Private vs NHS dentistry in Hitchin: what patients actually get

Written by Dr Raju Jobanputra, BDS London, MFDS RCSEd, GDC No. 114326. Last reviewed October 2026.

Quick answer

Private and NHS dentists both provide good care, and the difference is usually time, choice and how quickly you can be seen. Hitchin Dental Care is a fully private practice offering longer appointments, same-day CEREC crowns and membership plans from £26.11 a month, while NHS dentistry remains the lower-cost route for routine treatment.

Looking for an NHS dentist? We don't offer NHS treatment. The NHS find a dentist service shows which local practices are taking on NHS patients, and NHS 111 can arrange urgent care.

Whether you choose private or NHS treatment, both options support good oral health, but they offer slightly different types of treatment and appointment availability. NHS dental care focuses on the treatments needed to maintain oral health and stop dental problems getting worse.

Key takeaways

• Hitchin Dental Care is fully private, so no NHS treatment is available at the practice
• Private care usually means longer appointments, more choice of materials and access to treatments the NHS doesn't cover
• A new patient examination is £99, currently £65 as a new patient offer, and membership plans from £26.11 a month cover routine check-ups and hygiene
• NHS and private dentists are registered with the same regulator, so going private isn't a guarantee of better clinical care
• If cost is the deciding factor, NHS dentistry is usually the better fit

What private dental care in Hitchin includes

Private dental care at Hitchin Dental Care could include:

• Adult check-up appointments
• Child check-up appointments
• Dental hygiene
• Restorative dentistry, including fillings, crowns, bridges and dentures
• Specialist periodontics
• Root canal treatment
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery
• Dental implants
• Frenectomy

We also offer cosmetic treatments including teeth whitening, teeth straightening with Invisalign aligners, veneers and composite bonding.

For missing teeth, we offer private dental implants, bone grafting, implant-retained dentures and All-on-4 dental implants.

What private dentistry gives you

Longer appointments and a plan built around you

Being a fully private clinic, we can offer longer appointments and personalised treatment planning, giving you time to discuss your goals and explore the most suitable options for your oral health with the Hitchin Dental Care team.

It's the difference between being told what's happening and actually understanding it, and it's usually when the question you've been putting off for years finally gets asked.

Same-day crowns, and no impression trays

We've invested in an iTero digital scanner, so instead of a mouthful of impression putty we take a quick 3D scan of your teeth. Our CEREC milling machine means a crown can often be designed, made and fitted in a single visit, with no temporary crown and no second appointment, although your dentist will confirm whether it suits your tooth.

More choice over your treatment

NHS treatment covers what is clinically necessary, which is exactly what a public service should do. Private care opens up the options beyond that: tooth-coloured materials, a wider choice of crowns and veneers, and cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening and composite bonding that the NHS doesn't cover. You decide what matters to you, with your dentist talking you through the pros and cons of each.

Specialists under one roof

Our specialist team includes Dr Robert Ward, specialist periodontist, for gum health, and Charlie Barnfield, specialist endodontist, for complex root canal treatment. Mr Khemanand Maharaj, specialist oral surgeon, handles procedures such as wisdom tooth removal and frenectomy. Implant treatment, including bone grafting, implant-retained dentures and All-on-4, is led by Dr Jayesh Patel alongside Dr Ricky Chawla, so complex treatment can usually be planned and carried out in the same practice.

Getting seen quickly, including in an emergency

If you're in pain or have damaged a tooth, you can call us directly on 01462 451 300, and we offer same-day emergency appointments wherever we can. An emergency appointment is £95, or £85.50 for membership plan patients.

Through the NHS, urgent care starts with a call to NHS 111 or a local NHS dentist, and you should be offered treatment within 24 hours or 7 days depending on your symptoms. That's a reasonable safety net, although you may be seen at whichever practice has space rather than one you know.

For routine check-ups the gap is usually wider. The NHS says you may need to join a waiting list before you can get an appointment, and that some people struggle to find a local practice offering NHS care at all. With us there's no NHS waiting list to join, and you can book a new patient examination online.

What private gets you, treatment by treatment

Choosing between NHS and private care usually comes down to one treatment at a time, because the treatment options differ most for orthodontic work, fillings, crowns, hygiene and missing teeth.

Teeth straightening

On the NHS, braces are usually only free for under-18s with a clinical need, after a referral to an orthodontist, and the NHS itself warns there may be a long waiting list. Fixed metal braces are the type most commonly used, and adults usually have to pay privately.

Privately, you can choose a far more discreet option. At Hitchin Dental Care we offer Invisalign clear aligners, and Dr Ricky Chawla is an accredited full Invisalign provider. Treatment starts with a £30 assessment that's redeemable against treatment, and Invisalign is from £2,995 with payment options available.

Fillings

NHS white fillings are available when clinically necessary, usually on front teeth, while a back tooth may be given a silver amalgam filling instead. Privately, you can choose tooth-coloured fillings wherever you need them.

Crowns

NHS guidance says you may be offered a metal-coloured crown on a back tooth. We offer white ceramic crowns from £835, and with CEREC many can be designed, made and fitted in one visit.

