick in the teeth = a great disappointment / something that hurts emotionally