A private dental clinic for considered, whole-health dentistry

A private dental clinic is one where treatment is paid for directly rather than through the NHS, which changes what a practice can offer: longer appointments, a choice of materials and techniques, and the time to plan treatment properly. Dental & Wellness London is a private dental clinic at 222 Essex Road in Islington, north London, founded in 2009. Under one roof we provide general, preventive, cosmetic, orthodontic and restorative dentistry, with implant care, and a wellness team alongside.

This page is for anyone weighing up private dental clinics in London: what they offer, how they differ from one another, what treatment costs, and how to choose one. If you live or work nearby and are looking for a regular practice, our page on choosing a private dentist in Islington covers the local side in more detail.

What a private dental clinic offers

The difference between a private dental clinic and an NHS practice is less about the dentist's qualifications, which are the same, and more about time, choice and the way treatment is planned.

• Time. Our dental examination is 30 minutes and includes a full risk assessment of teeth, gums, bite and soft tissues. Hygiene appointments are 30 minutes.
• Choice. Private care is not limited to a band of clinically necessary treatment. It includes tooth-coloured restorations, ceramic onlays, Invisalign, whitening, veneers and implants, with options explained side by side.
• Planning. Larger treatment is planned in writing, with each stage and cost itemised, before anything is booked.
• Continuity. You see the same small clinical team over time, which makes it easier to notice slow changes.

For a balanced view of when NHS care is the better route, our article private dentist vs NHS: an honest comparison sets out both sides.

Who a private dental clinic suits, and who it may not

Private care tends to suit people who want unhurried appointments, a single team who knows their history, and a choice of cosmetic or restorative options that the NHS does not fund. It also suits people planning a larger piece of work, such as aligner treatment, a smile makeover or replacing a missing tooth, who want it designed as a whole rather than tooth by tooth.

It may not suit everyone. If you are entitled to free NHS treatment and need only routine care, NHS dentistry may be the sensible choice, and we would say so. Some complex cases are better served by a specialist: complex skeletal orthodontic cases, for example, are referred to a specialist orthodontist. A good private dental clinic will tell you when the right answer is somewhere else.

Types of private dental clinic in London compared

Private dental clinics in London broadly fall into four types.

• Independent general practices. Usually owned by the dentists who work there, with a stable team and a focus on long-term care.
• Corporate and group practices. Part of a larger chain, often with longer opening hours and more locations, sometimes with more turnover of clinicians.
• Single-treatment clinics. Focused on one service, such as aligners, whitening or implants. Efficient for that service, but not set up for check-ups, gum care or the rest of your dentistry.
• Multi-disciplinary clinics. General, cosmetic, orthodontic and restorative dentistry together, sometimes with related health services under the same roof.

We are an independent, multi-disciplinary private dental clinic. In practice that means a cosmetic dentistry plan is made by the same team that looks after your gums and existing restorations, and that an Invisalign assessment also considers the bite, the jaw joints and the airway. Alongside dentistry, our wellness practitioners offer nutritional therapy, Ayurvedic consultations and coaching; they support, and do not replace, your GP's care. Our whole-health dentistry page explains how this fits together.

How to choose a private dental clinic in London

A few questions separate one private dental clinic from another more reliably than a website or a price list. For a local perspective, see our guide to choosing the best dentist in Islington.

1. Who will treat me? Check the dentist's GDC registration and qualifications, and whether you will see the same person each time.
2. Will I get a written plan? Itemised, staged and costed before treatment starts, with options including the option to do nothing.
3. How long are appointments? A thorough examination is not a ten-minute visit.
4. What happens with complications? Ask how follow-ups, adjustments and complaints are handled. Our complaint procedure is published.
5. What do patients say? Read reviews over several years rather than a handful of recent ones. We are rated 4.7 from more than 300 Google reviews; see our patient reviews.
6. Does the clinic say no? A clinic that recommends everything you ask about is not necessarily serving you well.

Your first visit, step by step

1. Discovery call. A free 20-minute phone call with our team, to understand what you are looking for and which appointment fits.
2. Examination. A 30-minute dental examination (£65) with a full risk assessment, X-rays where needed, and a gum and oral cancer check. For orthodontic questions, the consultation is free and includes an iTero scan.
3. Written plan. What we found, what needs attention, what is optional and what each option costs.
4. Treatment. Carried out in planned stages at a pace that suits you.
5. Maintenance. Regular check-ups and 30-minute dental hygienist appointments, at intervals based on your risk rather than a fixed calendar.

