Wales — NHS Banded Charge Pricing System

Regulated by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW). Wales operates the same banded structure as England but with lower patient charges. Welsh charges are set by the Welsh Government independently.

Wales — NHS Dental Index

NHS Dental Charges in Wales — 2026

NHS dental charges in Wales follow the same three-band structure as England but are set at lower rates by the Welsh Government. This reflects Wales's devolved healthcare policy, which has historically maintained lower patient contributions as part of a broader NHS access strategy.

The differential is most pronounced at Band 3, where Welsh patients pay £260.00 compared to £332.10 in England — a saving of £72.10 for complex restorative treatment.

Band 1 Charge

NHS Wales

£20.00

Examination, X-rays, scale & polish

Band 2 Charge

NHS Wales

£60.00

Fillings, extractions, root canal

Band 3 Charge

NHS Wales

£260.00

Crowns, dentures, bridges

NHS Wales Banded Charges — May 2026

NHS Wales Patient Charge Bands (May 2026)
Band	Patient Charge	Treatments Included
Band 1	£20.00	Examination, diagnosis, X-rays, scale & polish, preventive treatment
Band 2	£60.00	All Band 1 treatments plus fillings, extractions, root canal treatment
Band 3	£260.00	All Band 1 & 2 treatments plus crowns, dentures, bridges, laboratory work

Source: 2026 Aggregated Data — Dentaclarity National Price Index

NHS Wales Patient Charge Bands (May 2026)

Band 1

Patient Charge: £20.00
Treatments Included: Examination, diagnosis, X-rays, scale & polish, preventive treatment

Band 2

Patient Charge: £60.00
Treatments Included: All Band 1 treatments plus fillings, extractions, root canal treatment

Band 3

Patient Charge: £260.00
Treatments Included: All Band 1 & 2 treatments plus crowns, dentures, bridges, laboratory work

Source: 2026 Aggregated Data — Dentaclarity National Price Index

Wales vs England — Charge Differential

The following table quantifies the market variance between NHS dental charges in Wales and England. This differential is a function of devolved health policy rather than clinical cost differences.

NHS Wales vs NHS England Charge Comparison (May 2026)
Band	Wales Charge	England Charge	Differential
Band 1	£20.00	£27.90	£7.90 lower in Wales
Band 2	£60.00	£76.60	£16.60 lower in Wales
Band 3	£260.00	£332.10	£72.10 lower in Wales

Source: 2026 Aggregated Data — Dentaclarity National Price Index

NHS Wales vs NHS England Charge Comparison (May 2026)

Band 1

Wales Charge: £20.00
England Charge: £27.90
Differential: £7.90 lower in Wales

Band 2

Wales Charge: £60.00
England Charge: £76.60
Differential: £16.60 lower in Wales

Band 3

Wales Charge: £260.00
England Charge: £332.10
Differential: £72.10 lower in Wales

Source: 2026 Aggregated Data — Dentaclarity National Price Index

Banded Charge Compliance Note: All NHS dental practices in Wales must adhere to the Welsh Government patient charge bands as a condition of their NHS contract. Practices may not charge NHS patients above the published Band 1, Band 2, or Band 3 rates. Concerns about overcharging should be reported to the relevant Local Health Board or Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW).

Cardiff Location Index

Cardiff

Private dental fee index for Cardiff. Approximately 2% premium over Welsh national median.

View Cardiff Index