What we do, in the words you'd use.
Most of what happens in this house is ordinary: check-ups, children, and time with Leah. We'll start there, because that's where most families start.
Check-ups and your first appointment
If you're new to us, your first appointment is forty minutes with Anna or Sam. We look, we take our time, and we tell you what we see in plain words. Nothing is done without asking.
After that, a check-up is shorter. We'll say when we'd like to see you next; it's different for everyone, and we won't bring you back more often than you need.
Children, on the NHS
Children are seen on the NHS. Bring them with you from their first teeth, even if it's only to sit on the small chair and have a look round. The first few visits are mostly about getting to know the house.
When they're ready, we count their teeth, show them how to brush, and that's usually the whole visit.
How children on the NHS works hereTime with Leah, our hygienist
Leah cleans your teeth properly, the way you can't at home, and tells you honestly how your gums are doing. If they bleed when you brush, she's the person to see.
A hygienist visit is £72 if you pay as you go, and routine visits are part of the practice plan. Leah's room has the best window in the house.
When something needs mending.
These are the words that worry people most, so here is what each one actually means. Whatever it is, we explain it before we start, we tell you the cost first, and we go at your pace.
Fillings
A filling mends a small hole in a tooth. We clean out the soft part and fill the space so the tooth is solid again. It's usually done in one visit, and the tooth is numb while we work. Our fillings are tooth-coloured, so you won't see them.
Crowns
A crown is a cap that goes over a tooth that's too broken or worn for a filling to hold. It takes two visits: one to shape the tooth and take a mould, one to fit the crown. In between, you'll have a temporary one, so there's never a gap.
Root canal treatment
A root canal treatment saves a tooth whose inside has become infected, which is often what's behind a bad toothache. We take out the infected part, clean the inside and seal it. It has a frightening reputation it no longer deserves; done in a numb tooth, it mostly feels like a long filling, and it's what stops the pain.
Things people ask about quietly.
Teeth whitening
Whitening lightens the colour of your own teeth using a gel in a thin tray made to fit you, worn at home over a couple of weeks. It works well on most natural teeth and not at all on crowns or fillings, so we'll look first and tell you honestly what to expect.
Clear aligners
Clear aligners are thin, nearly invisible trays that move your teeth a little at a time, swapped for a new set every week or two. They suit crowding or gaps that bother you, and they're not right for every mouth. We'll say which, before you spend anything.
Dentures and bridges
Both replace missing teeth. A bridge is fixed in place, held by the teeth either side; a denture comes out to be cleaned. Which is kinder to you depends on how many teeth are missing and where. We'll talk it through at the desk with the window, not in the chair.
None of this is pushed at you. If you ask, we'll tell you whether it's right for you, and if it isn't, we'll say so.
What these cost.
Every fee is published. Children are seen on the NHS, routine care for adults is covered by the practice plan from £17.50 a month, and if you'd rather pay as you go, a new patient appointment is £65. For anything else, we tell you the cost before we begin.
Read the fees and the planBook a check-up, or just ring and ask.
If you've read enough, book a first appointment and we'll find you forty minutes with Anna or Sam. If you're not sure yet, ring and ask whoever answers; it's a small house and they'll know.
We're open weekdays from 08:30, and late on Tuesday and Thursday until 19:00.