How to Choose a Private Dentist in London: A Checklist
GDC registers, CQC reports, published prices and honest red flags — how to evaluate a practice before you sit in the chair.
Choosing a private dentist in London means navigating hundreds of options and a wide spread of prices. The good news: UK dentistry is unusually verifiable, if you know where to look.
The two registers that matter
First, the GDC register (gdc-uk.org): every legitimate dentist, hygienist and therapist in the UK appears on it. A trustworthy practice displays its clinicians' GDC numbers openly — ours are on every team profile.
Second, the CQC (cqc.org.uk): the Care Quality Commission inspects and regulates dental providers in England. Look up the practice's registration and read its latest report.
Green flags
Published, itemised prices on the website. A written treatment plan before any work. A willingness to give second opinions on other clinics' quotes without pressure. Before-and-after photos of the practice's own patients, treated by named clinicians, shared with consent — not stock imagery.
Red flags
Pressure to commit on the day. Prices only revealed after a 'free consultation'. Guarantees of specific cosmetic outcomes — responsible clinicians talk in realistic expectations, because ASA rules (and honesty) require it. And be wary of any provider offering whitening or aligners without a dentist's examination: in the UK, that's not just poor care, it's illegal.
This article is general information, not personal clinical advice. For a diagnosis and a plan tailored to you, book a consultation with a GDC-registered dentist.
Written by Dr Kamran Yazdi · reviewed by Dr Kamran Yazdi, GDC 197926
This article is general information, not personal clinical advice. For a diagnosis and a plan tailored to you, book a consultation with a GDC-registered dentist.
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