Thousands wrongly fined up to £150 for claiming free NHS dental treatment

 More than 38,000 people are being wrongly fined and branded fraudsters for attempting to claim free NHS dental treatment, it has been claimed.

The automated £100 fines are being imposed on innocent claimants for minor paperwork errors, forcing many of them away from treatment. Patients who refuse to pay up quickly face an increased fined of £150.

The British Dental Association (BDA) found that 90 per cent of challenged fines turned out to be unjustified and were overturned.

The NHS has accepted there are problems with the system and promised to make improvements. It currently receives around £4million in revenue from the fines each year.

Charlotte Waite, from the BDA, told the BBC: “This has become a significant barrier to care. It can cause a lot of distress if people feel they are seen as fraudulent.”

Among those caught out, she said, were the elderly, frail, and those with dementia and learning difficulties who had made honest mistakes. Many patients go home untreated because of confusion over their entitlement and worries about being fined, she added.

Most people have to pay for dental treatment. However, those who are under 19, pregnant or with a new baby or in receipt of some benefits are among those entitled to free care.