Best dentist chains in the UK

Our exclusive large-scale consumer survey reveals the best dentist chains in the UK, as voted for by people who have used their services.

We surveyed 6,486 people who paid privately for their dentistry in April and May 2025, and asked them to score their dentists on factors such as value for money, customer service and availability of appointments.

One chain impressed enough to be named a Which? Recommended Provider, while lower scorers fell down on availability of appointments and how highly customers rated the staff knowledge and skill levels.

Best private dentists

Which? members can log in now to find out how customers rate UK dental brands.

If you're not a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the companies reviewed, with insights on where they operate and what they offer. 

Join Which? today to view the full results. 

Bupa Dental Care 

Bupa runs more than 400 dental practices across the UK. It offers NHS dental services alongside private, but most of its customers in our survey paid privately. 

Log in or sign up to see how users rated Bupa, or visit the Bupa website to find a dentist near you.  

Dentalcare Group

Dentalcare Group has 12 practices concentrated in the South of England.

Log in or sign up to see how users rated Dentalcare Group, or visit the Dentalcare Group website to find a dentist near you.  

Mydentist

The largest dentist brand in the UK, mydentist has more than 500 practices.

Log in or sign up to see how users rated mydentist, or visit the Mydentist website to find a dentist near you.

Perfect Smile

Most Perfect Smile clinics are in London, Berkshire and Surrey, with a handful across Cheshire, Portsmouth, Manchester and Liverpool.

Log in or sign up to see how users rated Perfect Smile, or visit the Perfect Smile website to find a dentist near you.

Portman Dental Care

Portman Dental Care and Dentex Health have merged to form PortmanDentex, with more than 370 branches across Europe.

Log in or sign up to see how users rated PortmanDentex, or visit the Portman website to find a dentist near you.

Rodericks Dental Partners

It has 140 practices in the UK, and offers private and NHS dental care. Most of its customers we surveyed were NHS patients.

Log in or sign up to see how users rated Rodericks or visit the Rodericks website to find a dentist near you.

Smile Dentalcare

Smile Dentalcare has branches across England, plus practices in Aberdeen and Ramsey on the Isle of Man. 

Log in or sign up to see how users rated Smile Dentalcare, or visit the Smile Dentalcare website to find a dentist near you.

Find out how much different dental treatments typically cost and how NHS dentist charges compare with private dentist fees

NHS vs private dentists

Dental clinics typically offer both NHS and private dental care options. However, in recent years, there has been a marked rise in practices turning away NHS patients because they have already reached full capacity, or choosing to stop NHS treatments altogether and treat only private patients.

Around six in 10 of our survey respondents said they paid for their most recent appointment as a private patient. While most were happy with their treatment, it would appear many didn't have a choice. 

Half of respondents said they were unable to register with an NHS dentist and/or that they had no NHS dentists in their local area.

Several members told us they were registered with an NHS dental clinic for years, only for that clinic to ‘go private’ and stop providing NHS treatment.

But this doesn't mean you shouldn't shop around. Use our survey insights to help you get started on finding the best dentists near you.

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How to choose the best dentist

Our survey showed that many people favoured their local independent practice. With that in mind, it's worth asking local people you trust for recommendations. 

For individual dentists, you can also keep an eye out for specialist qualifications – for example, a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in endodontics would indicate an expert in root canal treatments.

A practice will normally list a dentist's qualifications after their name on their website or in the practice itself.

If you're struggling to find availability in your local area, it might be worth looking a little further afield, as this can also impact prices. But make sure you can travel there easily if you have an urgent dental problem.

You can also check the General Dental Council website to make sure your dentist is registered to practise. 

We compare dental insurance policies and explain whether you could be better off with the NHS or a dental payment plan.

How to find an NHS dentist

Being registered with an NHS dentist isn't guaranteed, whereas access to GP services is generally more widely available.

So, depending on where you live, you may have to ring around to find a dental practice that can take you on as a new patient. Unfortunately, NHS slots are in short supply, and it's a bit of a postcode lottery.

In England, you can use the NHS website to search for nearby dentists. Head to the NHS find a dentist page and search for a town, city or postcode. 

In other UK countries, NHS dentist-finder services include NHS Wales, NHS 24 in Scotland and Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland.

Before you book, check whether you’re booking as an NHS patient or privately so you don't get any nasty surprises on your bill.

