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A visit to the dentist is bad enough never mind trying to fund it. It is virtually impossible to find a dentist who will take new patients on the NHS. Probably the reason why there are 11 million people who do not get any kind of dental care.

Every year, of the 20,000 dentists in the UK, approximately 300 of them change to private practice because of the ‘drill and fill’ attitude and the not so good money aspect of the NHS. Nearly 20 years ago around 1 in 10 people had private treatment but now that has risen to four times as much. The problem is lack of funding – in the last 15 years NHS spending has gone up 75 per cent but spending on dentistry has only increased by 9 per cent. The government has recently increased the number of dentists students by 1,000 but their training will take 5 years.

The NHS System – If you can find a dentist who will treat you on the NHS it is likely you will have to pay for any treatment. At present only pregnant women and new mothers and children that are seen for free, everyone else has to pay including old age pensioners. If they are on low incomes there is help but they must satisfy very complex criteria to qualify. On the whole 7 out of 10 people pay around 80 per cent of their dental care themselves, up to a maximum of 378 pounds.

Currently, a dentist will charge for every extraction or filling and has little incentive for any personal input regarding preventive care. Every procedure has a charge from 5 pounds, 64 pence for a check-up; in total there are 400 different charges. However, changes are planned for April – a tiered system whereby treatments will fit into Bands 1, 2 or 3, as follows:-

Band 1 – cost 15 pounds for a basic check-up and any preventative treatment such as scaling or polishing.

Band 2 – cost 41 pounds and covers treatment for simple procedures like extractions or fillings.

Band 3 – cost 183 pounds for more complex procedures like dentures and crowns.

We welcome the changes and are confident that the revised system will be far clearer. But we are concerned that the proposed Band 3 charge will be too high for many vulnerable members of society, especially older people. A spokesman for the dentists’ trade union, the British Dental Association (BDA), thinks the proposed changes will not improve the “excessive workload” they have, or make it simpler or more affordable for people.

For those trying to find an NHS dentist there are 2 websites that are helpful. One is the NHS Direct site who will give details of 5 dentists in your area although this does not mean that they will definitely take you on under the NHS system. And also, the BDA website can help you to find a dentist. Of the 6,000 dentists registered with them not all will entertain NHS patients and you may have to travel to find one. For example, a search on a Suffolk postcode produced a Luton dentist as the closest.

The NHS Direct can also help you to find a Dental Access Centre in your area if all local NHS lists are closed. They cannot register you themselves but will offer treatment to people not registered with an NHS dentist.Michael Challiner is the editor of Brokers Online one of the UK’s largest financial websites. Brokers Online offers its clients access to most uk financial products including Dental Insurance . Visit Brokers Online to gain access to the wealth of articles and information about Dental Insurance.

When considering dental insurance one of the most popular plans nowadays, especially for people with a history of dental problems who may need regular treatment, is the capitation plan.

If you decide that this is what you want to do, your dentist will calculate the monthly premium that you will pay based on an oral health check and costs of running the surgery. Also, there will usually be an initial examination fee included in a comprehensive scheme and because you pay directly to the dentist prices may differ from dentist to dentist as there are no standard fees. The monthly payment is the same each month and will cover you for any treatment that you may require regardless of the cost.

There are two types of capitation plan; one is a maintenance plan and covers basic accidental or emergency treatment and standard maintenance, and the other is comprehensive which will cover more complicated procedures such as extractions or fillings.

There are mixed reports on these plans – those who are in favour say that the dentist is able to spend more time with their patients, and those who are not enamored are of the opinion that patients are almost strong-armed into these schemes so that dentists can optimise the earning potential of their private dental surgeries.

As we said earlier, capitation plans are most suitable for those who know that they will need a fair amount of dental care and it enables them to spread the cost of paying for it rather than having to pay rather large bills whenever any work is done.

Below we explain in more detail the different types of cover and the difference in their price structures and there is often mandatory insurance included for hospital benefits and oral cancer and dental accident or emergency.

Maintenance Plan – With a maintenance plan it is fairly standard to be covered for two examinations and two oral hygiene checks which includes X-rays each year.

The cost of this per month is around ten to fifteen pounds – you are not required to have an initial examination and you get discounts on any other procedures that you may need and may also include an initial registration fee.

Comprehensive Plan – A comprehensive plan generally offers unlimited treatment and includes examinations, hygiene checks, root canal and extraction, crowns, fillings bridges and X-rays.

Your monthly premium is calculated on your oral health and is usually between ten and fourteen pounds. If you have fairly good oral hygiene you could pay below twenty pounds per month. An initial registration fee may or may not be included depending on individual practices.

It would be prudent to have some kind of dental cover even for peace of mind with the ever decreasing numbers of NHS dentists. If you have got problem teeth then it would be fair to say that it is essential cover to have and can work out to be cost effective.

If you want to find a plan that is suitable for you the best action is to find an online broker who can search the whole market for you and find you the best deals so that you can compare them, and the cover that they give, so you can find a policy that is suitable for you.Michael Challiner is the editor of Brokers Online, one of the UK’s largest financial websites. Life Insurance Brokers Online offers its clients most UK financial products including Dental Insurance Cover. Visit Brokers Online to access a wealth of articles and information about Dental Insurance.