With more and more NHS dentists going private, is it worth the extra cost to follow their lead?

Dental bills can quickly escalate with treatments such as veneers and fillings often needing retreated.  You can arrange cover from as little as £3.69 a month which gives preferential treatment to the dentist you want, as well as discounts and is excellent value for those with not too many teething problems.  For more comprehensive cover you will have to pay a little more and around £20 per month can assure you of cover for fillings, hygienist work, check-ups, x-rays and a range of other work.

NHS caps have limited the costs but as dentists give preferential treatment to private patients you may have to endure lengthy waits.  Taking out insurance is a way to get the best treatment without the exponential rises in cost.  Another big benefit is the simplicity.  Many dentists will deal direct with your insurers, giving you no headaches trying to secure guarantees of cover.  Payouts are straightforward and generally do not vary to the same extent as private medical insurance premiums which rise considerably with age.  

It is important to consider that not all treatments may be covered by your plan such as extensive reconstruction work and some insurers may limit the amount of claims accepted annually.  Other things to take note of when selecting cover are capitalisation schemes that can spread the cost throughout the year and cash plans, which offer low-cost cover but may require up-front payment with a view of claiming back fees incurred.