FAQs

At Didsbury Dental Practice, we only take on private patients, but a whole range of practices within the Manchester area offer both NHS and private bookings. When choosing the best practice for you, you must understand what services are offered and how these suit your own needs. 

To find out if your prospective practice takes on both NHS and private patients, you can simply check their website or search their name on the NHS database, which will highlight the services that are offered. Also, just like traditional NHS dental practices, it should be noted that private ones also sometimes have waiting lists, so you should always check if new patients are being accepted. Our goal is to always offer a space for new patients and guarantee an appointment for emergencies, regardless of whether or not you are registered with us.

Our reason for remaining private is that we have worked hard to create an elevated dental experience which can’t be achieved through NHS frameworks. You will see from our treatments and price lists that we still remain competitive. We also offer various treatments that are not included within NHS practices, such as our cosmetic procedures, including teeth whitening, straightening, veneers, and implants.

By providing the same level of care and offering uniform services to all our patients, our elevated service is never compromised. At Didsbury Dental, we offer both functional, general care as well as cosmetic procedures, which is why we are classed purely as a private practice.

We want to think that the care and treatment that you receive at any dental practice are the same, but there are other benefits to attending a private dentist that you should consider. Treatment aside, when you choose to be a private patient, the benefits are:

• A wide range of treatments are available. As well as offering general dentistry, private dentists can offer wider services for which you would need to attend a different practice if yours was NHS only. At our practice, we offer Orthodontic, Restorative, Cosmetic, Implant and Hygiene dentistry alongside our general 
• Professionals are highly skilled. Whilst every dentist and dental nurse will, of course, be trained, the nature of private practice often means that more refined skills are needed. Therefore, you can rest assured that you are being treated by someone at the top of their profession.
• The environments are less clinical feeling. Perfect for nervous patients or those who want a nicer experience, private practices are often more luxurious in their appearance. 
• Bespoke treatment options. Private practices can also offer a more personalised service that is not subject to the NHS restrictions you may experience. During your consultation, you will receive a more detailed session that results in a bespoke treatment plan to ensure you achieve your desired results. 
• Better quality of appointment. Private appointments will be longer and more suited to your available time. There is no need to take time away from work or cram your various questions into a short session. Private appointments are designed to offer you a complete one-to-one service with no limitations. 

The cost of private dental treatment will vary between practices but should always be readily available for you to view when initially booking your session. Our own prices can be found here. 

All private dentists’ fees represent the higher quality of service and treatment you will receive. They are also reasonably priced compared to NHS treatment, and quite often, private dentists will encourage you to look at different pricing options if you are unsure of the value to ensure you get what you want. 

The unique element of a private treatment plan is that you will get the chance to understand what future procedures look like from the outset. The nature of meaning you are paying for the service; means you get more clarity on what it is you can expect to have done. This means you have more control over the amount you are paying and are not likely to get shocked by any unwanted costs, which can happen with the NHS as not all costs are covered. 

As a guide for some of the most common procedures with Didsbury Dental Practice, you can expect to pay:

• Examinations from £45
• Hygiene appointments from £64
• Fillings from £50
• Teeth Whitening from £95

This is, of course, going to be relative to your own opinion, but we would say that they offer brilliant value for money. 

Unless you are exempt from paying for NHS dental charges, you will still need to pay for the necessary treatments. Outside of the three bands of treatment, several orthodontic and cosmetic procedures are not even included, leading to costs starting to mount. When you visit a private dentist, you will pay more, but the service you receive will ensure you start reaping the rewards from the moment you make that first phone call. 

As we understand that patients often turn to private practices as they cannot secure treatment with an NHS dentist when needed, we also offer a series of payment plans. Various dentists also provide this service with many 0% and extended payment options available to ensure the patient is never put in a situation where they cannot afford vital treatment. 

The level of personal care you can expect is also superior to NHS practices. This does not mean that NHS dentists do not care or would rush you. It just means the nature of the pressure that the system is under does mean you won’t receive the same attention that you would if you paid for private care. Prices are therefore also reflective of the level of experience that you wish to receive. 

Yes, you most definitely can. Private dentists offer all the same general treatments that NHS dentists would, just with some extra benefits included. 

Firstly, the speed you can expect to receive an appointment will be much quicker. This means that you are not in pain for longer and that your condition does not get any worse. If left untreated, what was once a filling could turn into something that requires more in-depth and costly dental attention. 

As private appointments are longer, you can also have a filling the same day if an issue is noticed at a routine check-up. For NHS patients, they would have to wait a further few weeks to have a slot confirmed, whereas, with private care, you can have your issue sorted without needing to return. 

You will also be able to choose the type of filling you have if you are with a private dentist. For example, NHS dentists use standard silver fillings, but with us, you can select a white filling for a less obvious look. NHS dentists are restricted by what they can offer and what is included within the payment bands, whereas with a private dentist, every decision is what you want it to be.

Fillings can be nerve-wracking and sometimes painful procedures, which means they pose a real issue for nervous patients. With a private dentist, you can also benefit from longer appointments and the addition of dental lasers or sedation for a smoother experience. 

This is something that most dentists do offer, but not all of them. It is down to the practice’s decision and whether they are set up for a longer-term payment period. You may find that if a private practice does not offer this option, the practice may not have been around for as long or have as client based. 

Most do offer payment plans, though, as anyone working within dentistry has worked hard to get to their level and does what they do out of a passion for helping patients. This means that care is of top priority, and the idea that people cannot get essential work done due to the cost does not sit right with us. 

Our payment plans let you spread the cost over a period that suits your financial situation. All you need to do is complete our easy form, and we will work to see if you are suitable for acceptance. If approved, you then need to pay a deposit for your work and are ready for treatment. The process is very quick as we would hate to delay essential treatment for you.

You can choose to do this for unexpected and planned treatment to ensure you are always covered. Think of it as paying for car insurance or your monthly bills. It’s just one of those costs that make your quality of life a bit better (and your smile brighter!).