Family & NHS Dental Care

The NHS provides dental care for all ages and all family members. We provide all types of dental care, with some groups of patients receiving care on a private basis and some on an NHS basis.All children and students who have been in the practice as family members are seen on the NHS. Full exemption from charges applies up to 19 years if still in full-time education and 18 years if not.  Find NHS Dentist.

Dental Care for Children

Children are very precious to parents! At many NHS practices, they pride themselves on the particular care we take of younger children when treatment is required. However, there aim to prevent your child from being treated by introducing them to good oral hygiene from an early age and to take the trepidation out of going to the dentist – to make it a regular, fun and enjoyable experience. Prevention is very important and education to prevent disease later is always preferable. Braces and other cosmetic treatments are not available.

Dental Care for the Elderly

The NHS also caters to older patients. With more people keeping some or all of their own teeth well into old age, it is inevitable that repair work will be needed at some stage. For those with dentures, the NHS can offer a next–day denture repair service and provide replacements when required. Please note that dental implants are not available int he NHS

Home Visits by your dentist

If you are housebound or disabled and have difficulty attending the practice, some NHS practices can arrange home visits.

Patients with Disabilities

If you are disabled or have a particular need, please speak to your dentist. Our practice is wheelchair accessible, and we have surgeries on the ground floor if you have mobility problems.

Private Dental Care

What is a private patient?

Essentially, a private patient is not treated under the NHS contract, which means there are no rules and restrictions that apply to NHS patients.  The duty of care by the dentist is the same but the patient has full control of the type of treatment they have.

Examples of treatment as a private patient

For example, a patient with gum problems who needs more regular hygiene care than normal would be restricted as an NHS patient regarding treatment timings.  As a private patient this can be treated by a dentist or hygienist every 2-3 months or as often as needed with no restrictions on time or materials used.  This should result in a better result for the patient’s dental health. 

Another example may be if a patient requires replacement of an old amalgam filling.  With the amalgam/mercury debate still a current topic in dental health and bearing cosmetics in mind, more choices are available to provide a non-ambal tooth-coloured restoration. However, NONE of these are possible on the NHS, so they have to be provided privately.

Laboratory work

Laboratory items are another area where there are differences between private and NHS options.  If a patient needs a crown, veneer or denture, then there is a big difference between what can be done privately. The NHS option will be fit for purpose, but it will not have the finish or the cosmetic appearance of the private option as the materials used are limited to the less modern types.  As a result, laboratories make NHS work much cheaper to fit into the NHS budget, which can mean, in some cases, sending work abroad and using unqualified staff for some stages of the work.  These laboratories are best avoided. 

Becoming a private patient

Whether you are an existing NHS patient or are about to register with a private Dental Practice for the first time, there are a number of benefits from registering privately:

• Full Freedom and choice of treatment types
• Convenient locations, in London many dentists are close to tubes and train stations
• Fast appointments with no waiting for simple check-ups and hygiene appointments
• Premier-branded materials are used for all treatments, and if laboratory work is needed, a full range of options from the best fully accredited dental laboratories.
• More time per appointment leads to a more relaxed experience for the patient and dentist.
• You can be referred quickly to the right specialist if your dentist needs a second opinion or you need an advanced treatment. On the NHS, a number of dentists are still seeing under-18 patients (Register as a patient/under 18s only)
• Less waiting time for appointments

Private Dentist Payment Plans

There are many finance options, including the most common Denplan. Private dentists accept all other types of insurance-based plans. They can accept patients onto a dental plan once they have had an examination and are declared dentally fit before the plan commences. If treatment is needed to bring to dental fitness, this must be carried out before the plan can begin. Once on the dental plan, laboratory fees are the only usual extra costs.

The choice between private and NHS dental care is not intellectual but financial. With the demise of so many NHS dentists, it might well become a hard choice and not an option. More.

The page compares NHS and private dental care, explaining that NHS dentistry focuses on clinically necessary treatment, while private dentistry can offer wider treatment choices, more appointment flexibility, cosmetic options and different materials. It also discusses care for children, elderly patients, and patients with disabilities, as well as private payment plans and the practical differences patients may notice when choosing between NHS and private treatment.

Read More

1. GOV.UK: Choosing and paying for dental care
   Official UK guidance explaining the difference between NHS and private dental care, what patients should expect and how treatment charges work.
2. NHS: How much does NHS dental treatment cost
   Explains NHS dental treatment bands, who may qualify for free treatment and how charges are applied in England.
3. General Dental Council: Dental costs
   UK regulator guidance to help patients understand NHS and private dental costs, treatment plans, and what dentists should explain before treatment starts.
4. The Patients Association: You and your dentist
   Patient guidance covering NHS dentists, private dentists, treatment options, charges, waiting lists and patient rights.
5. Tooth Club: NHS vs private
   UK dental practice article comparing NHS and private dentistry, including costs, availability, treatment choices, and appointment experiences.