Not for most adults. In England, NHS dental care is free for children, for pregnant women and new mothers, and for people on certain benefits or a low income. Everyone else pays a fixed NHS charge. In 2026/27 that is £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10, depending on the treatment.
Free treatment is still common. In 2023/24, 48.6% of NHS courses of treatment in England went to people who paid nothing. That figure includes children. Our NHS dental charges guide explains what each charge covers.
This page covers England, which includes London. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules. There is a short note on them below.
Who gets free NHS dental treatment in England
Your NHS dental treatment is free if, on the day the course of treatment starts, you are:
- under 18
- 18, under 19 and in full-time education. This means school or college up to A level or similar. University does not count.
- pregnant, or you have had a baby in the last 12 months. This includes a stillbirth. You need a maternity exemption certificate (MatEx). Ask your midwife, GP or health visitor for the application form.
- an NHS hospital inpatient, treated by the hospital dentist. You may still pay for dentures or bridges.
- getting a War Pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payment, and the treatment is for your accepted disability.
- holding an HC2 certificate from the NHS Low Income Scheme.
You also get free treatment if you, or your partner, get one of these benefits:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (with or without Savings Credit)
- Universal Credit, but only if your earnings were under the limit (see below)
If you get one of these benefits, your children under 20 who depend on you also get free treatment.
Universal Credit: check your earnings first
Universal Credit does not always mean free dental treatment. We see this mistake more than any other.
You qualify only if your take-home pay in your last assessment period was:
- £435 or less, or
- £935 or less if your Universal Credit includes money for a child, or you have limited capability for work.
Your “last assessment period” is the one that ended just before your treatment starts. Look at your Universal Credit statement for the line “Your total take-home pay for this period”. If you claim as a couple, the limit is for your joint pay.
If your pay goes up and down, you may qualify one month and not the next. Check each time a new course of treatment starts.
The Low Income Scheme
If you are not on a qualifying benefit but money is tight, apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme. It looks at your income, savings and housing costs, not at which benefits you get. Students, people on low pay and pensioners often qualify.
You apply on form HC1, online at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website or on paper. You cannot apply if you have more than £16,000 in savings, investments or property, not counting your home.
You get one of 2 certificates:
- HC2: full help. Your NHS dental treatment is free.
- HC3: partial help. The certificate shows the most you pay for one course of treatment. If the NHS charge is lower than that amount, you pay the charge.
Certificates last between 6 months and 5 years. Apply again before yours runs out. Our guide to affordable dental care in London covers other ways to pay less.
What does not give you free treatment
People often believe these give free NHS dental care. They do not:
- Being over 60. Prescriptions are free at 60 in England, but dental treatment is not free at any adult age. See do over-60s get free dental treatment?
- Diabetes or another long-term condition. A medical exemption certificate covers prescriptions only. See do diabetics get free dental treatment?
- Being a university student. The education rule only covers under-19s at school or college. Students can apply to the Low Income Scheme.
- Disability benefits. Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance do not count on their own. Many disabled people still qualify through another benefit or the Low Income Scheme.
- “New style” or contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance. Only the income-based and income-related versions count.
- Carer’s Allowance or the state pension on their own.
- An old tax credit exemption certificate. Tax credits ended in April 2025. These certificates no longer give free treatment.
The NHSBSA has an online eligibility checker. It takes a few minutes and tells you what help you can get.
How to prove it at the practice
At the start of treatment, the practice asks you to fill in a form and tick the reason you do not pay. Take your proof with you. That could be your MatEx or HC2 certificate, or a recent benefit letter. For a child, a birth certificate or passport is enough.
The practice does not check your claim. The NHSBSA checks later, against benefit records. If you were not entitled, you pay the charge plus a penalty of up to £100. This happens even when the mistake was honest.
If you are not sure you qualify, pay the charge. If you later find you were entitled, ask the practice for form HC5(D). Send it with your receipt within 3 months of paying to get a refund.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The rules are different outside England:
- Scotland: check-ups are free for everyone. All NHS treatment is free for people under 26.
- Wales: check-ups are free for people under 25 and people aged 60 or over. Treatment is still charged unless another exemption applies.
- Northern Ireland: has its own charges and rules.
If you live in London, the England rules on this page apply.
Frequently asked questions
What age do you stop getting free dental care?
At 18, or at 19 if you are still at school or college full time. After that, no age makes NHS dental treatment free again in England.
Are dental check-ups free on the NHS?
Only if you are exempt. Otherwise an NHS check-up costs £27.90 (Band 1) in 2026/27. In Scotland, check-ups are free for everyone.
Is NHS dental care free for pregnant women?
Yes. It is free during pregnancy and for 12 months after the birth. You need a maternity exemption certificate (MatEx). Ask your midwife, GP or health visitor.
Is dental care free on Universal Credit?
Only if your take-home pay in your last assessment period was £435 or less. The limit is £935 if your claim includes a child or you have limited capability for work. For couples, it is your joint pay.
Can I get free dental treatment on a low income without benefits?
Yes, you might. Apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme on form HC1. If you get an HC2 certificate, your NHS dental treatment is free. It costs nothing to apply. For private prices and other options, see our guide to dental costs in London.
Charges and earnings limits are for England in 2026/27. They usually change each April.