New Patients
Dunstable Dental Practice welcomes new dental patients
A warm welcome to new dental patients at Dunstable Dental Practice.
We are now accepting new patients under the NHS if you have a dental problem, whether in pain or not. Any appointment made in this case will be classed as an "unscheduled care" appointment and will treat the problem only. However, we are not currently accepting new adult patients for routine examinations under the NHS, although all children (under 18) will be seen.
All new adult patients who do not currently have a dental problem are welcome to make a routine "scheduled care" appointment with one of our dentists on a private basis.
Whether you’re looking for a dental check-up, need restorative work like a filling or a crown or you’re looking for cosmetic dentistry like teeth whitening or dental bonding, we can help. We also have an implantologist on site to provide fixed solutions for missing teeth.
We welcome patients from from Dunstable and surrounding areas like Sewell, Houghton Regis and throughout Bedfordshire to Dunstable Dental Practice. Whether NHS or private dental services, patients know that they are getting high quality dental care from a friendly and professional team when they come to Dunstable Dental Practice.
Some of our more popular dental services include:
- General dentistry
- Dental hygiene
- Children’s dentistry
- Teeth Whitening
- Teeth straightening
- Implants
Book An Appointment
What happens at your first dental appointment at Dunstable Dental Practice?
When you arrive at the dental surgery for the first time, we take time to find out more about you before starting any treatment. We collect information about your oral and general health.
Next, you will meet your dentist who will thoroughly assess your mouth, teeth and gums. Your dentist will check such things as – how many teeth you have, the condition of your teeth, your bite and whether your gums are healthy.
At this stage, your dentist will also talk to you about concerns that you might have and whether there is anything that you want to change about your smile.
To help give your dentist a better understanding and more detail about your oral health, we may take x-rays of your mouth at this stage.
Your dentist may give recommendations or make suggestions about treatments that you should consider. They will also tell you when they next want to see you again. If there are no problems or concerns with your teeth, this tends to be in 6 to 12 months’ time.
It’s a good idea to make a booking at the same time to see a dental hygienist. Your hygienist works with your dentist to monitor your oral hygiene and help prevent gum disease which is the number one reason for tooth loss in the U.K.
Benefits of regular dental check-ups at Dunstable Dental Practice
You should see your dentist and hygienist either once or twice a year according to your dentist’s suggestion. Regular dental check-ups in Dunstable mean:
- We can closely monitor your oral health ensuring that you maintain a lovely smile
- Deal with any issues quickly as and when they arise, which often means treatment is less complex and potentially less expensive
- Through regular dental check-ups, we can ensure that plaque does not build-up too much to become a problem either with tooth decay or gum disease
- By maintaining and protecting your oral health, you can help boost your general health as the two are closely linked. You are less at risk from developing conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and oral cancer if you take good care of your oral health
FAQ's for New Patients
Will a dental check-up hurt?
A regular dental check-up allows your dentist to check your teeth, mouth and gums and so this should not hurt at all. If your dentist finds a problem such as a cavity in your tooth, it is unlikely that they will have time to deal with it there and then. Instead, your dentist will recommend a specific treatment and ask you to book in for this at another appointment. No dental treatments should hurt. We offer sedation or a local anaesthetic for more complex or invasive treatments, but these generally will alleviate any pain that you are likely to be experiencing in the first place.
What happens if I forget my dental appointment or need to cancel?
We understand that mistakes can happen. If you are an NHS dental patient and you fail to attend your appointment or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, we may make one allowance, but we will not be able to offer you another NHS appointment if it happens again. If this happens, you can book again as a private patient or seek NHS dental treatment elsewhere. This is because we have a waiting list of people looking for NHS dental services.
Which dental treatments are covered on the NHS?
Dental treatments that are covered by the NHS include those that are deemed necessary to protect your oral health such as regular dental check-ups, hygiene, dentures, fillings, root canal treatment and emergency dental treatment. Unless you are under 18, are pregnant or are receiving certain benefits, you will have to pay a contribution towards your NHS care, and you can find out more about the bands of payment on our fees page.
Cosmetic dentistry includes those treatments which enhance the appearance of your teeth such as teeth whitening, dental bonding and teeth straightening. The NHS does not cover these treatments, and you will need to pay for them privately. Dunstable Dental Practice offers 0% finance to help make cosmetic dentistry more affordable.