Yes. Visitors to London can get NHS dental treatment. NHS dental care in England is not limited to people who live here. Visitors pay the same NHS charges as residents. Urgent NHS dental treatment costs £27.90.
The hard part is finding an NHS appointment, not being allowed one. Many NHS practices in London have no space for new patients. If you are in pain, call NHS 111 first. If you need a dentist quickly and 111 cannot help in time, a private dentist can usually see you the same day or the next day.
These rules are for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
Who can get NHS dental treatment
The UK government’s guidance says everyone is entitled to NHS dental care. A dentist does not have to ask for proof of identity, proof of address or proof of immigration status before seeing you as an NHS patient.
You may have read that NHS care is only for people who are “ordinarily resident” in the UK. That means people who live here lawfully and have settled here. That rule applies to NHS hospital care. It does not apply to treatment at a high-street NHS dental practice.
Visitors do pay for NHS dental treatment, just like people who live in England. In 2026/27 the charges are:
- Urgent treatment: £27.90. For example, treating severe pain, a temporary filling or taking out a broken tooth.
- Band 1: £27.90. A check-up, with X-rays if needed.
- Band 2: £76.60. Band 1 plus fillings, root canal treatment or extractions.
- Band 3: £332.10. Band 2 plus crowns, bridges or dentures.
You pay once for a whole course of treatment, at the highest band it includes. Our NHS dental charges guide explains how the bands work.
If you are in pain: call NHS 111
Call 111 from any UK phone, or use 111.nhs.uk. The call is free and the service runs 24 hours a day. Tell them you are visiting London and describe your symptoms: how long you have had pain, and whether you have swelling. They will tell you where to get urgent NHS dental care and how soon.
Urgent care treats the immediate problem, such as pain, infection or a broken tooth. The dentist may give you a temporary filling so you can finish your trip and have the permanent work done at home.
Go to A&E only if swelling affects your breathing or swallowing, bleeding will not stop, or you have a serious injury to your face. A&E is free for everyone. Other NHS hospital treatment can be different. If you are not ordinarily resident in the UK, a hospital may charge you 150% of the NHS rate, unless you are exempt, for example with a valid EHIC.
If you need a dentist quickly: private practices
Any private dentist can see you. There are no residency rules, and many London practices offer same-day emergency appointments. Our emergency dentist page lists practices across London.
Private prices are much higher than NHS charges. These are typical starting prices in London, from the prices practices publish on their own websites:
- Emergency appointment: from about £80
- Simple extraction: from about £180
- Root canal treatment: from about £450
The appointment price usually covers the examination only. Treatment costs extra. Ask for the price before treatment starts, and ask for an itemised receipt (a receipt that lists each item and its cost). See our dental price list for other treatments.
Visitors from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
If you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), bring it. The EHIC covers treatment that becomes medically necessary during your visit. For dental treatment, you still pay the NHS charge, the same as a resident. The card matters most if you need hospital care, because without it you may be charged for that care.
The EHIC does not cover private treatment, planned treatment or travel home. The NHS says it is not a replacement for travel insurance.
People on a UK visa
If you are in the UK for more than 6 months on a visa, you usually pay the immigration health surcharge. This gives you NHS hospital care on the same terms as residents. It does not make dental treatment free. You still pay NHS dental charges, like everyone else in England.
Using your travel insurance
Many travel insurance policies include emergency dental cover, but what they pay for differs a lot. Cover usually includes emergency treatment for pain, a temporary filling or an extraction. It usually does not include problems you had before your trip, or treatment you could wait to have at home.
To protect your claim:
- Phone your insurer before treatment if you can, or as soon as possible after. Some policies require this.
- Keep every receipt, including for medicine.
- Ask the dentist for a short written note of what they found and what they did.
- Write down when the pain or problem started.
What to do, step by step
- Call NHS 111 (free, 24 hours). Say you are visiting London and describe your symptoms.
- If 111 cannot get you seen in time, find a private dentist on our emergency dentist page.
- Tell your travel insurer, and check what your policy covers.
- Keep all receipts, the dentist’s notes and any prescriptions.
- If you have an EHIC, bring it.
Rules on NHS charges for visitors can change. Check the latest guidance on nhs.uk before you travel.