At Get Dental Plans we are always interested in sensible advice regarding dental insurance and the costs of treatment. Lots of dental treatments are covered on the NHS, but they can still add up, so taking out a dental insurance policy for your employees can help to spread the expense and reduce employee absence. All our dental insurance policies cover NHS dentists, so you won't even need to change your dentist.
Here is some helpful dental insurance advice from Good Housekeeping.
With lengthy waiting times in some areas of the UK, an NHS dental appointment can seem hard to come by. Around 1.4 million people surveyed in an NHS poll at the start of 2019 for the British Dental Association (BDA) said they had failed to get an NHS dentist appointment in the previous two years. A further 130,000 people said they were on the waiting list for NHS dental treatment.
Whether you're looking for a dentist and don't know where to start, or are wondering if you should pay for private care to beat the queues, here's everything you need to know about dental care in the UK...
What can I get on the NHS?
While medical care is free on the NHS, dental work isn't. In England, treatments are split into three price bands:
Band 1 costs £22.70 and covers procedures such as a scale and polish.Band 2 costs £62.10 and covers fillings and root canal work.Band 3 costs £269.30 and covers major work like crowns and dentures.
Wales has a similar banding system to England, but prices are slightly different. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland and Scotland, patients pay 80% of the dentist's fee, to a maximum of £384 per course of treatment.
GHI TIP: Pregnant women or anyone who receives low-income benefits are exempt from NHS dental charges. Check the NHS website for more details.
What's not available on the NHS?
The NHS offers essential treatment, but not cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening and veneers, and white fillings are usually only available for front teeth. However, you can combine NHS and private treatment. For example, you could have an essential scale and polish on the NHS followed by teeth whitening you pay for privately.
Benefits of a Dental Insurance Plan
With a company dental insurance plan from Get Dental Plans you can choose from a range of policies designed to benefit you and your employees. Costs are flexible to suit your budget and your health needs. You can also choose to pay for the whole policy of pass some of the cost on to your staff.
To find out more about the benefits of dental insurance, please contact us today.