Dentists provide treatment to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy and free of pain. Regular appointments are important to keep your teeth and gums healthy. 

Your dentist can carry out treatment such as fillings or root canal treatment, and some dentists provide a mixture of NHS and private care. If you are unsure what services your dentist provides, just ask the practice.

Patients are not registered with NHS dental practices and can attend any practice of their choice.

How do I find an NHS dentist?

To find your nearest NHS dental practices visit: Find an NHS dentist or call the NHS customer contact centre on 0300 311 2233 who may be able to help.

You can also visit dentalchoices.org , an independent website with information on dental practices accepting NHS patients.

How much will treatment cost?

The cost will depend what treatment you need. You can find more information here: NHS dental treatment costs. Some people can get free NHS dental treatment. Find out more here: Who gets free NHS dental treatment

Urgent dental appointments

From 1 April some local NHS dentists are taking part in a scheme to help people get urgent dental appointments.  These appointments are for:

• People who may need clinical care within 24 hours or as soon as practically possible, unless the condition worsens; or
• People needing dental care within 7 days, unless the conditions worsens.

Patients should contact 111 in the first instance if they need dental care.

NHS 111 have details of local practices taking part in the scheme and the days they are providing these sessions. They will signpost you to these practices if appropriate.

Access to continuing dental care

One of the best ways to maintain good oral health is via regular attendance at a dental practice on a ‘continuing care’ basis.  Although not registered many people attend a dental practice on a regular basis. Some have found it more difficult to get treatment, particularly if they have not been seen at a local practice in recent years. The NHS Flexible Commissioning scheme helps people to access a dental practice on a continuing care basis, with a particular focus on the following groups:

• People who have not attended a dental practice for two years
• People who have relocated to the area
• Looked After Children
• Families of Armed Forces personnel
• Asylum Seekers and refugees
• Those with clinical/medical need that requires attendance at a dental practice
• Patients who need dental check-ups in support of hospital treatment
• Pregnant and nursing mothers
• Residents of care homes with identified treatment need who are able to attend the dental practice for treatment
• Patients seen under the urgent scheme who need and wish to attend for further  treatment

This link provides contact information about Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West dental practices taking part in the Flexible Commissioning scheme from 1 April 2025.

I need emergency dental treatment 

You can find out more about emergency and out of hours dental care on the nhs.uk website.