The state of NHS dentistry is in dire straits, according to recent findings. A significant report released last week highlighted a severe shortage of Health Service dentists, pushing some patients to the extreme measure of extracting their own teeth. Healthwatch England reports that others are traveling over 100 miles in search of a dentist, while many are turning to the NHS 111 helpline in sheer desperation.

This dental crisis stems from a prolonged contract dispute between the government and practitioners, which has led to an increasing number of dentists ceasing to offer NHS-funded services in recent years.

Consequently, millions of individuals across Britain find themselves without access to an NHS dentist.

While NHS dental services are not free, the government subsidizes the cost, making it significantly more affordable than private care. However, with this crisis expected to persist, experts are encouraging patients to consider private options, which they argue might be more affordable than commonly perceived.

Research indicates that approximately 40% of Britons haven’t visited a dentist in over two years, largely due to concerns about the expense of private treatment. This has had a tangible impact, with studies revealing that 40% of the population now suffer from decaying teeth, and about two-thirds have at least one tooth affected by decay.

Although 60% of NHS patients now say they would consider private dental care, the potential costs often deter them from making the switch.

But experts say that patients who choose to go private do not necessarily need to pay through the nose. In fact, a growing number of monthly subscription plans mean patients can have some form of care for as little as £10 a month.

But which of these plans are right for you? And how can you avoid getting ripped off?

Here, The Mail on Sunday has teamed up with some of the UK’s dental experts to create the ultimate guide to getting cheap private dental treatment.

Millions of Britons are being left without an NHS dentist due to a shortage of practitioners

Surprisingly low monthly payments

Anyone considering turning to private dental care should consider a monthly payment plan.

These subscription schemes have grown increasingly popular in recent years, with some costing as little as £10 a month.

The most popular are Denplan and Bupa Smiles. Other firms that offer them include Optima Dental Care and DentalSavers.

Denplan’s cheapest monthly scheme, which costs £13, affords patients one check-up with a dentist and one visit to the hygienist every year. This also includes any X-rays that are required.

The firm’s most expensive offering, at about £30 a month, will buy two check-ups and as many as four hygienist appointments every year. Bupa Smile has similarly priced schemes.

Even the cheapest of these schemes are still more expensive than NHS care. In England, Health Service patients pay £27.40 for a yearly check-up that involves scale and polish (if needed), along with any X-rays. However, the plans are substantially cheaper than paying out of pocket for these services.

Patients who go private in England would foot £40 to £75 for the check-up, another £90 to £130 for a scale and polish and £10 to £20 for each X-ray – potentially running up a bill of £225. Denplan’s cheapest monthly scheme costs around £156 a year.

‘Usually you need to get a check-up once every 18 months,’ says Dr Jaavad Mirza, of Pear Tree Dental Centre in Nottingham. ‘So while an extra few visits for only a tenner more a month might sound like a good deal, it’s usually unnecessary. The only exception would be if you have a history of tooth problems, so might require closer observation.’

Dr Mirza adds that it is worth checking whether local dentists run independent payment plans, which can often be cheaper than those being offered by the big firms.

‘Companies like Denplan and Bupa Smiles act as a middle-man between the patient and dentist,’ he says. ‘More and more dental practices are setting up their own payment plans, which cuts out these firms and means they can offer competitive prices.’

Avoiding unnecessary treatments

It’s important to note that most monthly plans will not cover the cost of invasive procedures.

For this reason, experts say it’s crucial that patients are certain they need the treatment being offered to them.

The most common dental procedures performed in the UK are fillings, where a small hole in the tooth is filled in, root canals, where an infected tooth is treated, and crowns, where a cap is placed on top of a weak or cracked tooth.

These procedures would cost NHS patients in England about £70. But in the private sector, a filling costs about £150, a root canal averages £320 and crowns can cost upwards of £600 each.

Monthly payment plans tend to offer discounts on these treatments, but they are unlikely to markedly lower the price.

For example, for £24.50 a month, Bupa Smiles provides a 10 per cent discount on standard procedures. The exception to this is Denplan’s Care scheme – its premium plan, which will pay for restorative treatments, such as crowns and fillings. However, the cost of this plan depends on the health of the patient’s teeth.

For example, those with no previous dental issues can pay as little as £23 a month. But those who have had dental treatment in the past may have to pay between £33 and £75 per month.

Experts say that, for those who do have to pay out of pocket, it’s worth taking steps to ensure that the procedure is necessary.

‘Unfortunately, some dentists can try to up-sell, particularly on smaller procedures like fillings,’ says Dr Mirza.

‘If a patient is told they need a filling, I would always recommend that they ask to see a picture of the damaged tooth and an X-ray. A picture should show visible decay and a hole, while the X-ray should reveal dark spots against the white of the bone.

