NHS dentists in London
Many Londoners find it hard to get an NHS dentist. More people want NHS care than practices can see, and which practices take new patients changes from week to week. This page explains how to join a practice, what NHS treatment costs and where to look.
Which practices take new NHS patients. Our NHS borough pages show whether each practice says it is taking new NHS patients. We read this from each practice's page on the NHS website (nhs.uk) every week, and show the month the practice last confirmed it. It changes from week to week, so phone the practice before you travel. We last checked this data on 26 October 2026.
How to register with an NHS dentist
There is no formal NHS registration with a dentist, as there is with a GP. There are no catchment areas either. You can go to any NHS practice that has space, in any borough.
Phone the practice and ask if it is taking new NHS patients. If it is, book an appointment. The practice may ask you to fill in a form at your first visit. This does not guarantee you NHS care there in the future. Some practices keep a list of regular patients, but that is the practice's own policy, not an NHS rule.
What if you can't find an NHS dentist?
If no practice near you is taking new patients, contact your local integrated care board (ICB). The ICB manages NHS dental services in your area and may be able to tell you where to get an appointment. You can also try practices in other boroughs, and check back here, because the list changes every week.
If you need urgent care, for example for severe pain or swelling, call NHS 111. They can help you get an urgent NHS appointment. See our emergency dentist page for more. To see where access is hardest, read our London dental deserts guide.
NHS dental charges 2026/27
NHS dental charges in England are set by the Department of Health and Social Care. There are 3 bands. You pay one charge for each course of treatment, however many visits it takes. These charges apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027:
| Band | Charge | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | £27.90 | Examination, diagnosis (including X-rays), scale and polish if clinically needed, and preventative advice. |
| Band 2 | £76.60 | Everything in Band 1, plus fillings, root canal treatment and tooth extractions. |
| Band 3 | £332.10 | Everything in Bands 1 and 2, plus crowns, dentures, bridges and other lab work. |
| Urgent | £27.90 | Urgent assessment and any clinically necessary urgent treatment, such as pain relief or a temporary filling. |
Some people pay nothing, including under-18s, pregnant women and people on certain benefits. For more detail on each band, see our NHS dental charges 2026 guide, and for a comparison of NHS and private costs see our London dental cost guide.
NHS dental changes in 2026
From 1 April 2026, changes to the NHS dental contract mean every practice with an NHS contract must provide a minimum amount of urgent care. NHS dental charges for 2026/27 also went up. All 3 bands cost more than in 2025/26.
From 23 June 2026, some people aged 16 and over with a lot of decay or serious gum disease can get a care pathway. This is a longer course of NHS treatment over 6 or 12 months. Most people on a pathway pay one Band 2 charge.
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) published its yearly figures in August 2026. In every London borough, a smaller share of adults sees an NHS dentist than in 2019. For children, the share is now higher than in 2019. See the figures for each borough: NHS dental access in London, borough by borough.
Written and reviewed by the Dentist-London.com editorial team. Last reviewed 7 October 2026. Charges are the figures published by the Department of Health and Social Care. Ask the practice which band your treatment falls under.
NHS dentists by borough
See the NHS practices in each borough and whether each one says it is taking new NHS patients. This comes from each practice's page on the NHS website (nhs.uk).
