Guide
Dental insurance explained
In the UK, the NHS and private dentists charge for their services. This can end up costing a lot of money, especially if you need major dental treatment. This is where dental insurance helps.
In this guide, you’ll learn what dental insurance is, what it covers and whether it’s right for you. We also look at how to get dental insurance in the UK.
What is dental insurance?
Dental insurance helps towards the cost of private and NHS dental treatment. You pay a regular premium for your dental cover and then claim back what you have paid out. You usually have to pay the dentist when you have the treatment, and then you make a claim to your insurer.
Depending on your dental cover, you may need to pay part of the dental treatment cost, then the insurer pays the rest, up to your cover limit. Most dental insurance plans have a limit for how much they’ll pay out for certain treatments, or over the course of a plan year.
Dental insurance is available in different formats to suit your needs. You can purchase it as a standalone product specifically for dental care, or it may be included as part of a comprehensive health insurance plan. Some employers also offer dental insurance as part of their employee benefits package.
What does dental insurance cover?
A variety of dental procedures are available through dental insurance in the UK. And you can use your cover to pay for both NHS and private treatment.
Dental insurance usually covers oral health and maintenance. So, for example, it may cover:
- Routine treatments. This includes regular check-ups, x-rays and hygiene appointments.
- Dental procedures. Such as fillings and crowns. Plus, bridges, implants and dentures; root canal and tooth extractions. Also, treatment for gum disease.
- Emergency dental treatment. Covers dental treatment that is urgent or accidental. Such as a broken tooth or a repair to your dentures. However, you’re unlikely to be covered if you take part in contact sports without a suitable mouth guard.
- Oral cancer care. Cover for any dental treatment you need as a result of cancer of the oral cavity.
Does dental insurance cover implants?
You’ll need to check the details of your cover to determine whether your dental insurance covers implants. As many providers won't cover them. However, they are included in the Optical, Dental and Hearing cover offered by Vitality.
Having a dental implant can be an expensive procedure. And there are cheaper ways to replace lost teeth. Such as a bridge or a denture. But, these procedures are not suitable for everyone, so we offer an implant as an alternative treatment. In particular, an implant could be a necessary treatment following mouth cancer or a trauma injury for example.
Does dental insurance cover braces?
Orthodontic treatment, such as having braces, is usually considered a cosmetic procedure. And therefore, it’s rarely covered under dental insurance. However, if braces are required for a medical need, then they may be covered.
At Vitality, we cover teeth aligners and braces for those under the age of 18 when the aligner or brace is fitted and who are insured with us. This includes the full course of treatment from initial referral to fittings and replacement braces, up to your dental cover limit.
How does dental insurance work?
There are several different types of dental insurance plan. And you can choose which one suits you best.
With all plans, you’ll need to pay a monthly amount - the premium, to the insurer. When you need treatment, you pay the dentist upfront for the treatment. You then claim some or all of the cost of the treatment back from the insurer.
You can usually choose to pay an excess on your insurance plan. This means you pay towards your treatment. So, if your treatment costs £300 and your excess is £50, you’ll pay £50 towards your treatment and the insurer will pay £250.
Sometimes, instead of an excess, insurers won’t reimburse you for the full cost of the treatment. But will pay up to 80% of your treatment costs up to a maximum of £400 per plan year for example.
Many insurers also have an annual limit to the amount they’ll pay out during the plan year. So, if your treatment costs £1,500 and the annual limit on your policy is £1,000, the insurer will only cover £1,000. You’ll need to cover the remainder yourself. And you won’t be able to claim for any more treatment that plan year.
Let’s take a look at the types of plans available.
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NHS-only dental treatment |
NHS dental insurance covers you for NHS treatment, but not private treatment. In England and Wales, you can pay up to £326.701 for the most complex treatment on the NHS. Regular examinations and hygiene treatments cost £27.401. By comparison, private treatment is much more expensive. So, consider carefully whether an NHS-only plan is worth the cost. If you’re only having regular check-ups each year, you may be paying more in insurance premiums than you would if you just paid for treatment. |
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Private dental care |
These types of policies tend to cover you for both NHS and private treatment. Even if you have an NHS dentist, you can choose to have your treatment privately. This can be especially useful if you’ve been told you will need to wait for treatment on the NHS. You can use your private dental cover to be seen quicker. |
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Dental payment plans |
These plans help you spread the cost of private dental treatment over the year. When you take out a plan, you’ll be seen by a dentist who assesses your teeth. They’ll then set a monthly fee based on your current oral health and past treatments. Your monthly payments are passed to your dentist, so you build up a reserve with them. If you need treatment, you’ve effectively paid upfront. However, if you don't need treatment over and above a regular check-up, you may find you’re paying too much for your annual care. |
Does health insurance cover dental?
