Orthodonists have put up the price of a standard set of braces to correct crooked teeth by some 12% to nearly €2,000 since the government stopped setting fees at the beginning of this year, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Thursday.

The cabinet hoped allowing dentists, dental hygienists and orthodontists to decide their own prices would improve standards and reduce the cost of dental services. However, research has already shown some dentists have put their fees up sharply.
The FD says orthodontists are also increasing their prices. The cost of standard braces for top and bottom jaw has now risen from an average €1,762 to €1,967, the paper says.
The increase is noteworthy because the Dutch health authority NZ said two years ago orthodontists’ fees were too expensive. Last year, they were forced to cut their prices by 16%, but this has now been largely undone by the latest increases, the FD points out.