Updated May 2026
NHS Filling Cost: £76.60 (Band 2, April 2026)
One NHS filling costs £76.60 from 1 April 2026. The same Band 2 charge covers any number of fillings in the same course of treatment. You do not pay per filling. The biggest gotcha is the amalgam vs white composite rule for back teeth.
BAND 2 CHARGE (APRIL 2026)
£76.60
Up from £75.30 in 2025/26 (up 1.7%)
£76.60 is one Band 2 charge regardless of whether you need one filling or five. As long as the work is part of a single course of treatment agreed at the same assessment, you pay £76.60 total.
Band 2 also covers the check-up that found the cavity, root canals, simple extractions, and gum treatment in the same course.
One charge, many fillings: the rule explained
If your dentist examines you and finds three cavities, that is one course of treatment. You pay £76.60 once. The work can be done over multiple appointments within the same course (often necessary for posterior fillings) and you still pay once at the start.
| Scenario | NHS cost | Private cost (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| One filling, front tooth, white composite | £76.60 | £80-180 |
| One filling, back tooth, white composite | £76.60 | £120-250 |
| Two fillings same course | £76.60 | £160-500 |
| Three fillings same course | £76.60 | £240-750 |
| Filling + check-up same course | £76.60 | £170-370 |
| Filling + root canal same course | £76.60 | £380-1,000 |
Private ranges sourced from Which? UK and Bupa Dental Care published tiers. London is typically 30-50% higher.
Amalgam vs white composite: the NHS rule
NHS rules treat front teeth and back teeth differently when it comes to filling material:
Front teeth (anterior)
White (composite or glass ionomer) is NHS standard. Aesthetic considerations apply. No upgrade charge.
NHS cost: £76.60 included in Band 2
Back teeth (posterior molars and premolars)
Amalgam (silver) may be the NHS-default material at some practices. If you want white composite for cosmetic reasons and it is not clinically required, the dentist can charge privately for the material upgrade.
NHS cost: £76.60 Band 2 + private upgrade £30-100 per tooth if requested
The amalgam phase-down means amalgam is no longer used for under-15s, pregnant women, or breastfeeding mothers. These groups receive white composite as the NHS standard on all teeth at no extra cost.
When the NHS may not cover a filling
The NHS Band 2 charge covers any filling that is clinically necessary to restore tooth function. It does not cover:
- Replacing an existing filling purely for cosmetic reasons (changing silver to white when the filling is still clinically sound).
- Veneers, even when used to repair small chips that could be filled. Veneers are not an NHS treatment.
- Cosmetic bonding or shape-changing composite work that goes beyond restoring decayed or damaged tooth structure.
If your dentist offers a Band 2 filling and you ask for a private cosmetic alternative on top, that is a separate charge. Always agree the NHS vs private split before treatment begins.
Children, pregnancy, and other exempt patients
Fillings are free on the NHS for under-18s, under-19s in qualifying full-time education, pregnant women and new mothers (with a Maternity Exemption Certificate), and people on qualifying benefits or holding an HC2 certificate. The £76.60 charge does not apply.
Children also receive white composite fillings as the NHS standard regardless of tooth position, because the amalgam phase-down applies to under-15s. For full eligibility detail see the free treatment guide.