Scotland — NHS SDR (Statement of Dental Remuneration) Pricing System
Regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS). Scotland does not use a banded charge system. Patients pay 80% of the SDR scheduled fee per procedure, subject to a per-course cap of £384.
NHS Dental Charges in Scotland — SDR System 2026
NHS dental treatment in Scotland operates under the Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR), an itemised fee schedule that differs fundamentally from the banded charge system used in England and Wales. Under the SDR model, each procedure carries a scheduled fee, and patients pay 80% of that fee per procedure within a course of treatment.
A critical patient protection is the per-course cap: regardless of the total SDR value of treatment received, the maximum patient contribution per course of treatment is capped at £384.00. This cap provides cost certainty for patients requiring extensive treatment.
80%
Of the SDR scheduled fee per procedure
£384.00
Maximum patient payment per course
SDR
Itemised per-procedure schedule
NHS Scotland SDR Patient Contribution Range
SDR Patient Contribution Examples — Scotland (May 2026)
The following table illustrates representative SDR scheduled fees and the corresponding 80% patient contribution. These are indicative figures; actual SDR codes and fees are published by the Practitioner Services Division (PSD) of NHS Scotland.
| Procedure (SDR Code) | SDR Scheduled Fee | Patient Contribution (80%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination (0101) | £17.50 | £14.00 | Per course |
| Scale & Polish (0201) | £23.00 | £18.40 | Per course |
| Amalgam Filling — 1 surface (0301) | £28.00 | £22.40 | Per tooth |
| Composite Filling — anterior (0401) | £35.00 | £28.00 | Per tooth |
| Simple Extraction (0501) | £32.00 | £25.60 | Per tooth |
| Root Canal — anterior (0601) | £98.00 | £78.40 | Per tooth |
| Full Upper Denture (0901) | £320.00 | £256.00 | Per appliance |
Source: NHS Scotland SDR Schedule (indicative) — Dentaclarity 2026 Aggregated Data
NHS Scotland SDR Patient Contributions — Indicative Examples (May 2026)
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £17.50
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £14.00
- Notes
- Per course
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £23.00
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £18.40
- Notes
- Per course
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £28.00
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £22.40
- Notes
- Per tooth
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £35.00
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £28.00
- Notes
- Per tooth
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £32.00
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £25.60
- Notes
- Per tooth
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £98.00
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £78.40
- Notes
- Per tooth
- SDR Scheduled Fee
- £320.00
- Patient Contribution (80%)
- £256.00
- Notes
- Per appliance
Source: NHS Scotland SDR Schedule (indicative) — Dentaclarity 2026 Aggregated Data
Why Scotland Differs from England and Wales
The SDR system reflects Scotland's distinct approach to NHS dental remuneration, which has historically emphasised itemised accountability for each clinical procedure. This contrasts with the English and Welsh banded system, where a single charge covers an entire course of treatment regardless of complexity.
From a patient perspective, the SDR model can result in lower costs for simple treatments but higher cumulative costs for complex multi-procedure courses — until the £384 cap is reached. For patients requiring extensive restorative work, the cap provides equivalent or superior protection compared to England's Band 3 charge of £332.10.
Glasgow Location Index
Private dental fee index for Glasgow. Approximately 3% premium over Scottish national median.