With NHS dental charges in England set to jump by 8.5 per cent on April 24, 2023, the British Dental Association (BDA) has warned the government that costs are now shaping the clinical choices made by millions of patients.

The professional body has urged ministers to follow the lead of public opinion and break with its long-term strategy of using charge increases as cover for cuts in government spending on NHS dentistry.

A new survey by YouGov of adults in England shows:

  • Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) report delaying or going without NHS dental treatment for reasons of cost.
  • Forty-five per cent say the price shapes the choice of treatment patients opt for, more than those following the clinical recommendations of their dentist (36 per cent).
  • An overwhelming majority support a break from the government’s current model of ramping up charges while reducing government spending. Thirty-eight per cent say dentistry should be fully funded by the government through general taxation, effectively free at the point of delivery. Twenty-nine per cent say funding from the government should increase while maintaining some patient charges. Similar levels of support are clear among all political allegiances, social classes, and regions. A further 16 per cent say charge levels should remain unchanged.
  • There is strong support for the extension of free NHS dentistry to groups not currently covered, with 82 per cent saying exemptions should cover cancer patients, whose treatments can cause severe dental problems.

In light of this evidence, the BDA has urged the government to reject plans broadcast by Whitehall sources for a further four per cent increase in charges next year and to fully appreciate the impact charges have on lower-income, higher-needs patients. While some adult patients are exempt from charges, many on modest incomes still have to pay, including many recipients of low-income benefits such as Universal Credit.

The BDA has rejected claims from minister Neil O’Brien that the increase “will raise important revenue for pressurised NHS budgets”, stressing that funds raised will simply become a substitute for state investment.

The BDA told the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry last month that saving NHS dentistry will require a sustainable funding settlement. The UK now spends the lowest share of its health budget on dentistry of any European nation, with England spending the lowest amount per head of population of any UK nation.

Eddie Crouch, BDA chair, said, “This hike won’t put a penny into NHS dentistry, it will just force millions to think twice about needed care.

“Sadly, widening health inequality is a price this government seems willing to pay to cover for cuts.

“This is not a partisan issue. The public recognises this is not the way to fund a core part of our health service.”

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