NHS Versus Private Care
What the NHS covers and what you pay for it, what private care adds, how the two fit together, and where NHS places stand at our practice in Broughty Ferry.
Is an NHS or a Private Dentist the Better Choice in Scotland?
The clinical standard is identical on either route. The NHS in Scotland funds care that is clinically needed: examinations are free at every age, under-26s also pay nothing for treatment, and other adults pay 80% of the set fee up to a cap of £384 per course. Going private buys longer appointments, a broader range of materials, and treatments that the NHS does not fund, such as Invisalign and implants. Our own NHS position is set out below, and many patients use both.
The Two Routes Compared
| Feature | NHS | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A mouth that is healthy, comfortable and functional | Health first, then looks, comfort and choice |
| Examination | Free to everyone in Scotland | £70 for a new patient, X-rays included |
| Treatment charges | Set nationally; most adults pay 80% of the cost, capped at £384 per course | Set by the practice and confirmed in writing beforehand |
| Materials | Whatever is clinically required | Broader options, including white fillings in back teeth and ceramic crowns |
| Cosmetic treatment, implants, Invisalign | Not covered | Offered |
| Hygiene | When your gums clinically need it | Whenever you want it, with Airflow |
Clinically, the standard does not change. Paying privately does not buy better dentistry; what it buys is time, choice and access to the treatments the NHS has never been designed to fund.
What the NHS Covers
In Scotland, NHS dentistry funds whatever treatment is needed to keep your mouth healthy and sound: examinations, X-rays, scaling when your gums require it, fillings, root canals, extractions, crowns and dentures, in each case where there is a clinical need.
Because the Scottish Government sets the fees, the NHS charge for any item is identical from one practice to the next, and your dentist is obliged to tell you the cost before starting. What the NHS does not pay for is treatment carried out chiefly for appearance. Whitening, bonding, veneers, implants and Invisalign are private wherever you go. A back-tooth filling is covered by the NHS; opting for tooth-coloured composite rather than amalgam is generally a private upgrade.
Want to Know Your Options?
Request a call back to talk about NHS places or private care.
NHS Charges by Circumstance
| Your circumstances | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Everyone | Nothing for an examination |
| Under 26 | No charge for treatment |
| Pregnant, or a baby within the last 12 months | No charge for treatment |
| Qualifying benefit, or an HC2 certificate | No charge for treatment |
| With an HC3 certificate | A reduced charge |
| Any other adult | 80% of the NHS fee, capped at £384 a course |
A course of treatment means everything planned after a single examination. The £384 ceiling applies to the plan as a whole rather than to each visit. HC2 and HC3 certificates are issued under the NHS Low Income Scheme. If you believe you are exempt, bring proof, for example a benefit award letter or your certificate, and we will record it before treatment starts.
What Private Care Adds
- Time. Longer appointments, with room to talk through options, plan thoroughly and work unhurried.
- Materials. White fillings in back teeth, ceramic onlays and crowns produced from an iTero Lumina digital scan rather than a putty impression.
- Airflow hygiene with our hygienist as often as you choose, not just when your gums are unhealthy.
- Cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneers, composite bonding and whitening.
- Invisalign and implants, with Dr Nikhil Sharma planning Invisalign, our implant dentist planning implants, and an on-site CT scanner for implant cases.
- A written fee fixed in advance, plus the option of a dental plan that spreads the cost of routine care.
Private Fees at Our Practice
| Appointment or treatment | Fee |
|---|---|
| New patient examination with X-rays | £70 |
| Routine examination | £70 |
| 30-minute hygiene visit | £70, or £100 including Airflow |
| One-surface white filling, from | £105 |
| Emergency appointment | £70 |
| Dental plans, per month | Plan A £24.10, Plan B £40.16 |
Treat these as guide prices. 1 For an equivalent essential item, the private fee is usually above the NHS charge, since it covers the longer appointment, laboratory work and materials. The remainder are in our private dentist cost guide.
Combining the Two
There is no rule that you must choose one route for everything. Many patients have NHS examinations and essential treatment, then go private for a handful of specific things: whitening ahead of a wedding, bonding on a chipped incisor, a white filling in a molar, an implant for a missing tooth, or additional Airflow hygiene appointments between NHS check-ups.
Item by item, your dentist will explain the NHS option, where one exists, alongside the private option and the price of each, and the decision is yours. Going private for one tooth does not shift the rest of your care away from the NHS. And should your NHS dentist be elsewhere, nothing stops you seeing us privately for Invisalign or implants, no referral required, while your own dentist continues with your examinations.
NHS Places at Ferry Smile Studios
Our current position: Children and adults are registered and treated on the NHS, with every dentist at the practice, and private care is there if you'd rather. NHS dental services in this area come under NHS Tayside.
To ask about a place for yourself or a child, complete our call back form (choose NHS place from the list) or message us on WhatsApp, and we will tell you where things stand. You are equally welcome to be seen privately by one of our dentists or to join a plan, and doing so does not affect an NHS registration for routine care. More detail is on our NHS dentistry page.
Why an NHS Dentist Can Be Hard to Find
In and around Broughty Ferry, as across Scotland, some practices no longer take new adult NHS patients, some run a waiting list, and a few treat adults privately only. The reasons lie in how NHS dentistry is funded and staffed, and have nothing to do with you personally. Our own position is set out in the section above.
If your search has drawn a blank, NHS Tayside can say which practices nearby are taking on adults at the moment. Our guide to getting an NHS dentist in Broughty Ferry goes into the options more fully, including what to do when you are in pain.
Making the Choice
- Go NHS if essential care at fixed national charges is what you want, if you are under 26, pregnant or otherwise exempt, or if you are registering a child.
- Go private if you value longer appointments, a say in materials, Airflow hygiene on a regular basis, or treatment unavailable on the NHS.
- Combine them if NHS essentials suit you but there is one thing you would like done your own way.
Still undecided? Just ask. For anything you need we will lay out the NHS and private options with the price of each and let you choose. Nobody here will push you towards private treatment that you have not asked for.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.