A dentist tells you that you need thousands of pounds of treatment. Do you really know what you're agreeing to?
Confirm the NHS/Private Distinction Before Anything Else
The first, most basic question: is this treatment available on the NHS at all, or is it only offered privately by this practice? Some treatments are available on the NHS but the practice may present the private option first, or only mention it if you don't ask directly. It's reasonable to explicitly ask "is there an NHS option for this, and if so, what's the difference in what's offered." You're not obligated to accept the private route without that comparison being made clear to you.
Get an Itemized Treatment Plan, Not a Lump Sum
A single total figure for "thousands of pounds of treatment" tells you very little. Ask for a written, itemized treatment plan breaking down each procedure separately, with its individual cost — this is standard practice for any legitimate private dental provider and lets you actually evaluate what you're paying for, rather than accepting a bundled figure you can't scrutinize.
Ask About Alternatives, Not Just the Proposed Plan
For most significant dental treatment plans, there's more than one clinically reasonable option — different materials, different approaches, different sequencing. Ask specifically what alternatives exist and why this particular plan was recommended over them, including any cost difference between options.
Deposits, Cancellation, and What Happens If the Plan Changes
- Get the deposit amount and refund conditions in writing before paying anything.
- Ask specifically what happens if, partway through a multi-stage treatment plan, the dentist determines something different is needed — how is that repriced and reauthorized?
- If financing is offered or required, get the full terms in writing, including the total cost with interest if applicable — treat this as a separate financial commitment, not just a payment convenience.
Document Everything, and Know Your Complaint Route
Keep the written treatment plan, the itemized costs, and any communication about changes to the plan. If something goes wrong — the cost differs materially from what was agreed, or the treatment doesn't match what was described — your evidence is exactly this written trail. Private dental complaints typically go through the practice's own complaints procedure first, and can potentially be escalated further depending on the specific circumstances and provider.
What This Means Practically
- Explicitly ask whether an NHS alternative exists before agreeing to a private-only plan.
- Insist on an itemized treatment plan, not a single bundled total.
- Get deposit, cancellation, and financing terms in writing before paying anything.
- Keep every document — the treatment plan is your primary evidence if a dispute comes up later.