- Barking and Dagenham 16 NHS practices · 8 accepting adults
- Barnet 38 NHS practices · 12 accepting adults
- Bexley 22 NHS practices · 10 accepting adults
- Brent 31 NHS practices · 16 accepting adults
- Bromley 35 NHS practices · 5 accepting adults
- Camden 27 NHS practices · 15 accepting adults
- Croydon 32 NHS practices · 22 accepting adults
- Ealing 38 NHS practices · 15 accepting adults
- Enfield 27 NHS practices · 6 accepting adults
- Greenwich 26 NHS practices · 15 accepting adults
- Hackney 19 NHS practices · 8 accepting adults
- Hammersmith and Fulham 22 NHS practices · 16 accepting adults
- Haringey 34 NHS practices · 14 accepting adults
- Harrow 19 NHS practices · 10 accepting adults
- Havering 23 NHS practices · 10 accepting adults
- Hillingdon 27 NHS practices · 7 accepting adults
- Hounslow 29 NHS practices · 13 accepting adults
- Islington 13 NHS practices · 5 accepting adults
- Kensington and Chelsea 19 NHS practices · 14 accepting adults
- Kingston upon Thames 18 NHS practices · 6 accepting adults
- Lambeth 30 NHS practices · 18 accepting adults
- Lewisham 27 NHS practices · 19 accepting adults
- Merton 12 NHS practices · 5 accepting adults
- Newham 23 NHS practices · 5 accepting adults
- Redbridge 32 NHS practices · 10 accepting adults
- Richmond upon Thames 13 NHS practices · 4 accepting adults
- Southwark 21 NHS practices · 15 accepting adults
- Sutton 16 NHS practices · 1 accepting adults
- Tower Hamlets 22 NHS practices · 2 accepting adults
- Waltham Forest 18 NHS practices · 8 accepting adults
- Wandsworth 24 NHS practices · 10 accepting adults
- Westminster 31 NHS practices · 19 accepting adults
Browse dentists by area
All 2,128 practices by borough
- Barking and Dagenham 21 practices
- Barnet 121 practices
- Bexley 44 practices
- Brent 76 practices
- Bromley 76 practices
- Camden 93 practices
- City of London 35 practices
- Croydon 69 practices
- Ealing 84 practices
- Enfield 54 practices
- Greenwich 50 practices
- Hackney 36 practices
- Hammersmith and Fulham 66 practices
- Haringey 60 practices
- Harrow 73 practices
- Havering 46 practices
- Hillingdon 51 practices
- Hounslow 57 practices
- Islington 45 practices
- Kensington and Chelsea 72 practices
- Kingston upon Thames 53 practices
- Lambeth 55 practices
- Lewisham 44 practices
- Merton 44 practices
- Newham 38 practices
- Redbridge 59 practices
- Richmond upon Thames 68 practices
- Southwark 55 practices
- Sutton 56 practices
- Tower Hamlets 54 practices
- Waltham Forest 38 practices
- Wandsworth 80 practices
- Westminster 255 practices
NHS dentists in London: frequently asked questions
How do I register with an NHS dentist in London?
There is no formal NHS registration with a dentist, as there is with a GP. There are no catchment areas, so you can go to any NHS practice in London that has space, not only one near your home. Phone the practice and ask if it is taking new NHS patients. If it is, book an appointment. The practice may ask you to fill in a form at your first visit. This does not guarantee you NHS care there in the future.
How much does an NHS dentist cost in 2026/27?
NHS dental charges in England are set in 3 bands. Band 1 (check-ups and diagnosis) costs £27.90. Band 2 (fillings, extractions, root canals) costs £76.60. Band 3 (crowns, dentures, bridges) costs £332.10. Urgent treatment costs £27.90. These charges apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Who gets free NHS dental treatment?
You do not pay for NHS dental treatment if you are under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education. You also do not pay if you are pregnant or had a baby in the last 12 months, or if you get certain benefits. These include Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, and Universal Credit if your earnings are within the limit. On a low income, you can apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme. An HC2 certificate gives full help with charges and an HC3 certificate gives partial help.
What if I can't find an NHS dentist accepting new patients?
Contact your local integrated care board (ICB). The ICB manages NHS dental services in your area and may be able to tell you where to get an appointment. You can also try practices in other boroughs, because you do not have to live near the practice. If you need urgent care, for example for severe pain or swelling, call NHS 111.
Which London dentists are accepting new NHS patients right now?
Our NHS borough pages list the practices that say they take new NHS patients. We read each practice's page on the NHS website (nhs.uk) every week, and show the month the practice last confirmed its status. This changes from week to week, so phone the practice before you go.