Why Dental Cover Has Grown In Popularity

Private dental treatment prices have risen sharply in recent years, and NHS dental services in many areas remain hard to access, with long waits for new NHS patients in some regions. That combination has pushed more people toward dental add-ons and standalone dental plans to help manage the cost of routine and unexpected treatment.

It's worth being clear about what this guide covers: we're looking specifically at dental cover available as an add-on to an individual health insurance or family health insurance policy, not standalone dental insurance plans, which some of these same insurers also offer separately with different benefits.

Dental Cover By Insurer

What each add-on is called, what's covered, and the annual limits.

Figures above are indicative and based on current policy documentation at the time of writing. Insurers update benefit tiers and limits periodically, so always confirm exact current figures for your chosen plan with the insurer or one of our brokers before you buy. The Exeter is not included in this table, as it doesn't currently offer a dental or optical add-on.

Bupa Is The Only Insurer With Dental Cover As Standard

Every other insurer in this comparison treats dental as a paid add-on. Bupa includes one appointment a year at a participating Bupa Dental Care practice, plus a £300 restorative allowance, as standard on its policies, with no excess and no impact on your no claims discount. You can still upgrade to Bupa's Dental Cover 20 add-on for broader cover, including emergency treatment and injury protection.