Get help with NHS dental costs: check if you're eligible

Taking care of our teeth is vital, but the cost of dental care can be a real worry when money’s tight. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to help you find out if you’re eligible for free or reduced NHS dental treatment.

If any of the following apply to you at the time your dental treatment starts, you could be eligible for free NHS dental treatment:

• You’re under 18 years old.

• You’re under 19 and are enrolled in qualifying full-time education.

• You’re pregnant, or you’ve had a baby (including a stillbirth) within the last 12 months.

• You’re getting treatment in an NHS hospital from a hospital dentist (but you may still need to pay for dentures or bridges) 

• Some benefits also mean that you qualify for free or reduced dental care. Find the full list below in more detail.

Did you know that free NHS dental treatment is available for those who are, or have been pregnant within the last 12 months? This vital support can help ease financial pressure during such a significant time. To access it, you’ll need to show proof, like a maternity exemption certificate (MatEx), a maternity certificate (MATB1) or your baby’s birth certificate.

It’s important to remember free dental costs end after 12 months from your baby’s birth or stillbirth. The MatEx certificate specifically covers free NHS prescriptions, so it’s worth checking other entitlements separately.

If you or your partner receive any of these benefits, or if you’re under 20 and financially dependent on someone who receives them, you may be eligible for free dental care. These benefits include:

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit

• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit

• Universal Credit (but only if your income is below a certain amount)

You won’t automatically be eligible for free dental care if you only receive: 

• Contribution-based or New-Style Employment and Support Allowance

• Contribution-based or New-Style Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• Pension Credit Savings Credit on its own

If you receive Universal Credit, you might be eligible for free NHS dental treatment. This depends on your earnings during your last ​‘assessment period’ (the period Universal Credit uses to calculate your payment).

You may be eligible for help with dental costs if:

• You receive Universal Credit, and in your last Universal Credit assessment period, your take-home pay was £435 or less.

• You receive Universal Credit, and your Universal Credit payment includes an element for a child, or you (or your partner) have been assessed as having limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) and in your last Universal Credit assessment period your take-home pay was £935 or less.

Important things to remember:

• ‘Take-home pay’ refers to the money you actually received after tax and National Insurance deductions.

• If you’re part of a couple, the pay thresholds apply to your combined take-home pay for that assessment period.

• Checking your Universal Credit statements or journal for your earnings in the relevant assessment period will help you see if you meet the criteria for free dental treatment. 

There are other ways that you can get help with dental costs:

• If you have a valid NHS HC2 certificate (for full help with health costs), you’ll also receive free dental care.

• If you have an NHS HC3 certificate (for partial help with health costs), you might get some help towards your dental treatment costs.

• If you receive payments from the War Pension Scheme or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and the treatment is for your accepted disability, you can also claim back the cost of your dental treatment.

If you have a dental appointment coming up, make sure to let the receptionist at your dentist know that you’re eligible for free or reduced treatment costs. They may ask you to fill out a form, where you’ll need to tick the box for the type of eligibility that applies to you. 

You may also need to bring proof with you to your appointment, such as your benefit award letter, maternity exemption certificate or HC2/HC3 certificate.

If you’re unsure if you’re eligible for free treatment and you’ve got an appointment coming up, you can pay for your treatment and claim a refund later (just make sure you ask for a receipt at your appointment). This might apply to you if you’re waiting for confirmation about your benefit award, or your benefit is still being processed. 

It’s important to remember that if you go to the dentist and claim for free treatment but you’re not eligible, you may be issued a penalty charge in addition to the dental treatment charges. If you’re unsure, check that you’re still receiving eligible benefits, that your HC2/HC3 certificates haven’t expired, and that you’ve ticked the right box on the form at the dentist. 

You might get an enquiry letter posted to you, asking you to prove that you’re eligible for help with dental costs. Make sure you respond to this letter within 28 days, as you could receive an initial charge of up to £100, plus the cost of the dental treatment. 

You may feel you’ve been wrongly charged. The NHS states that you can challenge this penalty charge if you: ​‘were entitled to claim free NHS prescriptions or free or reduced-cost NHS dental treatment, or you had a valid prescription prepayment certificate at the time’ or you ​‘think you have an exceptional reason not to pay, and can show that you did not act wrongfully or with any lack of care.’

Navigating dental costs can be a burden, but it’s often just one piece of a bigger financial puzzle. If you’re feeling the strain of money worries, or want to check if you’re getting all the support available to you, we’re here to help. Explore how we can equip you below: