Finding an NHS dentist accepting new patients in London

Access to NHS dentistry is the hardest it has been in decades — the British Dental Association puts unmet need in England at around 13 million adults. Here's how to search properly, and what the "accepting new patients" label actually means.

Read this before you trust any list

Practices report their own NHS availability, and that status frequently goes stale. The BDA has described the official listing as "a work of fiction": in one sample check, 86 out of 100 practices shown as accepting new adult NHS patients turned out not to be able to take them.

So treat every list — ours, the NHS's, anyone's — as a starting point for phone calls, not an answer. Always ring the practice and ask directly.

How to actually get seen
  1. Phone several practices in one sitting. Lists open and close as NHS contracts change; the answer next week may differ from today.
  2. Ask to join a waiting list at every practice that offers one, not just your nearest.
  3. Search beyond your own borough. Neighbouring areas often have capacity when yours does not — there is no rule that you must attend locally.
  4. In pain that can't wait? Call NHS 111. They can direct you to an urgent dental service, including out of hours. For facial swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing, treat it as an emergency and call 999.
  5. Check whether you pay nothing. Many people qualify for free NHS dental care — see who's exempt.
CQC-registered practices by London borough

Where to start calling. These are the 2,409 CQC-registered dental practices on the register, by borough — open a borough to see the prices we hold for it with its phone number. 1,476 of them (61%) hold an active NHS contract, according to NHS England's Organisation Data Service — a contract isn't the same as an open list, so always ring and ask.

Westminster 283 practices · 112 NHS Barnet 139 practices · 83 NHS Camden 107 practices · 53 NHS Bromley 89 practices · 55 NHS Ealing 89 practices · 58 NHS Harrow 86 practices · 52 NHS Wandsworth 86 practices · 51 NHS Brent 84 practices · 60 NHS Croydon 84 practices · 69 NHS Kensington and Chelsea 80 practices · 30 NHS Richmond upon Thames 79 practices · 50 NHS Hammersmith and Fulham 76 practices · 39 NHS Haringey 68 practices · 49 NHS Redbridge 66 practices · 49 NHS Southwark 65 practices · 39 NHS Hounslow 64 practices · 43 NHS Lambeth 64 practices · 42 NHS Enfield 63 practices · 49 NHS Kingston upon Thames 61 practices · 37 NHS Sutton 60 practices · 40 NHS Tower Hamlets 60 practices · 31 NHS Hillingdon 59 practices · 44 NHS Greenwich 57 practices · 39 NHS Merton 53 practices · 43 NHS Islington 51 practices · 30 NHS Bexley 50 practices · 38 NHS Havering 50 practices · 38 NHS Lewisham 50 practices · 36 NHS Newham 44 practices · 28 NHS Hackney 43 practices · 31 NHS Waltham Forest 38 practices · 32 NHS City of London 37 practices · 11 NHS Barking and Dagenham 24 practices · 15 NHS

Practice numbers from the CQC register. We do not claim these practices are currently taking NHS patients — that changes constantly, so please ring and ask. Search by your postcode →

Common questions

Why does the NHS website say a dentist is accepting patients when they are not?

Because practices update that status themselves and it often goes out of date. The British Dental Association has called the listing "a work of fiction" — in one sample check, 86 of 100 practices listed as accepting new adult NHS patients could not actually take them. Always phone before you rely on it.

What do I do if no NHS dentist near me is accepting patients?

Keep phoning — lists open and close as practices get new NHS contracts. Ask to be put on a waiting list at several practices. Widen your search beyond your own borough, as neighbouring areas often have capacity. For pain that cannot wait, call NHS 111, which can direct you to an urgent dental service.

Do I have to register with an NHS dentist like a GP?

No. Dentists do not have registered patient lists in the way GPs do, so you are free to approach any practice taking NHS patients. It also means a practice you attended before is not obliged to keep treating you on the NHS.

Is it cheaper to wait for an NHS place than go private?

For treatment the NHS covers, yes — Band 1 is £27.90, Band 2 £76.60 and Band 3 £332.10, well below typical private fees. The trade-off is time, and delay can turn a small problem into a bigger, costlier one.

Unmet-need and availability figures: British Dental Association. NHS charges: NHS England, 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; this service uses CQC information. Contains information from NHS England, licensed under the Open Government Licence — NHS Organisation Data Service. General information, not clinical advice.