There is no official list of the best dentists in London. No public body ranks dental practices, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not give dental practices ratings. Any website that calls a practice “the best” is giving an opinion.
What you can do is check a practice against things that are public and can be verified. This guide explains what those are, what we show on our listings, and how to pick the right practice for what you need.
What we show on each practice listing
We do not rank practices or label any of them “best”. For each practice, we show the facts we can check:
- CQC registration. Every practice we list is registered with the CQC, the body that regulates health and care services in England. Where we have it, we show the date of the last CQC inspection and a link to the CQC report.
- Google reviews. We show the Google star rating and the number of reviews. Google collects these from its users. We do not collect or edit them.
- NHS status. For NHS practices, we show whether the practice says it is taking new NHS patients. We read this from each practice’s page on nhs.uk every week.
- Prices. Where a practice publishes its prices online, we show its lowest published price for each treatment.
- Treatments, opening hours and contact details.
You can browse by borough or by treatment, or start with our NHS dentists in London page.
What you can check yourself
CQC inspection. The CQC registers and inspects every dental practice in England. Its inspections look at 5 questions: is the practice safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led? The CQC does not give dental practices a rating, but it publishes its inspection reports. Look up the practice on the CQC website (cqc.org.uk) and read the latest report. Check the date too. Some practices have not been inspected for several years.
GDC registration. Every dentist, hygienist, dental therapist and dental nurse in the UK must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC). You can check anyone on the GDC online register at gdc-uk.org. Only dentists on one of the GDC’s 13 specialist lists can call themselves a “specialist”, such as a specialist in orthodontics. “Cosmetic dentist” and “implant dentist” are not GDC specialist titles.
Reviews. Look at the number of reviews, not just the stars. A 4.7 rating from 600 reviews tells you more than 5.0 from 12. Read the most recent ones. Look at how the practice replies to bad reviews. We often see reviews that name the same dentist again and again, which helps you choose a clinician, not just a practice.
Prices. A good practice will tell you what treatment costs before you start. Ask for a written treatment plan with prices. Be careful with a practice that will not give a price, or pushes you to decide on the day. For London price levels, see our dental price list.
Who you will see. Ask whether you will have a named dentist. Seeing the same dentist each time means they get to know your teeth and your history.
Choosing a practice for a specific need
NHS dental care
The hardest part is finding an NHS practice that is taking new patients. On 5 October 2026, 342 of the 779 NHS practices we list in London said they were taking new adult patients. That is 44%. Our NHS dentists in London page shows which ones, borough by borough. Our guide on how to find an NHS dentist in London explains what to do if none near you has space.
Cosmetic dentistry
Whitening, veneers and composite bonding are cosmetic treatments. Any GDC-registered dentist may offer them. Many have extra training, and some belong to groups such as the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD). Ask to see before-and-after photos of the dentist’s own patients, not stock images. Browse practices in our cosmetic dentistry London directory.
Dental implants
Implant dentistry is not a GDC specialty, so ask the dentist directly about their training and experience. Useful questions:
- How many implants have you placed, and for how many years?
- Which implant brand do you use? Well-known brands such as Straumann and Nobel Biocare have many years of published research.
- Will you use a 3D scan (CBCT) to plan the treatment?
- What does the price include, and what happens if the implant fails?
The median lowest published price for a single implant in London is £2,100. Browse practices in our dental implants London directory, and see our guide to dental implant costs in London.
Nervous patients
Many London practices offer conscious sedation for anxious patients. This usually means a drug called midazolam, given through a vein in your arm. You stay awake and can respond, but you feel very relaxed, and you may remember little of the appointment afterwards. Our sedation dentistry London directory lists practices that offer it.
Children
NHS dental care is free for everyone under 18. On 5 October 2026, 429 London NHS practices said they were taking new child patients, more than the number taking new adults. Look for a practice that says it sees children, and ask whether it has dentists who are used to treating them.
How to choose, step by step
- Find practices near your home or work on our borough pages.
- Check each practice’s CQC inspection date and report.
- Read recent Google reviews, and look for the names of individual dentists.
- Call the practice. Ask if it is taking new patients, and what a first appointment costs.
- Book a check-up first. Do not agree to large treatment until you have met the dentist and have a written plan.
If your first visit leaves you unsure, it is fine to go somewhere else. You do not need to give a reason. Our guide on how to choose the right dentist has more questions to ask.
We do not endorse any practice. CQC, nhs.uk and Google data can change, so check the details with the practice.