how to get an nhs dentist in london

open wide; say 'please don't take literally all my savings!'

finding a dentist in london who won’t come after you for every last penny you have for a root canal is a bit like finding a reasonably priced pint in soho - theoretically possible, but requires luck, patience, and a bit of local knowledge. nhs dentists are going private all the time, so if yours has - or if you’ve had no joy finding an nhs dentist at all - here’s how you can get around it.

my experience finding an nhs dentist: no issues the first time in 2017, then my clinic went entirely private in 2022. i found out at 4pm, made some calls, had a new dentist at 5pm. can’t guarantee this for folks out in the boonies where dentists are fewer and further between, but in london, you should be able to find someone within your vicinity without too much work.

the ‘find a dentist’ tool

first: bookmark this webscraper tool. some absolute gigachad made it and it scrapes the nhs find a dentist tool for dentists that have marked themselves as accepting nhs patients in the last three month interval. the alternative is that you check the nhs find a dentist tool yourself and find your nearest local practices that say they’re accepting, but the scraper lets you skip that. it lets you search by postcode and tells you which practices claim to be accepting nhs patients, but this tool is updated less frequently, so they may be full.

once you have a shortlist of practices, call and ask about new patient referral. be nice on the phone. be persistent. try to call in the afternoon, when they’re a bit less busy. they might say they’re not taking new patients unless it’s an emergency (if you are in pain or dealing with an urgent issue, lead with that, but expect that you may end up talking to the private side of the clinic to get seen meaningfully). you may be expected to book an nhs checkup straight off the bat, so have your calendar and card to hand.

asking around may also yield some help for you, but information on whether practices have space or not is shifting and inconsistent, so your best bet is to find the places that say they are and ask them directly.

emergency appointments

if you can’t get registered but you’re in urgent need (broken tooth, swelling, pain, anything that stops you eating/sleeping/functioning like a human), you can book an nhs emergency dental appointment through 111. you won’t get the same dentist every time and it’s not for routine work, but it can be a literal lifesaver when you need it. the alternative is that you wait at the a&e and get triaged to a dental hospital.

nhs dentistry isn’t free (unless you’re exempt, more on that in a second), but it’s way cheaper than private. as of 2025, nhs dental costs in england are:

• band 1: £26.80 (check-up, diagnosis, x-rays, advice)

• band 2: £73.50 (fillings, extractions, etc - you’ll be looking at metal fillings, not porcelain ones, for this banding)

• band 3: £319.10 (crowns, dentures, bridges - but work in this category will be at the bare minimum if you’re on the nhs)

still painful, but much better than private, where a filling can run you £150+ on its own.

are you exempt?
you might qualify for free nhs dental care if you:

• are under 18 (or under 19 and in full-time education)

• are pregnant or had a baby in the last 12 months

• are on universal credit, income support, pension credit, or certain other benefits

• have a valid nhs tax credit exemption certificate or hc2 certificate

private dentistry

some dentists offer lower-cost private check-ups (think £30–50) and only charge more if you need actual treatment, or they spread your treatment costs throughout the year. these can be easier to book than nhs appointments and useful for regular check-ins if you’re between registrations.

look for phrases like:

• ‘independent dental care’

• ‘affordable private dentistry’

• ‘membership plan’ (sometimes good value if you want regular cleanings and check-ups). membership plans start from £10-20 a month, which will save you money if you claim your two cleanings and two checkups (which would otherwise privately be about £300 a year).

• ‘accepts denplan’ (more on this imminently)

some reasonable private dentists, anecdotally and through web research:

start most reasonably with tooth club; they have a very flashy website, but their checkups for non-nhs patients start at £35, a clean for £65, and an emergency appointment is £50, which is pretty unbeatable as things go. AND you can book online, so no need to talk to anybody until you get there! if you’re happy to travel further out, these guys are solid and reasonable.

more centrally, there’s tooth on lower marsh in waterloo (£45 for new patients, £80 for cleans, £75 for emergencies), victoria dental in victoria (£75 for new patients, £95 for cleans, but sparkling service reviews), the dental rooms in wimbledon (£60 for new patients, £95 for a clean, £60 for emergencies). the aforementioned are quite transparent about the cost of standardised treatment, so you can mentally and fiscally steel yourself.

what about dental insurance?

there’s a middle ground: dental payment plans and insurance schemes. these won’t suit everyone, but they can save money if you want regular check-ups or tend to need work done.

denplan is the big name - it’s basically a subscription where you pay monthly and get your check-ups, cleanings, and some treatment (like fillings) included. it only works with specific dentists who are signed up to the scheme, and your dentist will usually assess you first to place you in a band. prices vary, but you're often looking at around £10–£25/month. worth it if you're going to the dentist regularly and want peace of mind. it spreads the cost out monthly in a similar way to a membership plan and it includes preventive care and usually some discounts on treatment.

however, it doesn’t cover cosmetic stuff, and if you’re having difficulties you will end up paying more - you need a clean dental bill of health to sign up, so get in while your mouth is good. try to get denplan at a location with a lab on site, or you’ll also be paying for lab fees if you need them.

dental insurance is different - more like traditional health insurance. you pay a premium and claim back money for treatment later. there are loads of providers (like bupa, simplyhealth, and boots) and it works well if you want flexibility or access to multiple clinics. some policies are just for emergencies, others include routine care. bupa has solid reviews, but if you’re looking to get dental insurance look out for:

• waiting periods (sometimes you can’t claim for a few months)

• treatment caps (they’ll only cover so much per year)

• exclusions (some won’t cover pre-existing issues or major work)

if you're prone to dental drama or just want to avoid nasty surprises, insurance might be worth a look - but read the fine print, always.

student dental clinics

dental schools offer heavily discounted treatment done by supervised students. the appointments are longer, but the care is solid and safe - they’re closely overseen by qualified dentists. once you’re in, it’s free. you’re not always likely to get a checkup or a hygienist appointment here, but for emergency work or more complicated cases, it can do the job.

the only thing is that appointments can be long, because they’re teaching hospitals - so take the afternoon off to go.

some recommended dental hospitals:

• king’s college dental institute (guy’s campus)

• ucl eastman dental hospital

• royal london dental hospital

once you have an nhs dentist…

actually go to the dentist.

the official guidance now says you only need a checkup every two years. and, wouldn’t you know it, that’s also how long they’ll keep you on their books without an appointment. convenient! almost too convenient! it feels a bit like they’re banking on people forgetting and quietly dropping off the list to ease the pressure on nhs services. truly ghoulish to play that game with people’s mouths.

don’t let that be you. book a checkup, show up, keep your spot.