NHS Charges in Wales frozen again
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- Published: Monday, 28 February 2011 16:47
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| The cost of seeing a dentist will be frozen at its 2006 level, Welsh Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced. She said “By freezing dental charges in Wales for the fifth year running, we are maintaining access to NHS dentistry for the people of Wales, ensuring charges remain affordable and in doing so helping to tackle oral health inequalities. |
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As in England, in Wales there are three bands of charges, which depend on what type of treatment patients receive. Band one, which covers diagnosis, treatment planning and maintenance, costs £12; band two, which covers treatments, costs £39 and band three, the provision of appliances, costs £177. Urgent treatment will also continue to cost £12.
Mrs Hart said: “Thanks to the significant extra investment we have made, access to general dental services has improved significantly over recent years. I do, however, appreciate that there may be particular areas where access to dental services is still difficult. Areas where access has proved difficult in the past have seen some of the greatest improvements.
“In addition to increasing access to dentists, we are also investing in raising awareness of people’s responsibility in taking care of their own oral health as they should for their general health and wellbeing. Simple steps, such as people brushing their teeth thoroughly with fluoride toothpaste twice a day, can make a significant difference to improve their oral health.”
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