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What does a private dentist cost in the UK?
2026 treatment prices by region, with NHS band charges for comparison
Written by DentalPlanFinder Editorial Team
Independent dental plan research • Published August 2026
The short answer
A private dental check-up costs £60–£85 across the UK in 2026, a filling £100–£150 and a crown £640–£900, depending on region. London is consistently the most expensive and Wales and the North of England the cheapest — a 40% spread on identical treatment. NHS band charges are roughly a third of private restorative prices where you can get an appointment.
Private dental pricing in the UK is not set nationally, and the regional spread is wider than most people expect. The same crown costs £900 in London and £640 in Wales — a 40% difference for identical clinical work. Understanding that spread matters for two reasons: it tells you whether a quote is reasonable, and it changes whether a dental plan is worth buying at all.
The table below is our own reference dataset, used across this site and in our cost calculators. It covers the seven treatments people ask about most, priced across six UK regions, with NHS band charges in the final column so you can see the actual gap rather than an averaged one.
These are typical private practice prices verified in 2026, not quotes. Individual practices vary, particularly in central London and for specialist referrals — always ask for a written treatment plan before agreeing to restorative work.
Private dental treatment prices by UK region (2026)
| Treatment | London | South East | Midlands | North | Wales | Scotland | NHS (England) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check-up | £85 | £75 | £65 | £60 | £60 | £62 | £26.80 |
| Hygiene visit | £90 | £75 | £65 | £60 | £58 | £60 | Not covered |
| X-ray | £40 | £35 | £30 | £28 | £28 | £30 | Not covered |
| Filling | £150 | £130 | £110 | £100 | £100 | £105 | £73.50 |
| Extraction | £200 | £175 | £150 | £140 | £140 | £145 | £73.50 |
| Root canal | £700 | £600 | £550 | £500 | £490 | £510 | £284.70 |
| Crown | £900 | £800 | £700 | £650 | £640 | £660 | £284.70 |
Why London costs 40% more than Wales for the same work
Practice overheads explain most of the gap. Commercial rent in central London runs several times the rate in Cardiff or Newcastle, dental nurse and hygienist salaries follow local labour markets, and the surgery itself — chair, imaging, sterilisation — has to be paid for out of a fixed number of appointment slots per day. None of that scales down for a cheaper postcode.
Laboratory work adds a second layer on restorative treatment specifically. A crown involves a dental technician, and London labs price to London costs. That is why the regional spread is widest on crowns and root canals (£260 and £210 respectively) and narrowest on check-ups and X-rays (£25 and £12), where there is little or no lab component.
The practical consequence: a treatment plan quoted in London that looks alarming may be entirely normal for that market, while the same figure in the North would be worth a second opinion. Compare against your own region, not the national average.
How the NHS column changes the calculation
NHS dentistry in England is banded, and the bands are the cheapest dental care available in the UK by a wide margin. Band 1 (£26.80) covers examination, diagnosis and preventive advice. Band 2 (£73.50) covers fillings, extractions and root treatment on the same course. Band 3 (£284.70) covers crowns, dentures and bridges. Scotland and Wales operate different systems with their own charging structures.
Against private prices the gap is stark: a Band 3 crown at £284.70 against £640–£900 privately, and a Band 2 filling at £73.50 against £100–£150. Hygiene treatment is the exception — it is generally not available on the NHS at all, which is why the NHS column shows it as not covered.
The reason this page exists in a private-cover context is access rather than price. More than 13 million adults in England cannot get an NHS dentist, and in much of the country new registrations have effectively stopped. If NHS treatment is genuinely available to you it is almost always the cheaper route; if it is not, the private column is your real cost base, and the case for a dental plan rests on those numbers.
What this means for whether you need a plan
Take a typical low-intervention year — two check-ups, one hygiene visit and an X-ray. In the North that is £208; in London it is £300. Against a £12/month plan costing £144 a year, the Northern patient is close to break-even and the Londoner is clearly better off with cover, on identical teeth.
Now add a single filling. The Northern total becomes £308 and the London total £450, and the plan wins in both regions. Add a crown and both totals pass £950, at which point the annual claim limit on your plan matters far more than its monthly price — most entry-tier limits will not reach it.
Our plan-versus-pay-as-you-go calculator runs exactly this comparison using the table above and your own region and treatment expectations.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a private dentist check-up cost in the UK?
Between £60 and £85 in 2026. London is the most expensive at £85, with Wales and the North of England at £60. An NHS Band 1 check-up is £26.80 where you can get one.
How much does a crown cost privately in the UK?
£640 to £900 depending on region — £900 in London, £800 in the South East, £700 in the Midlands, £650 in the North and £640 in Wales. An NHS Band 3 crown is £284.70.
How much is a private filling in the UK?
£100 to £150. London is £150, the South East £130, the Midlands £110, and the North, Wales and Scotland £100–£105. NHS Band 2 covers fillings at £73.50.
Why do private dental prices vary so much by region?
Practice overheads — rent, salaries and equipment — track local costs, and dental laboratory work is priced to the same local market. The spread is widest on crowns and root canals, which involve lab work, and narrowest on check-ups and X-rays, which do not.
Is private dental treatment worth it compared to the NHS?
On price alone, no — NHS band charges are roughly a third of private restorative costs. The reason people go private is availability: over 13 million adults in England cannot access an NHS dentist, and in many areas new registrations have stopped entirely.
Compare these plans side by side
See prices, cover levels and waiting periods for all six UK plans in one table — or answer four questions and we'll narrow it down for you.