NHS dentists in Leeds: finding one, and what NHS treatment costs

How finding an NHS dentist works

nhs.uk says you can contact any NHS dentist and ask for an appointment if you have symptoms or need a routine check-up. At your first visit you may be asked to fill out a form to register with the dental practice, but nhs.uk says this does not mean you’ll always be able to get NHS dental care at the same practice in the future. You may be asked to join a waiting list before you can get an appointment.

The NHS’s Find a dentist service on nhs.uk lists dental practices by postcode, and whether each says it is taking new NHS patients. If you’re unable to find an NHS dentist, nhs.uk says you can contact your local integrated care board (ICB), which manages dental services in your area and may be able to tell you where you can get a local dental appointment.

Practices in Leeds whose websites say they see NHS patients

Each practice below says on its own website that it sees NHS patients; its other stated features follow. A practice that sees NHS patients may not be taking new ones: ask the practice, or check the NHS’s Find a dentist service, before you travel.

NHS dental charges in England, as nhs.uk lists them

NHS dental treatment in England is charged in three bands. On the day this guide was written, nhs.uk listed them as Band 1 £27.90, Band 2 £76.60 and Band 3 £332.10, with urgent treatment at £27.90. nhs.uk doesn’t say when these figures took effect, and they change, so check nhs.uk before you pay. Each band is one charge for a course of treatment, however many appointments it takes.

• Band 1 covers examination, assessment and advice (a routine dental appointment), and nhs.uk lists X-rays, applying fluoride, scaling for gum disease, moulds of your teeth and small adjustments to dentures or braces within it.
• Band 2 covers everything in Band 1 plus fillings, root canal treatment, taking teeth out, sealants, additions to dentures, bite-raising appliances and more extensive treatment of gum disease, as nhs.uk lists them.
• Band 3 covers everything in Bands 1 and 2 plus crowns, inlays and onlays, dentures, bridges and orthodontic treatment, as nhs.uk lists them.
• If you need a mix of treatments from different bands, nhs.uk says you pay for the highest band of treatment you’re having; a mix from the same band is one charge.
• If you need further treatment within 2 months, nhs.uk says you do not have to pay extra if it is in the same band or a lower one.
• nhs.uk says the dental professional should tell you how much it will cost before they start any treatment, and that for Band 2 or Band 3 treatment, or a mix of NHS and private, your dentist must give you a written treatment plan with the costs.

Who pays nothing, and help with the cost

nhs.uk says you can get free NHS dental treatment if you are:

• aged under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education;
• pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, or have had a stillbirth in the past 12 months;
• getting treatment in an NHS hospital from a hospital dentist, though you may still need to pay for dentures or bridges;
• receiving War Pension Scheme payments or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments (nhs.uk sets out the conditions);
• receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or Universal Credit with income below a certain amount, or named on a valid HC2 certificate. nhs.uk says dependants aged under 20 of someone on these benefits can also get free treatment.

If you don’t qualify

nhs.uk says that if you don’t qualify for free treatment but are on a low income, you may get help with the cost through the NHS Low Income Scheme, which gives an HC3 certificate showing how much you’ll pay. If you’ve paid for NHS dental treatment but later find out you could have had it free or partly paid for, nhs.uk says you may be able to get a refund. The forms, and the rules on proving entitlement, are on nhs.uk.

How often to go, and children

nhs.uk says the time between check-ups can vary from 3 months to 2 years, depending on how healthy your teeth and gums are and your risk of future problems, and up to 1 year if you’re under 18. At each check-up your dentist should examine your teeth, gums and mouth and ask about your general health and any problems since your last visit.

NHS dental care for children is free. nhs.uk says to take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear, or before they are 12 months old, and then for regular check-ups as advised by the dentist. Its guidance on brushing and fluoride toothpaste by age is on nhs.uk; this guide doesn’t repeat it.

How to choose a practice

Dental Leeds doesn’t rate or rank practices. What can be checked, and compared, is this:

• CQC registration. The Care Quality Commission says a provider must register with it to provide a regulated activity in England, and that it is an offence to carry on a regulated activity without being registered. Every listing on Dental Leeds starts from the CQC’s register of dental practices and links to the practice’s CQC profile, where the CQC publishes what it holds on the practice, including its inspection reports.
• The GDC register. The General Dental Council is the UK regulator for dental professionals and registers dentists, dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists. It says it protects patients by ensuring all dental professionals are registered before they work in the UK, and that offering dental treatment or advice without being registered is illegal practice. Anyone can search the register by name on the GDC’s website.
• NHS or private. A listing says “NHS patients” or “Private patients” only where the practice’s own website says so. Whether a practice is taking new NHS patients changes week to week, so the listing doesn’t say: ask the practice, or use the NHS’s Find a dentist service.
• What the practice publishes. Opening hours, evening and weekend appointments, treatments, access and parking are on a listing only where the practice states them, with the date we checked. The price on a listing is the lowest the practice publishes and what it is for, which is usually a check-up.
• How often you should go. nhs.uk says the time between check-ups can vary from 3 months to 2 years, depending on how healthy your teeth and gums are and your risk of future problems, and up to 1 year if you’re under 18.