NHS Filling Cost: £76.60 for the Whole Course
An NHS filling in England costs £76.60 as part of the Band 2 charge. The crucial detail is that £76.60 covers every filling you need in that single course of treatment, not per filling. A patient who walks out with one filling pays £76.60. A patient with three fillings on the same course also pays £76.60. This page covers the single-charge rule, the white-vs-amalgam material decision, mixed NHS-private upgrades, and how the fee compares with Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the private sector.
Quick answer: NHS filling cost across the UK
England: £76.60 Band 2 (covers all fillings in one course). Wales: £60.00 Band 2 (same rule). Scotland and Northern Ireland: per-filling SDR fees, with patients paying 80 per cent of the gross fee per surface, capped at £384 per course. A single-surface amalgam filling in Scotland or NI is roughly £14 to £20 to the patient. Children under 18, pregnant patients, new mothers, and patients on qualifying benefits pay nothing for NHS fillings across the UK.
The single-charge rule, worked through
The most-confused aspect of NHS dental charges is that the Band 2 fee of £76.60 in England is a per-course charge, not a per-procedure charge. The course of treatment opens at the assessment appointment and closes when the treatment plan is complete. Every Band 2 procedure carried out within that course is covered by the single £76.60 fee, regardless of how many procedures there are or how many tooth surfaces are involved.
Consider three patients, all attending the same NHS practice in England in 2026:
- Patient A: examination plus one single-surface filling on a lower molar. Total: £76.60.
- Patient B: examination plus three fillings (two molars, one premolar) plus a scale and polish. Total: £76.60. Same charge.
- Patient C: examination plus a root canal on an incisor plus two fillings on molars plus an extraction of a wisdom tooth. Total: £76.60. Still the same charge.
All three are Band 2 courses (the highest band reached during the course is Band 2). All three pay the same single charge. The economics work out best for Patient C, who would have paid hundreds of pounds for the equivalent treatment privately.
The rule changes if a Band 3 procedure (crown, bridge, denture) is added to the course. The course then moves to Band 3 (£332.10), which absorbs the Band 2 and Band 1 procedures. You still pay only one charge: £332.10. You do not pay £27.90 plus £76.60 plus £332.10. The highest-band rule is the consistent principle across all UK nations using the banded model.
White (composite) vs amalgam fillings on the NHS
The NHS uses two main filling materials: dental amalgam (a silver-coloured mercury alloy) and composite resin (tooth-coloured). The choice is governed by clinical guidelines, the tooth involved, and increasingly by environmental regulation. The position as of 2026:
| Tooth | NHS standard material | Composite available NHS? |
|---|---|---|
| Anterior teeth (incisors, canines) | Composite (tooth-coloured) | Yes, always |
| Premolars | Composite or amalgam, dentist's clinical judgement | Often, varies by practice |
| Molars (back teeth) | Amalgam (standard); composite increasingly | Sometimes; often a private upgrade |
| Children's deciduous (baby) teeth | Composite or glass-ionomer cement | Yes (amalgam not used on children since 2018 ban) |
The 2018 EU Minamata Convention restricted amalgam use in children under 15, pregnant patients, and breastfeeding patients. The UK has retained this restriction post-Brexit. In practice, this means amalgam is never used on children's teeth in the UK. For everyone else, amalgam remains a clinically valid material for posterior fillings but is being phased down voluntarily by many NHS practices in favour of composite.
If you specifically want composite on a back tooth and your NHS dentist offers amalgam as the NHS option, you have two routes: ask whether composite would be offered NHS (some practices have a default-composite policy); or accept a private upgrade for the composite filling at the practice's private fee (typically £100 to £200 per tooth on top of the NHS Band 2 charge). The choice should be presented clearly in writing.
