The more costly treatment alternative is to go private, and expensive it most certainly is. Fees and charges vary greatly from one dentist to another so make sure you know exactly what you are going to be paying beforehand so there are no nasty shocks. Private dentists are represented by the General Dental Practice Association (GDPA) who set the guidelines for the scale of fees but dentists do not have to stick to it and it is not available to patients. It is wise to shop around as practices will vary and what you pay will depend on where you live, the dentist and the treatment you need.

You may find a dentist that will give a free assessment, others will charge 50 pounds and more and a further 50 pounds to see the hygienist. White fillings, bridges, crowns and veneers can cost between 100 and 350 pounds. You are looking at 500 pounds for root canal procedures and 1,500 pounds for a set of dentures and for the vain ones among us cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening is around 200 pounds.

Chief Executive of the GDPA is of the opinion, that the cost of private dental care is warranted by the superior service, more flexibility with appointment times and more choice of treatments available and more dedicated care. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) however, is rather concerned that patients are not given enough information on treatment necessary and charges making it difficult to make the right decisions for themselves and their budgets. In their Guide to Private Dentistry they advise people to get written, itemized quotes and offer other tips.

Plan Ahead - Most private dentists will offer you a dental plan which they call a dental capitation plan which is basically a fixed monthly payment to help you to budget for future treatment. They will then sort out any existing problems, assess what is required and calculate the premium accordingly.

With its' 1.5 million members Denplan is by far the most popular - their Care Plan is around 15 pounds per month for cover of all routine and preventative work, plus bridges, dentures, crowns, extractions and fillings. For 10 pounds per month you can get the routine and preventative work done but pay for any extra work that you have done.

If you pay into a cash plan you can get a tax-free lump-sum which can be used for dental treatment as well as any other healthcare, like hospital stays, maternity care, physiotherapy, osteopathy and also buying glasses or contact lenses. The level of the premium you pay will determine whether you can claim 50 or 100 per cent of your costs.

Wherever you might have treatment and whether you have paid for it or not you should get a satisfactory job and if you are not happy you should complain, and NHS or private practices will have in-house complaints procedures. If after doing this you are still not satisfied and you have been treated by the NHS, you can take it further with the NHS. However, private patients do not have the same channels to address and may have to resort to legal action. But, the General Dental Council has funded a new dental complaints service which they hope will redress this balance.