"Eye-watering" rises in private dental care affects Portsmouth with some treatments rising nearly 40 per cent in two years

With NHS dental waitlists remaining long, some people’s only option is to go private, but many may be being priced out as costs rise. For example, new research shows the average costs of a white filling in Portsmouth has risen by nearly 40 per cent between 2022 and 2024.

Despite this, the city is still marginally one of the more affordable areas for work such as routine check-ups, compared to nationally.

The research by myTribe Insurance shows that nationally patients are paying 14 to 32 per cent more for the same treatments as in 2022. They analysed the cost of six treatments from 450 private dental practices in 52 UK towns and cities, including Portsmouth.

The statistics for Portsmouth are as follows:

• An Initial consultation for new patients has gone up from £70 to £80 which matches the national average.
• A routine check-up for existing patients has risen from £45 to £50 - the national average is £55.
• A 30 minute scale and polish has risen from £58.50 to £72.50 - marginally lower than the national average of £75.
• A white filling has gone from £92.50 to £129 - matching the national average.
• A simple extraction (non-surgical) has risen from £120 to £150 - matching the national average.
• An anterior root canal has stayed the same, averaging at £400 in the past two years - matching the national average.

Chris Steele, founder on myTribe Insurance, said: “The findings from our latest research have blown away some common misconceptions about private dental costs in the UK. We've seen eye-watering increases of over 30% for some treatments in just two years.

“The ongoing NHS dental crisis is clearly having a knock-on effect. As more patients switch to private care, we're seeing demand surge, particularly for urgent and complex procedures. Add in soaring inflation and staffing costs, and you've got a perfect storm for price rises.”

When reflecting on the national picture, a representative from the British Dental Association told The Guardian, “The system is at breaking point. Unless we address the shortage of NHS services and the rising costs of private care, oral health inequality will only worsen.”

Further details on the research conducted can be found on the myTribe Insurance website.