Paying through your teeth for a smile is not worth it

Published on 20/10/2012 14:38

DENTAL insurance can be an expensive way of paying to look after your teeth – according to new research from Which?

Researchers compared 20 different policies and looked at how much cover was offered for a range of treatments.

The survey, from Which? Money, said many patients would be better off having one or two routine check ups with an NHS dentist and paying for whatever treatment they ­needed.

The report said: “For people with relatively good dental health, it’s hard to see the case for investing in either dental insurance or a dental payment plan. If you’re happy to use an NHS dentist, you’re likely to be better off paying in cash. For those who fear they are more likely to need regular dental treatment, dental insurance may offer good value – especially the NHS-only policies, most of which have no limit on the treatment pay-outs. However, for private treatment most policies will only cover 50 per cent to 55 per cent of treatment costs – leaving you to pay the rest.”

A separate study carried out by whatclinic.com reveals a huge disparity in the average price of a private dental check up in cities around the country. Edinburgh is one of the most expensive places in the UK to visit a dentist – the average private check up costing £74 – while Glasgow is one of the cheapest. Getting your smile checked in Glasgow costs an average of £27.