Dentists

No — unlike GPs, there is no formal registration or catchment area for NHS dentistry. You can contact any dental practice and ask if they are taking on new NHS patients. Practices see NHS patients as capacity allows, so it's worth checking a few nearby.

Dental practices tell the NHS whether they are currently taking on new NHS patients — adults, children, or both. We show these declarations exactly as published. Availability can change quickly and not every practice keeps its declaration up to date, so it's always worth phoning to confirm before visiting. Practices that haven't declared either way simply don't show an availability status.

NHS dental care in England isn't free for most adults — treatments are grouped into charge bands, from check-ups in the lowest band to crowns and dentures in the highest, with the amounts set by the NHS each year. Dental treatment is free for under-18s (or under-19s in full-time education), during pregnancy and for a year after birth, and for people on certain benefits.

Contact a dental practice directly and ask about urgent appointments — practices showing "Urgent appointments" here have told the NHS they offer them. If you can't find one, call NHS 111, which can direct you to an urgent dental service. For serious problems like heavy bleeding or facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, go to A&E.

NHS dentistry covers treatment that's clinically necessary to keep your mouth healthy. Private treatment covers the same care without NHS waiting constraints, plus cosmetic options the NHS doesn't fund, such as teeth whitening. Many practices offer both, so the same dentist may see you as either an NHS or a private patient.