Free NHS Treatment

Reproduced by kind permission of the Department of Health, © 2014

You do not have to pay for NHS dental treatment if, when the treatment starts, you are:

• aged under 18
• under 19 and receiving full-time education
• pregnant or a mother who has had a baby in the previous 12 months
• staying in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist
• an NHS Hospital Dental Service outpatient
  (however, you may have to pay for your dentures or bridges).

You also do not have to pay if, when the treatment starts, or when you are asked to pay:
- you are included in an award of one of the following -

• Income Support
• income-related Employment and SupportAllowance
• income-based Jobseeker’sAllowance
• Pension Credit guarantee credit
• Universal credit(check entitlement after31 October 2014) or
• you are named on a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate, or you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate
• you are named on a valid HC2 certificate

Or

• you are named on a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate, or you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate
• you are named on a valid HC2 certificate

You will not be exempt from paying if you receive Incapacity Benefit, contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit savings credit, when paid on their own. Medical conditions do not exempt patients from payment for dental treatment.
You will be asked to show your dentist written proof that you do not have to pay for all or part of your NHS treatment.

You will also be asked to sign a form to confirm that you do not have to pay. If your name is on a valid HC3 certificate, you may not have to pay for all your treatment. Checks are made on free and reduced cost treatment claims. If you say you have the right to free treatment when you do not, you may incur a penalty charge.