An estimated thirteen million people are waiting for routine dental treatment in the UK. With even basic check-ups having long wait times, and up to 75% of dentists looking to further reduce their NHS patients, many are faced with the option of missing much-needed dental appointments or paying extra to go private.
A health cash plan can help with preventative care by supporting regular checkups and early interventions. It’s a useful way to protect your health, avoid bigger bills by claiming back on the dental benefit balance and reduce stress in the long run.
The NHS shortage for dental appointments
Getting an NHS dentist appointment is becoming a lengthier process, often not coming soon enough. The British Dental Association found that 9 out of 10 dental practices UK-wide are unable to offer NHS appointments to new adult patients. This standstill to access means waiting months (or longer) for treatment if you’re not going private.
Using your health cash plan allows you to skip the queue and book a private appointment—often sooner, with more flexibility and claiming back set amounts through benefit balances. That means less time in pain and faster resolution for problems before they worsen.
Tooth decay: prevention is better than treatment
Nearly 70,000 people in the UK had turned up to A&E with tooth decay in 2023. With appointments not coming around soon enough, small issues can become emergencies that may require in-depth intervention beyond antibiotics or pain relief.
Preventive visits through regular check-ups can help catch decay, gum disease, and infections early. Recent statistics showing that less than half of adults in the UK have seen a dentist in the last two years. Of the customers utilising their dental benefit with Westfield Health, they averaged 1.54 dental visit claims each in the last year alone.
The shift towards private dental treatments
Over half (54%) of our dental claims at Westfield Health were for private treatments in the financial year of 2024/25. As NHS dental access continues to decline, more people are turning to private care—and often paying the full cost themselves.
A health cash plan helps cover private costs, turning what could be an expensive one-off into a manageable, reimbursable expense. It can prevent the treatment of dental emergencies by ensuring routine appointments that stop smaller issues from spiralling.
The repercussions of putting off dental appointments
31% of people are concerned about affording a visit to the dentist. But avoiding these routine visits can increase your overall bills through extra appointment charges, consultations and any necessary treatment. Putting off treatment can end up being more expensive later.
The average cost of routine exam from a private dentist is £52, compared to the NHS price of a band 1 check-up of £27.40 – plus any additional treatment costs. Health cash plans help you budget proactively, reimbursing routine care before it becomes complex.
Health Cash Plans with Westfield Health
A health cash plan is a great way to reimburse the cost of a range of healthcare treatments, including dental care. By choosing a heath cash plan with Westfield Health, it’s an investment in your wellbeing, protecting yourself financially for when those medical expenses crop up.
You can find out more by downloading our Good4you plan guide.
*All Westfield Health data is sourced from our benefit usage statistics 2024-2025.