This is guidance based on published Welsh NHS rates and eligibility rules. For charges specific to your treatment, speak to your Welsh dental practice or contact NHS Wales.

Updated August 2026

NHS Dental Charges in Wales 2026/27

Wales operates a different NHS dental system from England. From 1 April 2026, Wales charges a fixed fee for each care package of treatment, capped at a maximum of £384 per course. This replaced the old three bands of £20, £60 and £260.

RECALL EXAM

£25.00

fixed care-package fee

MAXIMUM PER COURSE

£384

cap per treatment course

UNDER-25 & 60+ EXAMS

Free

examination-only visits; £25 applies once treatment is needed

The 2026 Welsh dental contract reform

On 1 April 2026 Wales replaced England’s style of fixed three-band charging (which Wales had run at lower amounts: £20, £60 and £260) with a new General Dental Services contract. Under the new Welsh system:

Your dentist plans a package of care based on your clinical needs
You pay the fixed published fee for each care package you receive
Your total charge for the course is capped at £384, however many packages it includes
Examinations are free for anyone under 25 or aged 60 and over

This means Welsh charges track the specific packages of care you need rather than falling into England’s three fixed bands. A patient needing only a check-up pays the recall fee; a patient needing complex restorative work pays more per package but is protected by the £384 cap.

Welsh care-package charges from April 2026

These are the fixed patient charges for each care package. You pay the fee for the package your dentist delivers, with the total for the whole course capped at £384.

Care package	Patient charge	What it covers
Recall examination (adult, per visit)	£25.00	Routine check-up for a returning adult patient
New patient assessment (18+)	£27.21	First assessment for a new adult patient
Urgent care	£37.50	Treatment to manage pain or an acute problem
Simple restorative care	£36.03	Fillings or extractions, up to four teeth
Extensive restorative care	£68.75	Larger courses of fillings or extractions
Periodontal care	£48.53	Treatment for gum disease
Anterior root canal treatment	£91.18	Root canal on a front tooth
Posterior root canal treatment	£182.72	Root canal on a back tooth
Crown or bridge	£140.44	Crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays or veneers (up to two units)
Denture	£86.40	Provision of a denture
Stabilisation	£75.00	Stabilising care for complex or high-need cases
Maximum per course of treatment	£384.00	Cap regardless of how many packages are combined

Charges effective 1 April 2026. Source: gov.wales NHS dental charges and exemptions; NHSBSA Wales treatment charges guidance. Children under 18 and other exempt patients pay nothing.

Wales vs England: side-by-side comparison

Factor	Wales	England
Charge structure	Fixed fee per care package	Fixed 3-band system
Examination charge	£25.00 (free under 25 / 60+)	£27.90 (Band 1)
Filling charge	£36.03 (simple restorative)	£76.60 (Band 2)
Crown charge	£140.44 (crown or bridge package)	£332.10 (Band 3)
Maximum charge	£384 per course	£332.10 per course
Free exams	Under-25s and over-60s	Not specifically exempt
Under-18 treatment	Free	Free
Emergency dental care	NHS 111 Wales route	NHS 111 England route

Exemptions from NHS dental charges in Wales

The same UK-wide exemption categories apply in Wales. You pay nothing if you are:

Under 18
Under 19 in qualifying full-time education
Pregnant or gave birth in the last 12 months (with Maternity Exemption Certificate)
On Income Support
On Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
On qualifying Universal Credit
An HC2 certificate holder
A War Pensioner (for accepted disability treatment)

Additionally in Wales: anyone under 25 or aged 60 and over receives free NHS dental examinations (though the care-package treatment charges still apply unless otherwise exempt). Note the catch in the Welsh Government guidance: the examination is only free if nothing further is needed. If it leads to any treatment, even an x-ray or plaque removal, the £25 recall examination charge becomes payable alongside the treatment package.

Frequently asked questions

How much does NHS dental treatment cost in Wales in 2026?

From 1 April 2026 Wales charges a fixed fee for each care package of treatment rather than England's three-band system. A recall examination is £25.00, simple restorative care (fillings or extractions up to four teeth) is £36.03, and a crown or bridge package is £140.44. The most you pay for a single course of treatment is capped at £384, however many packages it includes.

How does the Welsh NHS dental contract differ from England?

England uses a fixed three-band charge system (Band 1 £27.90, Band 2 £76.60, Band 3 £332.10). From 1 April 2026 Wales replaced its old three bands (£20, £60, £260) with a new contract that charges a fixed fee per care package of treatment, capped at £384 per course. So Welsh charges track the specific packages of care you receive rather than falling into three fixed bands.

Who gets free NHS dental treatment in Wales?

The same UK-wide categories apply: children under 18, under-19s in qualifying education, pregnant women and new mothers (within 12 months of birth), people on qualifying benefits (Income Support, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, qualifying Universal Credit) and HC2 certificate holders. In addition, Wales gives free NHS dental examinations to anyone under 25 or aged 60 and over, regardless of income.

Are under-25s and over-60s entitled to free NHS dental care in Wales?

Under-25s and over-60s in Wales are entitled to free NHS dental examinations, a Welsh-specific policy not available in England. The exemption covers an examination-only visit: Welsh Government guidance states that if the examination leads to any treatment, even an x-ray or plaque removal, the patient pays the full £25 recall examination charge as well as the care-package fee for the treatment. Treatment charges (the fixed care-package fees) still apply unless the patient qualifies for full exemption under one of the standard categories such as being under 18, on qualifying benefits, or pregnant.

Over-60s get free examinations in Wales, so why is there a £25 charge when treatment is needed?

A reader asked this after her husband, aged 61, went for a check-up in Wales expecting the free over-60 examination and was charged £25 because he needed treatment, with the treatment to be billed separately. The receptionist told her the visit would have been free had no treatment been needed, which is correct. The Welsh exemption is for the examination alone, not for a visit that turns into treatment: the Welsh Government's guidance says that any subsequent treatment required as a result of the free examination, such as an x-ray or removal of plaque, means the patient pays the full charge for the recall examination, which is £25.00. The treatment is then charged as its own care package on top (for example £36.03 for simple restorative care), with the whole course capped at £384. So an over-60 patient who needs nothing pays nothing, while one who needs treatment pays £25 plus the package fee. The practice does not set this rule; it is written into the Welsh charging rules and applies at every NHS practice in Wales, so anyone who thinks it is unfair should put that to the Welsh Government or their Senedd Member rather than the practice. Patients can ask for the treatment plan and its total cost in writing before treatment starts. (Reader question and answer published with the reader's permission, August 2026.)

How do I find an NHS dentist in Wales?

Use the Find a dentist tool on nhs.wales or call NHS 111 Wales (just 111). The same access problems affecting England exist in Wales: many practices have closed lists. Contact your local Health Board if you cannot find a practice accepting new patients.

What do I do if I need emergency dental treatment in Wales?

For dental emergencies outside practice hours in Wales, call NHS 111. The Welsh NHS 111 service can direct you to an emergency dental service, where the urgent care package costs £37.50. During practice hours, call your own dentist first. If you have a life-threatening emergency such as spreading swelling affecting breathing, call 999 or go to A&E.

Compare with other nations

England (Band 1 £27.90, Band 2 £76.60, Band 3 £332.10)Scotland (80% cap, under-26s free)Northern Ireland (HSC, 80% cap)Welsh regulatory framework Free treatment eligibility Finding an NHS dentist