£100 bill for routine visit to dentist

The cost of going to an NHS dentist is set to double, it emerged today.

Routine visits are likely to cost up to £100 after a new pricing structure is implemented.

The change in charges, which will be announced next month, will see a check-up rise from £5.64 to around £12, while the price of a filling will go up from £17.64 to £40.

Non-surgical treatment such as a scale and polish, which currently costs between £8.88 and £21.52, will cost £40.

Although there will be a cap of £120 on more expensive procedures - such as root canal surgery - the rises will mean a patient who requires a basic examination, scale and polish and one filling will pay nearly £100.

Critics claim the hike in charges means that visiting an NHS dentist is barely cheaper than opting for private care.

The controversy comes at a time when NHS dentists are in such short supply that thousands of people are finding it virtually impossible to register with one.