How to find the perfect dentist for you
There are many different kinds of dentists and dental practices out there. Searching for a ‘dentist near me’ and booking an appointment with the top result is risky.
Often, you can end up seeing a dentist you don’t totally trust or isn’t skilled enough to handle your particular needs. Finding the right dentist is extremely important for both your health and your experience. Remember you don’t need to ‘register’ with a dentist as you do with your GP, you are free to visit any dentist any time you want.
This guide will help you understand what kinds of dentists exist in the UK and what you can do to find the perfect dentist for you.
NHS vs Private dentist. What’s the difference?
Choosing between NHS and private care doesn’t need to be a difficult task once you know what the differences are between the 2 options.
NHS Dentistry
Most NHS clinics are actually mixed practices that provide both NHS and private care. NHS dentists are good for those people on a limited budget who are happy with receiving basic dental care.
NHS dental fees
Band 1 - £23.80 (Check-ups)
Band 2 - £65.20 (Fillings, root canal treatment + band 1 treatment)
Band 3 - £282.80 (Crowns, bridges, dentures + band 1 and band 2 treatment)
There is no limit to the amount of treatment each band covers. This means even if you need 10 fillings, you will only pay £65.20.
NHS treatment is free for those who are under 18, people who are pregnant and people who receive certain benefits. Check if you are exempt from NHS dental charges here.
What treatment is covered?
Your dentist is obliged to offer any treatment that is clinically necessary to achieve and maintain good oral health. The NHS does not cover cosmetic treatments, so if you want nice tooth coloured fillings and crowns your dentist will charge you a private fee.
For a full list of what NHS treatment covers check the NHS website here but in general dental clinics will only offer basic services on the NHS.
If you need specialist or complex treatment that your dentist is not comfortable carrying out, they will offer you a referral to an appropriate dentist for this. These services can have extremely long waiting times which can take several months or even years in some non-urgent cases.
List of NHS dentists
You can use this website here to find a list of NHS dentists near you.
Private Dentistry
A private dental clinic is one that operates free from the constraints of the NHS system above. A private dentist can be low-quality and cheap as well as expensive and high quality. Any dentist can work privately and therefore being private doesn't automatically make your dentist a good one.
Private dental fees
These will vary depending on the clinic you visit but unlike the NHS, you will usually pay for each item of treatment separately. Below is a rough guide to the range of reasonable fees you will find in private clinics. Finding the right clinic will depend on your budget and what level of service quality you are after.
Checkups - £50 to £250
Fillings - £150 to £400
Crowns and veneers - £500 to £2000
Implants - £2000 - £4000
Dentures - £500 - £3000
Private dental treatment
You can receive any kind of dental treatment privately, from basic fillings to complex rehabilitation and cosmetic work. Waiting times for private clinics are usually quite low and you are able to get seen and treated quickly.
Different kinds of dentists
General dentist
General dentists deal with most routine dentistry. They provide basic treatments such as check-ups, fillings and extractions and will be able to check your mouth for any signs of oral diseases.
Most dentists you see in NHS or private practices will be general dentists.
General dentists are perfect family dentists as they will be able to look after everyone’s overall dental health.
Dentist with extra training
Some general dentists will have received additional training in certain fields and will be able to provide more complex work as well as their routine services. These can include:
Cosmetic dentistry
Treating severely worn down teeth
Implants and dentures for missing teeth
Root canal treatments
Managing gum disease
Braces and aligner treatments
These additional services will usually be offered privately and not under the NHS.
There is a big variation in the skill level and fees for these services, make sure you read about your dentist on their website and ask to see a portfolio of their work, a good dentist will be able to show you past cases they have done.
Some dentists who are less experienced may be able to provide treatment at a cheaper price. If you are concerned about their experience just ask them what the risks of your treatments are and how they are going to manage them.
Specialist dentist
The General Dental Council has a list of registered specialist dentists. Being placed on this list requires dentists to demonstrate significant further education, usually for at least 3 years in an academic hospital setting where they work on complex patients and sit exams.
People who want to receive the highest standard of care or require complex work beyond the scope of a general dentist will see a specialist dentist.
NHS specialists can have significantly long waiting times and you can be referred to see them by your own dentist. Private specialists can be seen pretty quickly.
Dental specialities include:
Radiology and pathology (medical imaging and testing)
Dental public health (non-clinical role)
Endodontics (root canal treatments)
Restorative dentistry (complex general dentistry)
Oral medicine (medical issues of the mouth)
Oral surgery (extractions of complex teeth)
Orthodontics (braces and aligners)
Periodontics (gum disease)
Prosthodontics (Crowns, bridges and dentures)
Special care dentistry
Assessing a dental practice
There are a number of things you can do to see if the dentist you are looking at is suitable for you or not.
Check the website
Check the website of the dental practice to get more information about the the clinic. A well managed dental clinic will have a clear website outlining what treatments they provide and how much they cost. You’ll be able to find out how to get there, if they have parking and more information about how your visit will take place.
Look up your dentist
Make sure you know the name of the dentist you will be seeing and look them up using the methods below. Don’t be afraid to ask to see a specific dentist that you think you will get on with.
Read their bio on the practice website to see what training they have had
Look for examples of their previous work
Search for them on social media, many dentists will have professional accounts showcasing their work
Google them to see if they have published any articles or guides
Reviews
Read the reviews on the practice website to see what other customers have to say about the clinic.
Get help from Nova
Let us take care of the boring stuff for you. By taking our free online consultation we can help you figure out who. your perfect dentist is for you.
Our online dentists will assess your teeth, help you plan what kind of treatment you need and find local dentists that are skilled in that area.
Give it a go it’s free!
