Introduction The results of our recent dental survey show that with increasing pressure on financial budgets, cost is unsurprisingly still the main reason why people are putting off visiting the dentist. Although cost is an issue we are seeing access to NHS dentistry steadily increasing, with over 70% of respondents seeing an NHS dentist on their last visit which is an increase of 2% on last year.

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Dental costs are still a cause for concern
Introduction
The results of our recent dental survey show that
with increasing pressure on financial budgets, cost is
unsurprisingly still the main reason why people are putting
off visiting the dentist. Although cost is an issue we are
seeing access to NHS dentistry steadily increasing, with
over 70% of respondents seeing an NHS dentist on their
last visit which is an increase of 2% on last year.
Cost is still a barrier to
visiting the dentist
A shocking one in ten say they haven’t been to the dentist
in five to ten years. With cost still a major factor preventing
many from attending appointments; 28% said the reason
that they don’t go to the dentist more often is because they
can’t afford it and a further 12% are worried that the cost
will be too high. The results also show that a staggering one
in five would not pay to have one or more teeth replaced. By
not visiting the dentist regularly people could be putting their
dental health at risk and it may ultimately end up costing
more in the long term.
People are turning to loans to
pay for their dental visits
Of the 38% of people who have had a dental bill of over
£200 in the last year, 11% of respondents either paid for
their visit through payday or bank loans. A further 6% even
turned to friends and family to help cover the costs, with
people in London asking for help from friends and family
more than anywhere else in the UK. The survey found that
the most common way to pay for a large dental bill was on a
credit card with 40% taking this option.
Concern over future dental costs
We also found that over half (52%) of British adults were
concerned about being able to afford dental care in the
future. Only 8% of those with bills in the last year of over
£200 had dental insurance or a dental payment plan,
both are a useful way to spread the cost of dental bills,
allowing individuals to claim for check ups, treatment and
emergencies.
About our research
The research was conducted by OnePoll using an online fieldwork
methodology. OnePoll surveyed 5,000 working adults from 25 March to
2 April 2013. The research abides by the Market Research Society (MRS)
code of conduct and is based around principles of data protection legislation
and research ethics. The MRS code has the confidence of the business
community, Government and regulators.
Over 70% of British adults saw an NHS dentist on
their last visit
One in ten British adults haven’t been to the
dentist in five to ten years