How do I choose a good dentist near me?
Updated
How do I check a dentist is legitimate in the UK?
The practice must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England, and every dentist must be on the General Dental Council register. Both are searchable free online.
How many Google reviews should a good practice have?
There is no magic number, but volume plus recency beats a perfect score. A 4.8 from 400 reviews spread over years tells you more than a 5.0 from 15 reviews posted in one month.
Should a dentist publish prices?
GDC guidance says patients should get clear price information before treatment. A practice that publishes at least indicative prices is showing confidence; total price opacity is worth questioning.
What are red flags when choosing a dentist?
Pressure to decide on the day, quotes that only come as monthly payments, big treatment plans without explanation of alternatives, and reviews mentioning surprise costs.
Choosing a dentist is one of those decisions people make on proximity and hope. A better method takes about fifteen minutes, and it is mostly about knowing what actually signals quality - and what is just marketing.
Start with the non-negotiables
Every legitimate dental practice in England is registered with the Care Quality Commission, and every practising dentist appears on the General Dental Council register. Both databases are free and public. This is the floor, not the ceiling - but anyone not on them is an immediate no. (Every practice listed on Compare The Dentist is CQC-registered; it is where our directory comes from.)
Read reviews like an investigator, not a shopper
Google reviews are the richest public signal about a practice, if you read them properly:
- Volume and spread beat the score - hundreds of reviews across several years is a track record; a burst of five-star reviews in one month is a campaign
- Read the 3-star reviews first - they are usually the most honest, written by people with no axe to grind
- Look for named treatments - "Dr X did my implant and explained every step" carries more information than "lovely staff"
- Watch how the practice replies to criticism - defensive replies to reasonable complaints tell you how they will handle your problem
Price transparency is a character test
The GDC expects patients to receive clear pricing before treatment. In practice, transparency varies wildly - some practices publish full price lists, others will not name a number until you are in the chair. Treat willingness to publish prices as a signal: practices confident in their value do not hide it. It also protects you from the awkward economics of surprisingly expensive private treatment.
Red flags worth walking away from
Same-day pressure to commit to large treatment plans. Quotes framed only as "from £99 a month". Recommendations for extensive cosmetic work when you came in for a check-up. Reviews mentioning surprise invoices. None of these is proof of a bad practice - together, they are a pattern.
Do the comparison in one place
This is the exact job Compare The Dentist was built for: CQC-registered practices, real Google ratings and photos, and published price ranges side by side. Compare dentists near you, or if you know the treatment you need, start there - for example implants or veneers.