Dental insurance
Whether you are an NHS or private dental patient, we have a choice of insurance policies to help you budget for your dental treatment.
What is dental insurance?
Dental insurance policies can cover routine check-ups, as well as the costs of dental work, including dental injuries and emergencies.
You pay the dentist first, then claim back your money. You can have the work done at either an NHS practice or at a private clinic. You can normally only start to claim between one and three months after you buy the insurance, but you can claim immediately for preventative treatments like routine exams, x-rays, and scale and polish by dentists or hygienists (Dental 20). Waiting periods apply on the other benefits.
Looking for dental insurance?
Whether you're looking for dental insurance for you and your family, or you're looking for a policy for your business with less than 249 employees, you can find dental insurance that'll keep you smiling.
What you get with Bupa dental insurance
Preventative dental treatment
Preventative treatment is about keeping your teeth and mouth healthy to avoid any more serious treatment.
This includes routine examinations, X-rays and scale and polishing.
Restorative dental treatment
Restorative dental treatment is when your dentist tackles existing problems with your teeth and mouth.
Dental Injury‡
Accidents happen. If your teeth or mouth are injured, we ll do our best to get you smiling again with a range of treatments covered.
‡Dental Cover 20 only
Dental emergency‡
We understand that there are times when you need to see a dentist as quickly as possible. Debilitating toothache, an infection, or a damaged tooth can all require immediate dental attention.
‡Dental Cover 20 only
Oral Cancer
Our dental insurance policies cover you for oral cancer, so if you re diagnosed, we'll be able to help. You can get around the clock access to expert advice from the comfort of your own home. We'll be with you for every step of your cancer journey.
Dental from home
Dental emergencies can happen. Or there may be times when you want a second opinion. As a Bupa dental insurance customer, you can choose to consult a Bupa Dental Care specialist by phone or video.
Benefits of using practices in the Bupa Dental Insurance Network
Instant claim††
Claim in an instant at selected practices in our Dental Insurance Network. After treatment, the receptionist will submit your claim and we'll pay the practice directly - up to your benefit limits. You'll need to pay for any dental treatment that isn't covered on your policy.
Up to 20% discount on general dental treatments‡‡
We have a nationwide network of selected Bupa owned and Bupa approved dental practices. If your employees use a dentist in the Bupa Dental Insurance Network, they will get up to 20% discount^ on general dental treatment costs.
Within our network you’re entitled to discounts on the following treatments.
- Routine examination
- New patient/specialist examination
- Examination new patient (child)
- Small X-ray (bitewing or intra-oral)
- Other X-rays
- Scale and polish
- Silver/amalgam filling
- White filling
- Fissure sealants
- Topical fluoride solution
- Root canal treatment completed by a general dentist‡
- Simple extraction
- Surgical extraction (flap raised) apicectomy
- Inlay/onlay
- Veneer
- Crowns
- Bridges
- Repair of bridge or crown
- Post for crown/cast post and core/pre fabricated post and
core - Upper or lower denture (partial or full)
- Repair denture/reline denture
- Mouth guards
- GIC filling
- Orthodontic treatment completed by a general
dentist‡ - Periodontal treatment completed by a general
dentist‡
‡Any treatment provided by a specialist dentist as registered with the General Dental Council, or a dentist with a special interest in a specific treatment and only providing this service at the practice will not be eligible for a discount.
Our Dental Cover 20 only covers you for new conditions that occur once your cover has started. If you haven't had a dental examination in the 24 months before you joined the policy, we will not pay for any treatment identified as necessary, planned or that you receive at the first dental examination by a dental professional after joining the policy. Please also see the 'What isn't covered' question.
For all of our dental products you can start claiming for preventative treatments such as routine examinations, scale and polish and X-rays straight away.
There is a four month waiting period for restorative dental treatment, for example fillings, root canal work, extractions, crowns, dentures, bridges and other laboratory work. For oral cancer treatment, the waiting period is six months from the start date of the policy.
With Dental Cover 20, you are also covered for emergency dental treatment 14 days from when your policy starts, whereas dental injury treatment is available after four months.
Dental Cover 20 will cover you for routine treatments, non cosmetic treatments, emergency dental treatments and dental injuries. There is also unlimited cover† for oral cancer treatment, which is subject to a six-month waiting period from the start of your plan.
There are certain benefits that will not be covered by your Bupa dental cover. For example cosmetic treatments, orthodontic treatments, surgical implants or any dental treatment involving or making use of or in any way related to surgical implants.
Our Dental Cover 20 only covers you for new conditions that occur once your cover has started. If you have not had a dental examination in the 24 months before you joined the policy, we will not pay for any treatment identified as necessary, planned or that you receive at the first dental examination by a dental professional after you join the policy.
If the condition you need treatment for arises after your policy started, but is a direct or indirect result of an external impact which occurred before the start date of your policy, this will not be covered. An external impact could include, for example, injury resulting from a car accident but is not limited to this scenario.
Details of all of the exclusions can be found in the IPID Dental cover 20 (PDF, 0.1MB),which will also be sent to you once you've taken your cover out.
You will be covered when you have decided on the level of cover that's right for you and you've set up your monthly Direct Debit. We will send you all of the documentation that details what is and isn't covered and how you can get in touch with us if you need to claim. Once your cover has started, you can cancel your cover within 21 days of receiving your membership certificate. Within this 21 day period, as long as you have not made any claims, we will refund all of your subscriptions paid. Before your renewal we will send your renewal details including your new subscription price.
For Dental Cover 20 you can continue to use your own dentist, but you can also benefit from using the Bupa Dental Insurance Network. Find out more about our dental cover options.
†You must inform the dentist you have Bupa dental insurance and provide your membership number prior to your appointment to benefit from this offer. 10% or 20% discounts are available depending on the practice and the dentist you are seeing. To find the selected Bupa owned and approved network dental practices where this offer is available, see finder.bupa.co.uk and search the Bupa Dental Insurance Network. Discount excludes laboratory fees and specialist treatment and cannot be used against NHS and Bupa Dental Essentials services. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount.
††Claims are forwarded by selected practices in the Bupa Dental Insurance Network as agent of Bupa Insurance Limited. Any claims for orthodontic, dental emergency, dental injury treatment and oral cancer cannot be processed by the dental practice and a claim form must be submitted. Also, all claims for NHS treatment in Scotland and Northern Ireland must be submitted using a claim form. For a claim form go to bupa.co.uk or call us on 0800 237 777. We may record or monitor our calls.
‡‡If you use a participating dentist in the Bupa Dental Insurance Network, you will get up to 20% discount on general treatment costs, helping you make the most of your benefit limits.
^ We may record or monitor our calls. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 12:30pm.
Bupa dental insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3956433 Bupa Insurance limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales No. 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.