If you're using the NHS, it’s a good idea to book your next check-up on the way out from your last, or at least some weeks ahead of when it’s due, to ensure you get a slot when you need it. If you miss appointments, you can get pushed off the books, so check the rules when you sign up to avoid losing your NHS spot.

Is your dentist keeping up with the best practice?

A wide range of technologies are available to improve treatment, although these upgrades may come at a premium.

Anna Middleton, award-winning hygienist and therapist at London Hygienist, says: ‘When it comes to innovation, we’re moving away from scratching and scraping towards a more spa-like experience.'

But it’s not just your trip to the hygienist that could be more comfortable. For example, if you’ve ever had a crown or braces fitted, you might have had the unpleasant experience of holding a tray full of putty in your mouth so your dentist can make an accurate mould of your teeth.

Many dentists now use a specialist camera to take a digital scan of your teeth, which can remove the need for this process entirely.

You can decide when shopping around whether you’re happy to pay more for these additional features or comfort improvements.  

Getting the most from your dentist appointment

When you do get a dentist appointment, make the most of it – arrive with questions, even if you’re just having a check-up, and make sure you ask them to explain the costs and treatment options fully. You should receive a written plan that clearly sets out what treatment you'll get and how much it will cost.

It can be good to ask the following questions:

• If there are complications and I need more treatment, will there be extra charges?
• If I'm unhappy with the results, who pays for the work to correct problems?
• Can you explain my treatment options, and the pros and cons of each?

How to save on dental costs

NHS costs are fixed and fall into different treatment Bands with different set costs, ranging from £27.40 for a check-up and other simple treatments to £326.70 for complex work. Certain people are also entitled to free NHS dental care. 

Private care costs can be much higher, and we've found they can vary significantly from dentist to dentist.

See our full guide to NHS vs private dental charges, which covers the typical costs for common treatments and procedures. It's based on our pricing research with big dental chains and can help you sense-check any prices you're quoted.

If you don't want to pay upfront, some dentists will offer a payment plan. Private healthcare insurers may also offer dental care – just make sure you check the small print first, as these often only cover emergency work and may not provide enough cover to meet the full cost.

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Tips for anxious dental patients

If you find the prospect of dental treatment or visiting the dentist anxiety-inducing, you’re not alone; dental anxiety is very common.

It's much better to go for regular check-ups and establish a good relationship rather than avoid going until you have to. This way, you'll hopefully avoid issues that require more extensive treatment and be comfortable with the environment and the dentist before you reach a crisis point.

Here are some ways to manage your concerns:

• Make sure your dentist knows how you're feeling before the appointment or when you get there. They may be able to make some changes to help you feel more at ease.
• A morning slot could be better than an afternoon one. That way, you have less time in the day to dwell on things.
• Check whether you can bring someone along for support if needed. You might find listening to some music can help you de-stress.
• You can also check whether your dentist offers specialist services for nervous patients. There are options for extremely anxious patients, such as sedation, on both the NHS and with private care.

Establishing a good relationship with a dentist you trust can also help in the long term and is likely to be cheaper and more practical than opting for sedation each time. 

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How we uncovered the best dentists

We surveyed 6,486 people who paid privately for their dentistry – a mix of Which? Connect panel members and the general public – in April and May 2025, and asked them to rate their dentists on factors such as value for money, customer service and availability of appointments.

We asked respondents where they go for treatment, whether they pay privately or through the NHS, and whether they would recommend their current dentist. 

Our expert statisticians then check, verify and analyse the data, using it to produce an overall customer score and star ratings for different factors, such as value for money, to make it easy for you to see which brands are best and make your choice.

At Which?, we use robust independent research to give you the best advice, including how to find the best opticians, where to find the best health insurance and how to find out what vitamin supplements you really need.

How we select Which? Recommended Providers for dentists

We carried out a survey of 6,486 people who paid privately for their dentistry – a mix of Which? Connect panel members and the general public – in April and May 2025, to find out what mattered most to patients. Staff knowledge and skill, as well as the treatment meeting goals and expectations, emerged as the most important factors, so we set high standards for what we would consider the best when selecting Which? Recommended Providers.

To be a Which? Recommended Provider, a brand needs a five-star rating for staff knowledge and skill, and at least a four-star rating for treatment meeting goals and expectations. Beyond that, a brand can’t have less than three stars in any other category.

Please note that our recommendations are based on our unique survey of customer satisfaction with the brands and additional in-house checks on fair practices in pricing, for example. However, we don't inspect or comment on clinical standards.

Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent