Is your dentist ripping you off?

Some clinics charge 5 times as much as others

PATIENTS are being charged five times more for a routine check-up at a private dentist compared with other clinics, an investigation has found.

The average cost of a routine visit has soared by 40 per cent in three years, from £37 in November 2013 to £52 now.

But there is also a huge variation in prices between private dentists for a check-up or other routine procedures.

One clinic in Harley Street, Central London, is charging £95 for a check-up, rising to £185 if patients want to be seen by a more specialist dentist.

This compares to a cost of £20 at a clinic in South Harrow, West London, only 12 miles away.

And there is even more variation between the prices for routine treatment including root canal work and teeth whitening.

Experts say there is no regulation so dental clinics are allowed to set their own prices for private work and raise them when they want.

But campaigners say patients are often obliged to pay out because they are in a lot of pain. Joyce Robins, of Patient Concern, said: ‘Patients are being ripped off. They really are at the mercy of these clinics.

‘They are dreading going to the dentist as they have to dig deep into their wallets every time.

‘Patients won’t necessarily be able to pop down the street and find another – they won’t have the choice.’

Around half of Britons have a private dentist and the rest are on the NHS. Many clinics treat both NHS and private patients – but will not accept new NHS patients if their lists are full.

The Mail investigated the variation in costs by commissioning the price comparison website Whatclinic to carry out an analysis of the 14,200 private dentists on its register.

Prices of root canal work vary more than seven fold, from £70 per tooth at a clinic in Oldham to £499 in Wandsworth, South West London. This is vital treatment to clear the inside of the tooth which has become infected, causing constant pain.

There is also a seven-fold variation in the prices of veneers – caps that sit on jagged teeth to make them smooth. The lowest price was per tooth £126 at a clinic in South West London rising to £850 in Reading.

And teeth whitening prices also vary seven fold, from £ 75 in Rotherham to £550 at ABC Dental in Cobham, Surrey.

Dr Suman Rai, of ABC Dental, said he had just raised his prices by 10 per cent from £499 ‘because of the demand’. He said: ‘I’ve never had an issue with the price. I do about three a week and peo- ple are happy to pay that price for the result they’re getting.’

Meanwhile, the cost of dental implants can vary more than three fold. They cost £799 at several clinics in West London but between £2,200 and £2,800 at a dentist in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

The figures also show there is huge variation for the typical cost for a check-up between areas of the country.

In Birmingham, the cheapest area, patients typically pay £31 a check-up. But this rises to £67 in Cambridge and £77 in Liverpool.

The highest price for a checkup is charged by Bandlish and Auplish Dentistry, in Harley Street, Central London.

It is run by Dr Bobby Bandlish – who does dental makeovers on ITV1’s This Morning show. The clinic’s website promises ‘high street prices.’ Other high charg- ing dentists said their prices reflected a ‘level of excellence’ and ‘extensive experience’

In September the country’s top dentist said Britons did not need to see a dentist every six months – raising concerns that they were being asked in by clinics unnecessarily.

Dr Sara Hurley, the chief dental officer for England, said the twice yearly check-up was a ‘misconception.’ She said visiting every year or two would free up space for those who needed treatment for decay or gum problems.

Commenting on the price variations, Katherine Murphy, chief executive of The Patients Association, said: ‘This is not right and it’s not fair.

‘There are massive barriers to getting the right dental care because of the charges attached to treatment and this means that there is a huge gulf between the “haves and the have-nots”.

‘We oppose the idea that there are charges for oral care, as it is just as important as health care. The added complexity and inequality of a postcode lottery is just another kick in the teeth.’

Dr Sandeep Senghera, head of dental health at Whatclinic, said: ‘There’s been little to no standardising of the fee structure.’

He also said he was ‘concerned’ that clinics are allowed to choose whether or not they display prices of treatment on websites or in waiting rooms. In some cases patients may not realise how much they have to pay until after they have had the procedure and do not have a choice.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, a charity to improve dental care, urged patients to ‘shop around’.

He said: ‘It is a lot of variation – but to an extent you get what you pay for. The dentist is basically selling you his time and hopefully, if you go for the RollsRoyce end of the market you’ll get a better service.’

He said part of the variation was explained by rental costs – with dentists in city centres in the South East typically charging more.

‘This is not right and it’s not fair’