NHS vs private filling cost
For a single filling, NHS and private fees can be in the same ballpark. The NHS advantage compounds when you need multiple fillings in one course. The table below compares typical fees for a single procedure; the NHS total stays at £76.60 regardless of how many you need.
| Procedure | NHS (single course) | Private (per filling) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-surface amalgam filling | £76.60 | £80-£150 |
| Single-surface composite filling (front) | £76.60 | £100-£200 |
| Two-surface composite filling (molar) | £76.60 (NHS or private upgrade) | £150-£300 |
| Three fillings in one course | £76.60 total | £300-£900 total |
| Composite onlay (cast restoration) | Band 3 £332.10 if NHS-approved | £300-£700 |
Source: BDA private fee survey and published price tiers of major UK dental groups.
Multi-filling math: why NHS is dramatically cheaper at scale
A patient who has not seen a dentist for several years may need a full mouth restoration: multiple fillings, a scale and polish, possibly a root canal. The NHS single-charge rule means the entire course is £76.60 as long as no Band 3 procedure is involved. Working through one common scenario:
- NHS Band 2 course: examination, scale and polish, four fillings, one root canal = £76.60 total.
- Private equivalent: examination (£50-£100) + scale and polish (£60-£120) + four composite fillings (£120-£250 each, £480-£1,000 total) + root canal (£250-£900 for incisor; £500-£1,200 for molar) = £840-£2,320 total.
The differential is roughly 10 to 30 times for a heavy restorative course. The differential narrows for very light courses (one filling) and reverses for cosmetic work (composite veneers, whitening, all-ceramic crowns) which the NHS does not cover.
This is the structural reason why NHS dentistry, when accessible, is dramatically cheaper than private for patients with extensive restorative needs. The access pressures documented by the BDA and the NAO mean that actually getting an NHS Band 2 course in 2026 can be hard. When you can, the financial logic for Band 2 treatment is uncontested.
Frequently asked questions
Does the NHS charge per filling or per visit?
Neither, strictly. The NHS charges per course of treatment in England and Wales. A course can span multiple visits and multiple procedures. As long as the highest band reached is Band 2, the charge is £76.60 (England) or £60.00 (Wales) regardless of how many fillings or visits.
Why was I charged twice for fillings on different visits?
If your dentist closed your first course of treatment after the initial fillings and you returned later for further work, the second visit would be a new course with a new charge. Two separate courses mean two Band 2 charges of £76.60 each. Some patients arrange for all anticipated treatment to fall within a single course where possible. Ask your dentist when each course of treatment opens and closes.
Can I refuse amalgam and ask for composite on the NHS?
You can ask. The dentist will assess whether composite is clinically appropriate for the tooth. If they consider composite clinically appropriate, many practices will provide it within the Band 2 charge. If the practice's position is that amalgam is the NHS standard for that tooth, composite would be available as a private upgrade at the practice's private fee. You cannot compel a practice to provide composite on NHS terms if their clinical judgement is otherwise.
Are amalgam fillings safe?
Dental amalgam has been used safely worldwide for over 150 years. The mercury content is bound within the alloy in stable form. The Council of European Dentists, the World Health Organization, and the UK Government's Office for Health Improvement and Disparities consider amalgam safe for the general population. The phase-down driven by the Minamata Convention is primarily environmental (mercury entering waste water from dental practice run-off), not patient-safety driven.
How long do NHS fillings last?
Amalgam fillings have median survival around 10 to 15 years based on UK longitudinal data. Composite fillings on posterior teeth have median survival around 5 to 10 years (newer materials extend this). Survival depends on size, location, oral hygiene, and parafunctional habits like grinding. NHS and private fillings of equivalent material have similar survival times when placed competently.
Related pages on this site
- NHSBSA, NHS dental charges: nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-dental-costs
- NHS on dental costs: nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-costs
- BDA private fee survey: bda.org
- Minamata Convention on Mercury: mercuryconvention.org
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, dental amalgam: gov.uk/ohid
This page is information only and is not clinical advice. NHS dental charges are reviewed annually; the England Band 2 fee of £76.60 is current as of the April 2026 uprating. Always confirm the current fee and treatment plan with your dental practice before treatment.