Six in 10 NHS patients would consider private care, says report

Six in 10 NHS patients would consider private care, says report

More than six in 10 (61%) of NHS dental patients would consider paying for private dental care, new research suggests.

The most common reason for this was to access treatment faster, at almost four in 10 (39%). A similar number (38%) said it was because they could not access an NHS dental appointment. A further 34% wanted access to treatments that are not available on the NHS.

One fifth (20%) of survey respondents currently access private dental care, an increase of 2% on the previous year’s data. Three in ten of those who were private dental patients started seeing a private dentist in the past two years.

One in three (29%) of those who visit the dentist less than once every two years said it was because they could not access NHS dentistry. This had increased by 12% since 2021.

Concern around costs

Nearly one third (31%) of the participants said that they were worried about the cost of dentistry. However, this number was 8% lower for those using payment plans. The main reasons for using payment plans were found to be peace of mind (43%) and help with budgeting (42%).

These findings were collected as part of Denplan’s Oral Health Survey 2024. More than 5,000 British consumers were surveyed on the topic of dental health and habits.

Catherine Rutland, clinical director at Denplan, said: ‘People are considering switching to private dental care to get faster appointments and additional treatments.

‘The cost of dentistry can feel like a reason not to attend which is why it’s important that financial support is available. We are seeing an increase in dentists and patients asking for dental payment plans, which help patients to budget and encourages them to go for more regular checkups, and take a preventative approach to their dental care.

‘Employers are also helping their staff claim back the cost of dental care by including dental cover in their health plans.’

Patient expectations around private dental care

In September, a report revealed a ‘critical shift in patient expectations’ around private dental care. Each year, a report on the minimum income standard (MIS) for working-age adults is produced based on public opinion. For the first time in its 16-year history, this year’s MIS includes a £200 budget for private healthcare. Private dentistry would be included within this budget.

Chief analyst Peter Matejic said the shifting expectations could be explained by inaccessibility of NHS care. He said: ‘In previous years it would have been unthinkable that cash to pay for health treatments would be necessary for a minimum standard of living.

‘But, this research shows that the public feel they can no longer count on the NHS to provide a universal service that’s free at the point of delivery because some NHS services are now so difficult to access.’

According to the report, many households do not meet the MIS and are therefore ‘unable to afford everyday life’.

Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.

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