How to find the best dentist

In need of a dental appointment or on the hunt to register with a new dentist?

We asked more than 7,400 Which? members to rate their dental practice on factors including overall customer service, pricing, appointment availability, the skill and knowledge of staff and value for money.

The best-rated dental chains scored highly for customer service and staff skill, with decent ratings for appointment availability too.

Many practices have a mix of NHS and private patients, though increasingly more people are having to pay for private care, and our results reflected that. Over half of those surveyed said they'd paid for private treatment. 

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Independents impress customers

Independent local dental practices were the most popular and highly-rated choice amongst Which? members. 

Patients told us they valued the personal service offered by independent practices.

'I was a patient of this dentist's predecessor for over 30 years and automatically stayed with the practice when it changed hands,' one consumer said of their local independent practice. 'This dentist makes me feel that I am important and that she cares for me and my well-being.' 

While independents got the highest overall customer score, several big brands also scored well, while others fell down on customer service, appointment availability and in some cases perceived staff skill and knowledge.

See our full best and worst dentists guide to find out which national brands - including BUPA, My Dentist and Smile - were rated most highly overall.

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Appointments aren't easy to come by 

While some dental brands fared better than others, no brand got more than three out of five stars for the availability of appointments. Nearly half the brands scored just two stars on this measure.

'Good service but difficult to get appointments as turnover of staff is significant particularly as many EU staff have left/returned home' said one person of a major dental chain.

While concern about appointment availability is not surprising given the widely publicised challenges that customers are currently facing in getting seen by a dentist, some dental practices are faring better than others. One respondent, who was with an independent practice, told us:

'Some friends can't even see a dentist. I get check-ups including cleaning and sensitivity treatment at least every six months and if I ever have a problem I am usually seen within a couple of days'.

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Dental costs: are you paying a fair price for your treatment? 

NHS dental costs are fixed and fall into different treatment 'bands' with set costs, ranging from £25.80 for a check up to £306.80 for complex work, including crowns, dentures and bridges.

Private care costs can be much higher, and we found they can vary significantly from dentist to dentist - and by location. 

As a ballpark, it'll cost around £40-£75 for a private dentist check up, £90-£130 for a hygienist appointment, £120-£180 for a tooth extraction and up to around £1,000 for dentures and bridges. We found some practices quoting nearly twice as much though.

Read our full NHS vs private dental prices compared guide to check how much you should expect to pay for dental treatments. 

Bear in mind that prices can differ on a case by case basis, but make sure you are always clear on costs before you agree to treatment.

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