Dental Plans: Worth It?
What each plan includes, what it saves compared with paying as you go, what isn't covered, and who each one suits.
Is a Dental Membership Plan Worth It?
For most people who see the dentist and hygienist twice a year, yes. At St Vincent Smile in Finnieston, Glasgow, Plan A costs £24.10 a month and covers two examinations, two small X-rays and two hygiene visits with Airflow, worth £360 at our normal fees, so it saves £70.80 a year. Plan B costs £40.16 a month, with four hygiene visits, and saves £78.08. Both add free emergency appointments, priority booking, worldwide emergency cover and 10% off most private treatment. If you only visit once a year, paying as you go can be cheaper.
What Does Each Plan Include?
| Feature | Plan A | Plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £24.10 | £40.16 |
| Dental examinations | 2 a year | 2 a year |
| Small X-rays | 2 a year | 2 a year |
| Hygiene visits with Airflow | 2 a year | 4 a year |
| Emergency appointments | Free | Free |
| Discount on most private treatment | 10% | 10% |
The only difference between the two is how often you see the hygienist. Plan A is built around a dental examination and a hygiene visit every six months. Plan B doubles the hygiene visits to one every three months, for people whose gums or restorations need closer attention. Examinations are with your own dentist, and hygiene visits are with our dental therapists, Bronagh O'Dowd and Anisha Pariyarath. Every hygiene visit on both plans includes Airflow polishing, which lifts stain and plaque with a fine stream of warm water, air and powder. We book your next visit before you leave.
How Much Does Each Plan Save?
| Feature | Pay as you go | On the plan | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan A: 2 exams, 2 small X-rays, 2 Airflow hygiene visits | £360 a year | £289.20 a year | £70.80 |
| Plan B: 2 exams, 2 small X-rays, 4 Airflow hygiene visits | £560 a year | £481.92 a year | £78.08 |
Based on our 2026 fees: examinations £70, small X-rays £10 and hygiene visits with Airflow £100, before the 10% treatment discount.2 The saving on routine care is modest on its own. Where a plan earns its keep is everything else: an emergency appointment that would otherwise be £70 is free, and the 10% discount applies to fillings, crowns, root canal treatment, longer hygiene appointments and whitening. One root canal on a molar at the member price of £536 instead of £595 saves almost as much again as the routine care does.
Ready to Join?
Book an examination and we'll recommend the right plan.
What Else Do Members Get?
- Registration with the practice and your own dentist
- Priority appointments
- Access to out-of-hours care
- Free emergency appointments, normally £70
- Worldwide dental emergency cover, for problems while you're away
- 10% off private treatment, excluding extensive cosmetic treatment, implants and orthodontics
Member prices are shown in the member column on our fees page. A few examples: a 60-minute deep clean is £117 instead of £130, gum treatment £90 a stage instead of £100, a ceramic crown on a back tooth from £608 instead of £675, home whitening £315 instead of £350, and a night guard £189 instead of £210.
Which Plan Suits You?
Plan A suits people with healthy teeth and gums who want their dental examinations and hygiene visits covered, with nothing to pay on the day. Two hygiene visits a year is the usual rhythm for a healthy mouth.
Plan B suits people with gum problems, dental implants, full-arch bridges, or a tendency to build up tartar quickly. For all of these we usually recommend seeing the dental therapist every three months rather than every six, because plaque left around gums, implants and bridges is what causes problems, and three-monthly cleaning keeps it in check. Our implant guarantee is a 5-year guarantee for non-smokers who attend hygiene visits every 3 months, so Plan B is the natural fit after implant treatment. If you're not sure which you need, your dentist will recommend one at your examination, and you can ask to change plan as your needs change. Our gum disease guide explains why the interval matters.
What Isn't Included or Discounted?
Being clear about the limits matters as much as the benefits:
- Implants, Invisalign, bonding and veneers are not discounted. The 10% excludes extensive cosmetic treatment, implants and orthodontics, though whitening on its own is discounted.
- Large X-rays and CT scans aren't part of the two small X-rays. They're charged at the member price when you need one: a CT scan is £144 for members instead of £160.
- Longer hygiene appointments, such as a 60-minute deep clean or a course of gum treatment, are extra, at the member price.
- Treatment itself, such as fillings, crowns and root canal treatment, is paid for as you need it, with 10% off.
In other words, the plan covers prevention and gives a discount on repair. It isn't a cap on what you might spend if a lot of treatment is needed: treatment is paid for as it's done, at the member price, and your fee is confirmed in writing before it starts.
When Is Pay as You Go Better?
Honestly, not everyone needs a plan. If you only come once a year, an examination and an Airflow hygiene visit cost £170 paid as you go, which is less than a year of Plan A at £289.20. If you have two dental examinations and two standard hygiene visits without Airflow, that's £280, close to the Plan A fee before you count the X-rays, the free emergency appointments and the discount.
Children and under-26s don't need a plan at all, because NHS examinations and treatment are free for them in Scotland, and we see children on the NHS with no waiting list. NHS examinations are free for every adult in Scotland too, though NHS places for adults here are limited. A plan is for people who want private hygiene care with Airflow, longer appointments and the member discount on private treatment, and who'll actually use the visits. See our NHS or private guide for how the two compare.
How to Join
You can join online in about five minutes, directly with Ident, who administer our plans. You fill in your details, choose your dentist and your plan, decide whether to pay monthly or yearly, and set up a Direct Debit, which is protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee. Then you book your dental examinations and hygiene visits as usual.
If you're new to the practice, or not sure which plan fits, book an examination first. Your dentist checks your teeth and gums, looks at how quickly you build up plaque and tartar, and recommends Plan A or Plan B. Questions about an existing plan, including changing it, go to reception on 0141 248 1183. Because Ident administer the plans, your payments are collected by Ident rather than by the practice.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.