‘If you can’t see these, it’s worth asking whether it’s really needed.’

Experts say there are also steps to lower the cost of certain dental procedures. Metal crowns, which tend to cost between £300 and £600 per tooth, are substantially cheaper than the more modern ceramic versions – which can cost as much as £1,200.

‘Most people would prefer a ceramic crown as it is tooth-coloured, meaning that it’s less obvious,’ says Dr Mirza. ‘Metal crowns are just as effective and much cheaper, it’s just that they are more noticeable.’

Insurance is rarely worth the cost

Most  patients won’t require dental insurance, but for those who do it can be costly.

Insurance plans are designed to cover the cost of expensive restorative treatments such as root canals and crowns. However, experts say that patients who attend regular check-ups and hygiene appointments are unlikely to suffer these issues.

‘Dental issues very rarely happen out of nowhere,’ says Dr Adam Thorne, a dentist at Harley Street Dental Studio in London. ‘If you see a dentist once a year and they don’t have any concerns, it’s unlikely you will need any restorative treatment.’

Dr Matthew Nolan, head dental officer at Denplan

For patients who sign up for its monthly plan, Denplan offers an insurance scheme that costs just £7.20 a year. However, this only covers dental emergencies that occur abroad or at least 40 miles away from the patient’s registered dental practice.

For more comprehensive coverage, there are a number of choices. The leading dental insurance providers in the UK include Bupa, AXA, Dencover and WPA. Experts say the price of these policies vary – typically between £15 and £50 a month – depending on how much dental work patients have needed in the past. For this reason, insurance schemes are unlikely to save patients substantial amounts of money.

‘The attraction of insurance plans is that you know how much is coming out of your account every month,’ says Dr Matthew Nolan, head dental officer at Denplan. ‘As opposed to getting hit suddenly with a very big bill.’

However, experts say there are ways to get insurance costs down.

‘If you haven’t been to a dentist in a while, your premium might be higher or the insurance firm might not cover you at all,’ says Dr Thorne. ‘So it’s worth getting a check-up and seeing a hygienist before applying for insurance.’

It’s worth travelling overseas for these…

Avoid travelling abroad for all but the most routine dental procedures, experts warn.

Every year, thousands of Britons go overseas for cosmetic dentistry – such as veneers, custom-made shells that cover teeth, giving the impression of a perfect, white smile.

However, a growing number are now visiting other countries for restorative treatment.

Last year, a report by the General Dental Council found that nearly a tenth of British dental patients had received overseas treatment in the previous 12 months. Two of the most popular locations for dental tourism are Turkey and Hungary, largely due to the significant difference in price for dental care. A ceramic crown that costs £1,000 in the UK may cost around £170 in Turkey, according to latest figures.

And while most clinics in these countries are safe and effective, experts say it pays to be careful.

‘Going abroad can be very appealing,’ says Dr Thorne. ‘But if things go wrong, or it takes longer to recover than expected, you want to be somewhere where you know you’ll receive the right support. That’s not always the case overseas. However, getting a crown done or a filling abroad are fairly low risk.’

Procedures dental experts consider complex – and, as such, advise against travelling abroad to undergo – include wisdom teeth removal or a dental implant, which involves replacing a missing tooth using a small metal screw drilled into the jawbone.

Experts say it’s important to check whether the dentist speaks good English and to also make sure they have the right accreditation. In Turkey, for example, clinics should have a dental tourism certificate from the Turkish Ministry of Health, which is granted only after they have been evaluated and have practiced for five years.

‘Dentists often use terminology that patients struggle to understand, so in a foreign country that can be even more pronounced,’ says Dr Nolan. ‘If you’re planning to travel abroad, it’s worth spending the money to get a second opinion in the UK on whether you need the work or not.’

My dentist left the NHS – so I followed

Martin Stanford had been with the same NHS dentist for eight years and had always been happy with his care.

But last year, the 77-year-old former law worker found out that his practitioner had decided to stop working for the Health Service – like thousands of other dentists in recent years.

Martin, from The Wirral, says he had not considered going private until then but wanted to stick with the same dentist.

He began seeing his dentist privately, and recently switched to seeing Dr Tom Liu, at Wallasey Village Dental Practice.

Due to a history of teeth problems, Martin decided to sign up for a monthly payment plan.

The £32-a-month scheme entitles him to two check-ups – including X-rays if required – and four visits to the hygienist per year, a discount on vital treatment and covers the cost of most emergency procedures.

Martin says it is worth the cost. ‘I see my dentist and hygienist much more regularly than I used to,’ he says.

‘It’s helpful because they can spot any issues coming down the line, and tell me what I need to do to prevent them.’