Results, longevity and aftercare

The outcome of good private dentistry is not a single appointment but teeth and gums that stay stable over years. Restorations last longer when gum health is controlled, when grinding is managed and when small problems are dealt with early. That is why we put as much weight on prevention and hygiene as on treatment, and why every cosmetic or restorative plan comes with a maintenance plan. No restoration lasts indefinitely, and results vary between individuals; we explain realistic lifespans for each option before you decide.

Risks, and how we reduce them

The risks of choosing any private dental clinic are mostly about over-treatment, unclear costs and fragmented care. We reduce them in specific ways:

• Over-treatment: we start with the most conservative option that will last, and we say no often when treatment is not needed.
• Unclear costs: written, itemised plans before treatment, using published fees.
• Fragmented care: one team for general, cosmetic, orthodontic and restorative dentistry, with referral to specialists where that is in your interest.
• Clinical risk: each treatment has its own risks, which we explain in writing before you consent.

Private dental clinic prices in London

We publish our fees so that you can compare like with like. A selection:

• Dental examination: £65 (30 minutes). Children's examination £45. Dental problem assessment £75.
• Hygiene: £85, or £135 for Diamond hygiene with air polish, both 30 minutes. Periodontal treatment £255; periodontal charting £195.
• Cosmetic: composite bonding £175 simple, £350 complex; teeth whitening £450 single method, £780 combination; porcelain veneers £750–£1,500 per tooth; composite veneers £350–£500.
• Orthodontics: consultation free. Invisalign Express £2,200, Moderate £3,400, Unlimited £4,500–£4,900.
• Restorative: crowns, onlays and inlays £750–£1,200; root canal treatment £550–£950; dental implants from £2,200 including the crown.
• Other: Davies splint £495; flexible single-tooth denture from £600.

Treatments without a published fee are quoted in writing after assessment. 0% APR finance over 12 months via Tabeo is available, subject to status.

Why patients choose our private dental clinic

The practice is led by Dr Vishal Patel, BDS (Liverpool), MSc Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry (Manchester), GDC 103127. He is an AACD member and an Invisalign Diamond II provider, in the top 1% of UK Invisalign providers, with around 20 years in dentistry and over 15,000 cases. Implants are assessed and placed by Dr Rishil Patel, BDS (Hons), MClinDent Implantology, MJDF, GDC 154292.

We have been on Essex Road since 2009. Patients come to us from across north London, from Angel and Highbury to Hackney and Stoke Newington, as well as from further afield for orthodontic and cosmetic work. The clinic is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible.

Questions people ask about private dental clinics

Is a private dental clinic worth the cost?

It depends on what you need. For routine care where you are entitled to NHS treatment, the NHS may be enough. Private care is worth considering if you value longer appointments, continuity with one team, a choice of materials and treatments the NHS does not fund, and written plans before treatment. We are happy to tell you if private care is not the right fit.

Do I need to register with a private dental clinic?

Not in the way you register with a GP. You become a patient by booking an examination; from then on we hold your records and recall you for check-ups and hygiene. You can also see us for a single treatment, such as Invisalign or whitening, while keeping your regular dentist, although we will ask for a recent check-up first.

Can I see a private dentist for one treatment only?

Yes. Many patients come to us for one piece of work, such as aligners, veneers or an implant. We will still check that the teeth and gums are healthy before starting, because treatment built on untreated decay or gum disease is unlikely to last. If you have a recent examination elsewhere, bring the X-rays and notes.

Do private dental clinics offer payment plans?

Many do. We offer 0% APR finance over 12 months via Tabeo, subject to status, which is typically used for larger treatment such as Invisalign, implants or veneers. Every plan is quoted in writing first, so you know the total before deciding whether to spread the cost.

Do you offer NHS treatment?

No. We are a fully private practice and do not provide NHS treatment. If you are looking for an NHS dentist, the NHS website lists local practices accepting new patients. If you choose to see us privately, we publish our fees and confirm every cost in writing before treatment.

Getting here

We are at 222 Essex Road, Islington, London N1 3AP, in the same building since the practice was founded in 2009. We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm, by appointment only; we are closed at weekends and do not take walk-ins.

• By train: Essex Road station (Great Northern) is about two minutes on foot. Highbury & Islington is one stop north, and Old Street and Moorgate are a short ride south.
• By bus: the 38, 56, 73, 341 and 476 all stop on Essex Road close to the door.
• On foot from Angel: allow 15–20 minutes' walk from Angel station along Essex Road. Our Angel page has the route.
• By bike: many patients cycle or use Lime and Forest e-bikes. From Dalston it is about ten minutes by bike; see also our Highbury and Canonbury pages.
• By car: street parking on Essex Road is metered and controlled during the day. For most visits, the train, bus or bike is simpler.