NHS dental charges will go up from next month which dentists have branded a “slap in the face” to people on low incomes.

The British Dental Association says struggling families will again be asked to pay more, so government can pay less. From next Tuesday, patient charges will be around two thirds higher than they were back in 2010 with a check up rising from £16.50 to £27.90.

Had government contributions increased at the same rate the total budget would now be close to £4.5billion - which the BDA calculates would tackle the crisis and restore access for millions to an NHS dentist. Instead the NHS dental budget has been held at £3billion which is only enough to care for around half the population of England - following a £1billion real terms cut due to inflation.

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The 1.7% increase is below inflation but patients are still being asked to pay an ever greater share of the overall NHS dentistry budget.

Shiv Pabary, chair of the British Dental Association’s general dental practice committee, said: “This hike is a slap in the face to millions on modest incomes. It won’t put a penny into a service on its knees. Patients will pay more, simply so ministers can pay less. The Prime Minister claims he wants to ‘put money back into voters’ pockets.’ He needs to explain these choices to the pensioners who will pay an extra fiver towards their next set of dentures.”

The Mirror has launched the Dentists for All campaign to fix the broken system which has left people unable to get an NHS dentist forced to pull out their own teeth or go into debt to go private.

The BDA says lack of any increase in the total NHS dentistry budget means there is no reason patient charges should even have gone up by inflation. Charges don’t go to dentists to allow them to treat more patients and the dentists’ professional body has accused the Treasury of presiding over a long-term strategy of stealth cuts by using hikes in charges to conceal reductions in state spending.

From next week people who need basic care such as check-ups or X-rays will pay £27.90, up from the current charge of £27.40. Band 2 care, which includes fillings, tooth extraction or root canal treatment, will cost £76.60 from next week, up from £75.30 now. The band 3 rise means the cost of dentures will increase from £326.70 to £332.10.

The Tories implemented above-inflation rises in NHS dental charges to disguise gradual reductions in state funding for NHS dentistry. After coming to power in 2024 Labour vowed to tackle the “flawed” NHS dental contract which pays dentists the same amount for three fillings as 20. However the BDA says this cannot be substantially changed without a commitment from the Treasury to boost overall funding accordingly.

The Government has announced supervised toothbrushing programmes at schools and instructed the NHS to provide 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments for people living in pain.

NHS dental charge exemptions apply if you are under 18 (or under 19 in full-time education), pregnant, have had a baby in the last 12 months, or receive specific benefits like Universal Credit (with low earnings), Income Support, or Pension Credit. Treatment in an NHS hospital or having a valid HC2/HC3 certificate also grants exemption.

The Government has been approached for comment.