Last year, Dentistry.co.uk conducted a nationwide investigation into dental fee setting. The highly anticipated first results of the Dentistry Fees Survey are now in…
During September and October 2015, Dentistry.co.uk embarked upon its most insightful investigation ever into dental procedure fee setting. Sponsored by Practice Plan, the survey intended to capture real insights, trends, similarities and variations in dental fee setting across the entire UK.
Dentistry.co.uk readers responded in their hundreds. The data has been collated and analysed, and now we share with you the fascinating – and surprising – results.
Each month, we will publish new results from the survey, ranging from routine examination charges and hygienist hourly rates, to the nation’s preferred brands of short-term orthodontics, and average prices for ortho treatments, tooth whitening and much more, allowing you to compare your own dental procedure pricings to those of your colleagues’, both in your region and across the country.
Huge variations in dental costs
We are launching the fees survey results with one of the most anticipated outcomes: the average regional and national rates for units of dental activity (UDA).
In response to the question: ‘NHS contracting: what is your UDA rate for an associate?’, our results showed an incredible £11 difference among the highest and lowest regional UDA rates across the UK. The lowest rate was found in Wales, with an average UDA generating £11.50 per unit, while the highest came from the West Midlands, where the average rate is £22.50 per UDA.
These averages are in contrast with the British Dental Association’s 2013 report, The State of General Dental Practice in 2013, which put the average UDA rate for England at £25.61 that year. In contrast, our survey results put the average UDA rate for England at £17.55 in 2015 – a seeming reduction of £8.06 in two years – with a combined UDA rate average in 2015 for England and Wales of £17.23.
Valuable information for practice managers
The statistics from the Dentistry Fees Survey should provide valuable information for dental practitioners and practice managers when setting fees, remunerating staff and running the financial affairs of a dental practice.
Dentistry.co.uk is delighted to assist in this matter and if you need any more information please do not hesitate to contact us through [email protected].
