National Health Service Dental Costs Soar, 2008-08-24

Patients taking dental treatment under the National Health Service (NHS) scheme have seen the cost of dental treatment rise twice the rate of inflation following disastrous reforms. The latest claim comes just months after figures showed the number of people regularly seeing an NHS dentist had fallen by more than a million. A report by MPs just weeks ago revealed that Labor’s reforms of dentistry had failed to boost standards of care.

Under the reforms initiated by the Labor party, a new system of charges was brought in to simplify fees and end the “drill and fill” culture. From March 2005 to March 2006, patients paid £444.1 million towards their dental care, but after the new reforms were introduced in April 2006, it rose to £475.4 million.

Figures brought out by the Conservative party show an increase of 7% in 12 months. Between 2005 and 2006 the Bank of England’s rate of inflation was 3.1%. The Shadow Health Minister Mark Penning said the increase proved that the Government’s reforms had been a disaster. He said, “The massive rise in charges during 2006/7 – the year that the Government’s new dental contract was introduced – is another nail in the coffin for this failed measure.

In 2007/8, a check-up in England cost patients £15.90, while the same check up in Northern Ireland, which has kept the old system, costs only £6.16. The Department of Health states patients needing a number of treatments now pay less because the maximum cost is £198, compared to around £300 under the old system.

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