Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Comparing dentists and sending enquiries through The Local Dentist is completely free for patients. We earn revenue from optional paid listings and pay-per-lead fees charged to practices — paid placement is always labelled and never changes a rating.

No. The Local Dentist is an independent comparison and directory service — we are not a dental practice, we are not GDC- or CQC-registered ourselves, and we do not provide treatment or clinical advice. For clinical questions speak to a dentist; call NHS 111 for urgent dental problems, or 999 / go to A&E for facial swelling affecting breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or serious trauma.

Ratings combine four transparent sub-scores: price transparency, regulation and registration (CQC location and principal dentist GDC number on file), patient reviews from a stated source, and register standing from our latest register snapshot. No practice can pay for a score, and where we have no review data we show "Not yet rated" — we never invent reviews.

We only share your details with the specific practices you select, never sell your data, and treat any health-related information in your enquiry with extra care. See our privacy policy for full details, retention periods, and your UK GDPR rights.

Enter your postcode or town on The Local Dentist to see local practices and online dental providers serving your area. Filter by NHS availability, private treatments like whitening or implants, and facilities like evening appointments, then compare them side by side.

We check every practice against official register data: CQC registration for England practices (with a link to cqc.org.uk) and the principal dentist’s GDC registration number when on file, linking to the GDC register at gdc-uk.org so you can verify it yourself. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland practices are overseen by HIW, NHS boards, and RQIA respectively. Unregistered providers are never listed.

Every dentist, dental nurse, hygienist, and therapist in the UK must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC). Search the register free at gdc-uk.org. In England, the practice itself must also be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which you can check at cqc.org.uk.

In England an NHS check-up is a Band 1 course of treatment at £27.40 (2025/26), which includes an examination, X-rays if needed, and advice. In Wales Band 1 is £20. In Scotland NHS dental examinations are free; in Scotland and Northern Ireland treatment is charged at 80% of the item cost up to £384 per course.

You pay nothing if you are under 18 (or 18 and in full-time education), pregnant or had a baby in the last 12 months, receiving NHS hospital dental treatment, hold an HC2 low-income certificate, or receive qualifying benefits. Being 60 or over does NOT make dental treatment free — that only applies to prescriptions. Try our free NHS dental checker to see if you are likely to qualify.

England has three fixed NHS charge bands (2025/26): Band 1 £27.40 (check-up, X-rays, scale and polish if clinically needed), Band 2 £75.30 (fillings, extractions, root canal), and Band 3 £326.70 (crowns, dentures, bridges). You pay one charge per course of treatment — the highest band that applies, never one charge per item.

No. Tooth whitening is legally classed as dentistry in the UK — only GDC-registered dental professionals may perform it, and products above 0.1% hydrogen peroxide may only be supplied through a dentist. Beauty-salon whitening is illegal and has led to prosecutions. Always have whitening done by a GDC registrant.

Many do. Dental payment plans (such as Denplan or Practice Plan) are per-practice monthly plans, typically £10–£40 per month, covering routine care like check-ups and hygienist visits. They are not insurance. Our listings show plan prices where published, and our dental plan calculator compares a plan against paying as you go.

No — prices shown are indicative "from" prices for private treatment such as check-ups, hygienist visits, and whitening, based on published price lists. Always confirm the current price with the practice before booking. NHS charges are fixed nationally and never vary by practice.

No. We only pass your details to the practices you explicitly select, in response to your enquiry. We do not sell your details to unrelated third parties.

Yes. Every regulated UK dental practice can claim a free listing. See our For Dentists page for free, Standard, and Premium tiers, plus pay-per-lead pricing. Registration verification is required before a listing goes live.