You posted the NHS, I am not interested in the BBC, not many are nowadays.
I think you are overreacting, dental care has been done private for years, though the checkup may still be free.
Do folk on benefits, like single mums get their teeth sorted, perhaps they do, let me/us know.
What you are saying is the NHS is cr@p because you have to pay to sort your teeth out, oh dear, oh dear....????
And guess what, here in LOS us old 'uns have to pay for our teeth to be fixed too.........????...................????