Why thousands are being left with tooth loss, pain, and missed diagnoses.
Have you ever left the dentist’s chair feeling rushed, or worse, like you weren’t really listened to? Maybe you were told a tooth had to come out when you weren’t offered any other options. Maybe you were told everything was fine, only to discover months later you have gum disease or decay that should’ve been picked up earlier.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Across England, patients are being failed every day by a dental system that’s stretched, stressed, and, in many cases, unsafe.
How NHS Dentists Get Paid: The UDA System
Dentists working under the NHS aren’t paid for the time they spend or the quality of treatment, they’re paid using something called Units of Dental Activity (UDAs).
- A tooth extraction that takes 15 minutes = 1 UDA
- A root canal that takes 2 x 40-minute appointments = 1 UDA
- A simple check-up = 1 UDA
So, why would a dentist spend nearly two hours saving a tooth when pulling it out pays the same? The answer is, they often don’t. And that’s not because dentists don’t care. It’s because the system doesn’t reward thorough care, it rewards quick, cheap treatment.
What About the Band Charges?
Patients pay for NHS dental treatment under a Band system:
- Band 1 – Check-up, clean, x-rays = £27.40
- Band 2 – Everything in Band 1 + fillings, extractions, root canals = £75.30
- Band 3 – Complex work like crowns, dentures = £323.70
The catch?
- A 5-minute filling and a 2-hour root canal both fall under Band 2.
That means there’s no real incentive to carry out time-consuming work, even if it would save the tooth or prevent more serious problems later. - Multiple fillings all fall under one Band 2 charge. That means there’s no real incentive to carry out all the work needed in one treatment plan. The dentist will get the same fee for doing one filling as they will for doing 2 or more.
Real Patients, Real Problems
This system leads to care being rushed, incomplete or missed altogether.
We regularly hear from people who experienced:
- Teeth removed when they could have been saved
- Gum disease that wasn’t diagnosed until it was too late
- Infections that were overlooked
- Crowns and fillings done poorly or not done at all
- Long delays for treatment, even in emergencies
In many cases, that’s not just frustrating, it’s negligent.
The system is cracking and patients are paying the price
- In 2022–23, the NHS delivered over 40 million dental treatments
- But in a survey by the British Dental Association:
- Over half of NHS dentists said the UDA system stops them from giving proper care
- 3 in 5 plan to reduce or quit NHS work altogether
That means less time with your dentist, longer waits, and more chances that something important gets missed.
Could you have a dental negligence claim?
You might be able to claim for dental negligence if:
- A serious problem was missed or misdiagnosed
- You weren’t told about other treatment options
- The treatment fell below reasonable clinical standards
- You suffered pain, loss, or further damage as a result
We’re here to help you understand if you have a case and guide you through every step of the process.
We’ve helped hundreds of people just like you take action after being let down by poor NHS dental care.
Get in touch and one of our specialist dental negligence solicitors will review your case.
There’s no obligation and no cost to find out where you stand.