Who can get free NHS dental appointments and treatment in England
You can get free NHS dental appointments and treatment if:
- you're aged under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education
- you're pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months
- you've had a stillbirth in the past 12 months
- you're getting treatment in an NHS hospital from a hospital dentist (but you may still need to pay for dentures or bridges)
- you receive War Pension Scheme payments, or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability
You can also get free NHS dental treatment if you or your partner receive certain benefits including:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit
- Universal Credit – but only if your income is below a certain amount
If you or your partner receive benefits that mean you can get free dental treatment from the NHS, your dependents aged under 20 can also get free dental treatment.
More information
How to get free NHS dental treatment
If you're eligible, you can only get free NHS dental treatment. You'll need to pay for any private dental treatment.
Depending on the reason, you'll need to give your dentist proof that you can get free NHS dental treatment.
Examples of proof include:
- a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate
- a valid HC2 certificate – available for people on a low income
- your birth certificate
- a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatB1)
- a notification of birth form, or your baby's birth certificate
- a stillbirth certificate
If you receive War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and get free dental treatment, you'll usually need to pay for it yourself first and claim the money back from Veterans UK.
Who can get help with some of the cost of NHS dental treatment
If you're not eligible for free NHS dental treatment and you're on a low income, you may still be able to get help with paying part of the cost from the NHS Low Income Scheme.
If you get help from the NHS Low Income Scheme, you'll get an HC3 certificate which will show how much you'll pay for dental treatment. You'll need to show your HC3 certificate to your dentist.
Claiming a refund for NHS dental treatment
If you've paid for NHS dental treatment but later find out you can get it free or partly paid for, you may be able to get a refund.