Dental Plans: Worth It?
The arithmetic behind both plans, the extras that come with membership, the costs no plan covers, and who would be better off paying visit by visit.
Does a Dental Plan in Lanark Actually Save You Money?
For most people who see the dentist and hygienist twice a year, yes. At Lanark Smile Studios, Plan A costs £24.10 a month, or £289.20 over a year, for routine care that would come to £360 if you paid for each visit, so you're £70.80 better off. Plan B, at £40.16 a month, doubles the hygiene visits to four and saves £78.08 a year. If you only come once a year, though, a plan will cost you more than it saves.
The Figures, Side by Side
| Feature | Plan A | Plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Each month | £24.10 | £40.16 |
| Across 12 months | £289.20 | £481.92 |
| Dental examinations a year | 2 | 2 |
| Small X-rays a year | 2 | 2 |
| Half-hour Airflow hygiene visits a year | 2 | 4 |
| Cost of that care visit by visit | £360 | £560 |
| What you save each year | £70.80 | £78.08 |
The sums are based on our current fees: £70 per examination, £10 per small X-ray and £100 per Airflow hygiene visit. 1 They don't count the member discount or the free emergency appointments, and that's usually where a plan earns its keep.
Where a Plan Really Pays
Looking only at routine visits, you do save, but not a fortune. A plan proves its worth far more clearly the first time a tooth gives you trouble.
- Emergency appointments, normally £85, cost members nothing.
- Root canal treatment on a molar drops from £595 to £536.
- A back-tooth crown starts at £608 rather than £675.
- An hour-long deep clean comes down from £130 to £117.
- Home whitening falls from £350 to £315, and a night guard from £210 to £189.
A single unplanned crown or root canal in a year can easily match the saving you make on routine care. Our fees page shows the member price for everything.
Which Plan Would Suit You?
Book an examination and your dentist will suggest the right one.
Choosing Between Plan A and Plan B
The plans differ in one way only: how often you see the hygienist. On either one, your two examinations and two small X-rays a year are included.
Plan A suits a healthy mouth. You come in twice a year for an examination and a hygiene visit, which is the usual pattern when teeth and gums are in good order.
Plan B books you in with the hygienist every three months. We'd point you towards it if you've had gum disease, if tartar builds up fast for you, or if you have implants or a full-arch bridge. Plaque sitting around gums and implants is what leads to problems, and cleaning every three months keeps it under control. Our implant guarantee is a 5-year guarantee for non-smokers who attend hygiene visits every 3 months, so once your implants are finished, Plan B fits naturally. Read the gum disease guide to see why the interval between cleans matters.
Your hygiene visits are with Fiona Dyer, our hygienist, and each one includes Airflow, which shifts staining and soft build-up using warm water, air and an ultra-fine powder. We'll book your next appointment before you go.
Other Benefits of Membership
- Registration with the practice and a dentist of your own
- Priority when you're booking appointments
- Access to help outside our opening hours
- Emergency appointments at no cost
- Dental emergency cover when you travel anywhere in the world
- 10% off the majority of private treatment, apart from the exclusions listed below
What Isn't Included
Before you join, it helps to know where the plan stops.
- Implants, Invisalign, composite bonding and veneers get no discount. The 10% doesn't apply to implants, orthodontics or extensive cosmetic work, with standalone whitening the one exception.
- Bigger scans, such as a large X-ray or a CT scan, are charged at member rates, so a CT scan costs £144 rather than £160.
- Extended hygiene appointments, such as a deep clean or gum treatment at £90 per stage, are charged on top at the member rate.
- Fillings, crowns, root canal work and other treatment are paid for at the time, with 10% off, and you'll have the fee in writing beforehand.
Think of a plan as prevention plus a discount on repairs. It isn't an insurance policy, and it won't cap your spending in a year when you need a lot of work.
When You're Better Off Paying per Visit
A plan isn't right for everybody. Say you book one examination and one Airflow clean a year. That comes to £170 altogether, comfortably below a year on Plan A at £289.20. Two examinations and two ordinary hygiene visits without Airflow add up to £280, which is almost the same as Plan A even before you count the X-rays, emergency cover and discount.
Children and anyone under 26 can skip a plan too, as their NHS examinations and treatment cost nothing in Scotland. Adults don't pay for an NHS examination either, and we're registering new adult NHS patients as well as children. We're taking on new NHS patients, adults and children, as well as private patients. Our NHS or private guide sets the two side by side.
Our Plans Against Other Lanarkshire Practices
In October 2026 we checked the dental plans advertised on practice websites across Lanarkshire, and most were priced at roughly £19.50 to £28 a month. Plan A falls inside that band. Plan B is dearer than most, as it gives you four Airflow hygiene visits a year.
A monthly figure on its own doesn't tell you much. When you compare plans, look at how many hygiene visits are included and how long they last, whether X-rays are part of it, whether emergency appointments are free or merely reduced, and what the treatment discount leaves out.
Three People, Three Answers
Healthy teeth, two visits a year. Picture someone in Carluke or Kirkfieldbank with sound teeth who comes in every six months for an examination and a clean. Plan A was designed for them. They save £70.80 on routine care, and if something flares up, the emergency appointment is free.
Gums under watch. After a course of gum treatment, most people need a hygiene visit every three months to stop the pockets getting deeper again. Plan B covers all four, saving £78.08 a year against paying for each one.
An annual visitor. Someone who comes in once a year and seldom needs treatment will normally spend less by paying on the day. We'd much rather tell you that than enrol you in a plan you won't get the use of.
How to Sign Up
New to us? Begin by booking an examination. Your dentist will check your teeth and gums, get a sense of how fast plaque and tartar build up, and suggest either Plan A or Plan B. After that you can join online through our dental plans page.
Already a member and thinking of switching, for example to Plan B once your implants are in? Phone reception on 01555 662441 and the team will change it for you.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.