How much you will pay as NHS dentists see price hike…

How much you will pay as NHS dentists see price hike in April

NHS dentistry fees are rising once again from next month.

Millions struggling with the cost of living crisis in England will see a 8.5% increase in dental contributions from April 24. This means that the lowest earners may struggle to afford dental care.

It comes after a decade in which the Government has cut direct taxpayer funding and made the public pay a greater share directly for dental appointments, reported The Mirror. Shawn Charlwood, committee chair at the British Dental Association, said: “This is an utterly grotesque display of priorities from the Treasury."

They added: “This hike won’t put a single penny into a struggling service. Our patients are being asked to pay more simply so ministers can pay less.

“The Government did not have to go down this path during a cost-of-living crisis. This is a cold, calculated political choice that will hit millions on modest incomes.

“Ministers must know some face a choice between heating, eating and seeking NHS care. And they are carrying on regardless.”

Some 7.5 million people in England were unable to access NHS dentists last year due to being turned away, left on long waiting lists or put off by costs. And 3.6 million did not even bother trying to get an appointment as they believed there was no chance of one. Some resorted to ripping out their own teeth in desperation or taking loans to get treatment abroad.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Despite rising inflation, dental charges have remained frozen since 2020 however, this proportionate rise will ensure that NHS dental patients continue to receive high quality care and treatment.

“Children, those on lower incomes and pregnant women are among those who will continue to receive free dental care. We’re investing more than £3 billion a year in dentistry for NHS patients and while we have already made some changes to the dental contract to improve access for patients, we will be setting out plans to further improve NHS dentistry shortly.”