Private dental care costs increase by 42%

Private dental care costs have jumped by 42% compared with last year, with the average check-up now costing £51.

This is according to the latest figures from Whatclinic.com, which looked at the fees charged by 14,000 private dentists in 20 towns and cities around the UK, and it found private fees can vary dramatically by postcode, with the cheapest dental check-ups in Birmingham at £31 and the most expensive on average being Liverpool for £77.

Dental implant enquiries have also jumped by 87% since April 2015, with the average cost of implants increasing too, now costing £2,814 compared with £2,114 on average last year.

‘The UK is well behind European equivalent surgeries for this procedure,’ according to Sandeep Senghera, a former dentist and head of dentistry at Whatclinic.com.

‘A combination of a strengthening economy, a rise in awareness and affordable payment options has created an environment where patient demand is rapidly growing for dental implants, with high street dentists increasingly offering the treatment.

‘The price of dental care has increased for all procedures in the last year, higher than inflation.’

Aesthetic dentistry costs

The cost of aesthetic dentistry is also increasing, veneers are now 68% more expensive (now £457) than they were last year.

Tooth whitening has seen a small drop by 4%, down to £293, with Brighton being the most expensive city at £363, and Plymouth being the cheapest at £223.

‘Most dental clinics in the UK now offer this affordable and effective treatment [tooth whitening] and as this supply has risen we have witnessed a consistency in prices,’ Dr Senghera continued.

‘Some dentists even offer teeth whitening free of charge as part of other cosmetic treatments.’

See the table below for a list of the costs of certain procedures in different cities.