A fifth of oldsters are selecting non-public orthodontics for his or her children

More parents are choosing to go private when their child needs braces, as patients in some areas face waits of around two years on the NHS. 

New research has revealed how much the treatment may cost, with parents in some parts of the UK having to shell out an average of nearly £4,300. 

More are also turning to credit to spread the cost, instead of paying thousands upfront. 

How much do braces cost privately? 

A set of fixed metal braces for your child will set you back as much as £4,285 in the South East of England, making it the most expensive region for orthodontic treatment, research by Intuit Credit Karma reveals. 

Nearly one in five parents (18 per cent) are opting to pay for private dental treatment for their children according to the data, with a third of them needing braces.

Prices will vary between different dental practices so it is possible to shop around.

The South West proves the second most expensive region for braces, at £3,757, while Scotland is only marginally cheaper at £3,726.

Meanwhile, in the East of England and Wales, braces will cost around £3,415 and £3,246 on average.

Those in some parts of London can expect to pay just £2,368 for a course of braces, which Intuit said reflects the number of options available in the city.

However, according to Emma Laing, an Orthodontic specialist, the cost of braces in Central London is more likely to be around £5,500.

According to the NHS, the bill for braces with a private dentist can range between £2,000 and £6,000.  

The waiting lists for NHS treatment are not set to get shorter any time soon, as some dentists are opting out of private treatment due to the lower fees and high workload.

Laing told This is Money: ‘Prior to Covid I worked a mix of private days and in NHS orthodontics. On my NHS days I would see around 25 to 35 patients a day. 

‘NHS Orthodontics was really hit by Covid as with social distancing these numbers were not feasible and the waiting lists, which were already high at about 18 months, really ramped up.

‘You are not paid a huge amount for each NHS case, hence needing to see so many patients in one day. You can’t physically see more than this, even with running two dental chairs at once. 

‘I had two prolapsed discs in my back after years of working like this and that was my turning point to stop working at this intensity.’

For Laing, as with many others, turning private meant prioritising her health, as well as that of her patients. ‘I chose to see patients privately, as by charging more than NHS rates you can lengthen the appointments, spend longer with each patient and provide your very best work,’ she said.

‘If the NHS paid clinicians more there would be less of a deluge of clinicians leaving the NHS, but in this economy I can’t see how this will ever happen.’

What this means for patients, however, is that finding an NHS dentist or orthodontist is increasingly difficult.

A recent parliamentary report reveals that the amount of NHS dental treatment courses completed in 2022/2023, 32.5 million, was 15 per cent below pre-pandemic figures, at 38.4 million in 2019/2020.

Does your child qualify for NHS braces? 

Orthodontic treatment is free for young people under the age of 18 on the NHS, but only if a dentist feels they need it – and some do not qualify. 

‘You need something like an impacted tooth, missing teeth, protruding teeth or very crowded teeth to qualify,’ Laing explains. 

‘If for example the teeth are not that crowded, or are spaced, the NHS may not cover this.’

Private dentistry and orthodontics do come with their benefits though, with the price you pay reflecting the extent of the care that private patients receive as a result of the higher fees charged.

‘The private fees might sound high but this encompasses taking records of the teeth, treatment planning time, fitting the braces, six-weekly adjustment appointments over 18 months, any emergency appointments, removal of braces and provision of fixed retainers and removable retainers to wear at nights,’ Laing said.

‘If you think as an adult that your dentist gave you a list of 12 to 15 appointments upfront you would expect a reasonable bill for this, however when we quote people for orthodontics for a similar situation for their child they always think the charges sound high.’

However, the high cost of going private means that many need to borrow money to fund the treatment.

According to Intuit, 29 per cent of parents are turning to credit in order to pay for their child’s braces, while 13 per cent are using up their savings to do so. 

Some 39 per cent of families say they have delayed major plans such as holidays in order to pay for dental treatment.

Akansha Nath, general manager (international) at Intuit Credit Karma, told This is Money: ‘Most dental treatment is considered an essential expense in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy. 

‘As part of this, many parents will also consider investing in orthodontic treatment for their children as a priority.

‘As the NHS continues to grapple with long waiting lists, lots of parents will fund this treatment themselves meaning many will be using credit to do so.’