Your smile has never been more important. Whether you want to feel more confident in your social or work life, if you want to work in the media, perhaps take a shot at becoming a popular streamer or influencer. Or you just need to fix a gap or wonky tooth, whiten or align teeth or add veneers, the dental surgeons and surgeries are out there across London. You just need to find the right one.
And you are not alone, analysts estimate the UK cosmetic dentistry market was valued at around $280 million in 2023 with projected growth to reach $440.5 million by 2033, propelled by factors including celebrity influence and a heightened consumer focus on aesthetics.
Not all of us have the time or money to fly out for “Turkey Teeth”, so the simplest solution might be to choose the one closest to you. But, with lots of under-experienced or falsely qualified dentists practising or claiming to use cutting-edge techniques in London to capture a part of this booming market, finding an experienced and well-recommended dentist is vital to your health and smile.
Common legitimate qualifications, the higher the better, include:
- DDS or DMD standard dental degree
- Master’s (MSc) or postgraduate diploma (PgDip) in cosmetic dentistry
- MSc/PgDip in Dental Implantology
- Fellowship of the Faculty of General Dental Practice
- Fellow of the International College of Dentists.
You should start by checking their professional credentials and their experience as well as patient reviews. You should ask to see and verify their registration with the British General Dental Council (GDC) and ensure they are registered with a professional body such as the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD).
While foreign national dentists are common and the lifeblood of NHS dentistry, do not take foreign schools of cosmetic dentistry credentials at face value. Investigate to see if they are a professional organisation.
Check the Portfolio and Pricing
Assuming the surgery you like the look of passes the credential test, you can check the portfolio of a potential London dentist, and examine before and after photos, checking to make sure they are real clients and not fake hairdresser-style shots or AI-generated images. That can be tough, but if you aren’t convinced by the imagery, steer clear.
Some dentists use video reviews or testimonials, which are easier to verify, but again, check they were genuine patients.
Then you can consider the pricing of their treatments. Cosmetic dentists who advertise without a price list but say “save £100s” per implant or procedure might be perfectly legitimate, but demand to know prices per procedure up front.
Some prices you might expect to see quoted are:
- Composite Veneer From £250
- Single Implant Placement with Restoration £3,650
- Ceramic Implant £2,350
- Implant-Supported Crown Posterior From £1,600
- Implant-Supported Crown Anterio From £1,900
While that can seem a scary amount, many offer 0% interest payment plans to spread the cost. Or, at this point, many patients opt for a cheap flight and consider the Turkish option or head to Sofia, Bulgaria, another low-cost dental destination.
Another point to watch out for, some dentists offer other benefits or rewards, like nights in a hotel. One we checked out claims “Overnight Stay in The Hilton Included” which might be legitimate, but likely comes with terms and conditions that you should ask to know about. You might also want to know why they offer such incentives.
Finding a Good London Cosmetic Dentist
Assuming you don’t want to fly for treatment, London has over 1,200 dentists serving the population, with many performing cosmetic work privately.
Create a list ordered by location, any pricing information, the work you wish to have performed, and references or reviews (ideally from people you know).
Most consultations are free, so take your top three or four candidates and ask for a consultation with each. Be prepared to ask detailed questions, and don’t accept unclear or vague answers. Questions might include:
- Does the process hurt? What anaesthetics do they use, and what other npain management options are available?
- Do they have any videos of the process? So you can see what happens
- What types of materials are used in the implants/veneers or other work?
- How long will the treatment take in total?
- What is the recovery time?
- How long is the product guarantee, and is any necessary remedial work free?
- What types of support and aftercare do they offer?
If you are nervous about asking questions or unused to medical situations, ask a friend to go with you. And if you are young, the minimum age for some work is 18, an older relative should accompany you, to ensure you are not pressured into paying for unnecessary procedures, asked to take out a loan to pay for them, or other possible risks.
With all that said, most London cosmetic dentists are highly professional and will give you a warm welcome, treating any dental conditions with compassion and their professional insight, helping you leave with an improved smile.