Most health insurers don’t cover dental treatment as standard. But it’s sometimes offered as an optional extra.
Vitality offer dental insurance as part of their Optical, Dental and Hearing cover. So, you can claim expenses back for dental treatment, eye tests and prescription glasses, hearing tests and hearing aids. This packaged cover may cost no more than buying a separate dental insurance policy.
Our dental cover includes:
- Routine dental and hygiene appointments. We'll pay 100% of the costs, up to £100 each plan year.
- Dental treatments and procedures. We'll pay 80% of the costs, up to £400 each plan year. Available treatments include:
- Fillings, crowns, inlays, onlays and overlays
- Bridgework, implants and dentures
- Root treatment and tooth extraction
- Treatment of gum disease
- Orthodontic treatment, such as aligners and braces for members under the age of 18
- Emergency dental care, accidents and dental injury. We'll cover 100% of the costs, up to £2,500 per claim. We'll cover two claims each plan year.
How much is dental insurance?
The cost of your dental insurance will vary depending on various factors such as your dental health history, age and gender. It also depends on the level of cover you choose and your location. Whether you opt for NHS-only or private cover will also affect the cost.
But as a general rule, you should expect to pay between £400 and £600 per year for your cover. Cheaper policies may expect you to pay more towards your treatment. You may be able to reduce the cost of a more expensive plan by opting to pay an excess. You can also choose to take out dental cover as part of a health insurance plan.
At Vitality, our dental insurance plans average around £33.70 per month (just over £400 per year), though premium costs can range up to £49.36 per month (approximately £592 per year) depending on your specific needs and cover options.
How to use private dental insurance?
You can make a claim on your dental insurance each time you go to the dentist. This includes regular check-ups, hygienist appointments, treatment your dentist recommends and emergency treatment.
The amount you’ll receive back from your insurer depends on the type of cover you have and the cover limits on your plan.
So, for example. Sarah visits her private dentist for a check-up. The dentist sees a cavity that needs filling. The dentist charges £90 for the check-up and £150 for the filling. With Vitality Optical, Dental and Hearing cover, Sarah will receive back the full cost of the check-up and 80% of the cost of the filling.
When you make a claim, you’ll need to provide a receipt for the work carried out. Claims can usually be made online and are paid directly into your chosen bank account.
Is dental insurance in the UK worth it?
Dental insurance helps protect you from paying expensive dental bills in the future.
Say you needed a crown. Even through the NHS, this would cost £326.701. And significantly more if you choose to go privately. If you had private dental insurance, you could claim back most of the costs. It also means you could be treated quickly, avoiding any lengthy waiting lists.
Dental insurance is also useful if you can’t find an NHS dentist. Most dentists offer private treatment and will have space on their lists for new clients. Having access to private treatment means you can choose a dentist that suits your needs.
Vitality private health insurance
Want to know more about health insurance or thinking about taking out a policy? Here are some of the benefits of taking out health insurance with Vitality:
- Get video GP appointment quickly
- Avoid lengthy hospital waiting lists
- Get specialist drugs and treatments
- See a consultant fast
- Refer yourself for physiotherapy
- Get mental health support fast and without a GP referral
- Get menopause support
- Get discounts from top brands. And rewards for getting healthy.
Dental insurance FAQs
What is a waiting period for dental insurance?
Some insurers won’t accept a claim from you until you’ve had the plan in place for 3 or 6 months. This is called the waiting period. You may be able to claim for a regular check-up in this time, but not for complex procedures such as a crown. Check your policy to find out if there are any waiting periods.
Will I lose my NHS dentist if I go private?
No, you can still access NHS services even if you have private dental insurance. In fact, many NHS dentists also work in the private sector. So, you could see your NHS dentist for a check-up and have any follow up treatment privately.
Do I need travel dental insurance?
Most private dental insurance in the UK won't cover you when you’re outside the country. So, you should consider cover when you’re travelling. When you take out travel insurance, you should be covered for dental emergencies. But check your policy before you travel.
Does dental insurance cover hygienist?
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