The British Dental Association (BDA) has branded the latest patient charge increases in England as a cover for cuts to state funding for NHS dentistry.
The third year of above inflation increases of around 5% a year will bring charges for a basic check-ups to £21.60, and charges for items like crowns or dentures to £256.50. According to the Government’s own estimates this amounts to patients paying in an additional £72.4 million over the course of the financial year.
Dental charges are increasing as a proportion of the NHS budget, while contributions from general taxation are in long-term decline. The BDA estimates patients will be contributing a full third of England's NHS dental budget by 2020 – and are on course to exceed government spending by 2032.
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