Hygiene

The NHS provides scaling when your dentist says it's clinically needed, and if it isn't, you pay for it privately anyway. Our membership plans build in regular 30 or 45-minute hygiene appointments, and we offer Airflow hygiene treatment for a deeper, gentler clean.

Replacing missing teeth

The NHS charge bands cover bridges and dentures made from plastic or metal, but dental implants aren't among the treatments they list. Privately, you can choose dental implants, implant-retained dentures held securely in place, or All-on-4 dental implants for a full arch, all planned by our implant surgeon Dr Jayesh Patel.

Cosmetic treatments

Teeth whitening isn't available on the NHS at all, and veneers or composite bonding done purely to improve how your teeth look are private treatments too. We offer all three, and whitening starts with a £30 suitability consultation.

Root canal treatment

NHS dentists provide root canal treatment but may refer more complex cases to another service. Our specialist endodontist, Charlie Barnfield, treats complex root canal cases here at the practice.

What private dentistry doesn't mean

Going private doesn't mean NHS care is poor. NHS and private dentists train in the same way and are registered with the same regulator, the General Dental Council, and many dentists have worked in both. The NHS gives you clinically necessary treatment at a nationally set price, and for plenty of people that is exactly the right choice.

It also doesn't mean every treatment needs to be private. A good private dentist will tell you when the simplest option is the right one, rather than steering you towards something more expensive.

A dental membership plan in Hitchin that spreads the cost

A new patient examination is £99, currently £65 as a new patient offer. After that, you can join one of our membership plans, run by Practice Plan, which spread your routine care across a fixed monthly payment and give you a discount if you need further treatment.

• Plan 1, £26.11 a month: two dental health examinations and two 30-minute hygiene appointments a year
• Plan 2, £38.90 a month: two examinations and four 30-minute hygiene appointments a year
• Plan 3, £51.66 a month: two examinations and four 45-minute hygiene appointments a year
• Children aged 0 to 11, £11.63 a month: two examinations a year
• Children aged 12 to 18, £17.47 a month: two examinations and one hygiene appointment a year

Plan 1 works out at under 90p a day, and children on a plan get 20% off core treatments as part of our children's dentistry. Every treatment price is listed in our fee guide.

When NHS dentistry is the right choice

If you're exempt from NHS charges, or cost is the deciding factor, an NHS dentist may suit you better. NHS dental charges are set nationally in three bands:

Some people pay nothing at all, including under-18s, under-19s in full-time education, pregnant women, mothers within 12 months of giving birth, and people on certain benefits.

Unlike a GP, you don't stay registered with an NHS dentist, so the NHS find a dentist service is the place to look for practices currently taking on NHS patients. NHS 111 can point you to urgent dental care out of hours.

Looking for a dentist accepting new patients in Hitchin?

We welcome new private patients from Hitchin, Stevenage, Letchworth, Luton and the villages in between. Your first visit is a new patient examination, where we get to know your teeth and what you'd like from your dental care, with no commitment to a plan until you've met us.

Book online or call us on 01462 451 300.

Frequently asked questions

Does Hitchin Dental Care offer NHS treatment?

No, Hitchin Dental Care is a fully private practice, so the NHS find a dentist service is the place to look for local practices taking on NHS patients.

How much does a private dentist in Hitchin cost?

A new patient examination at Hitchin Dental Care is £99, currently £65 as a new patient offer, and our membership plans cover your routine examinations and hygiene appointments from £26.11 a month, with a discount on further treatment.

Is a private dentist better than an NHS dentist?

Not automatically, since NHS and private dentists are registered with the same regulator, but private care usually gives you longer appointments, more choice of materials or treatments, and quicker access to treatment.

What does a dental membership plan cover?

Our adult membership plans cover two dental health examinations a year plus two or four hygiene appointments depending on the plan, along with a discount on any further treatment you need.

Can I switch from an NHS dentist to a private dentist?

Yes, there's nothing to cancel with an NHS practice, so you can book a new patient examination with us and ask for your dental records to be transferred if you'd like them.

Are you accepting new patients?

Yes, we're welcoming new private patients from Hitchin, Stevenage, Letchworth, Luton and the surrounding villages, starting with a new patient examination.

Do you have a dental plan for children?

Yes, children's membership plans start at £11.63 a month for ages 0 to 11, covering two examinations a year and 20% off core treatments.

Can I get a crown fitted in one day?

Often, yes, because our CEREC system lets us design, mill and fit a crown in a single visit, although your dentist will confirm whether it suits your tooth.

Can I get an emergency dental appointment in Hitchin?

Yes, Hitchin Dental Care offers same-day emergency appointments wherever possible on 01462 451 300, with an emergency assessment costing £95, or £85.50 for membership plan patients.

What if I can't afford private dental treatment?

If cost is the deciding factor, NHS dentistry is the lower-cost route, and the NHS find a dentist service shows which local practices are taking on NHS patients.

What happens if your NHS dentist goes private?

Your dentist will usually offer you the choice of staying on as a private patient, often with a membership plan to spread the cost, or you can look for another practice offering NHS care through the NHS find a dentist service.

Can you go to both an NHS and a private dentist?

Yes, you can have some treatment on the NHS and some privately, and plenty of people keep NHS check-ups while choosing private care for treatments such as Invisalign, implants or whitening.

Is it worth paying for private dental care?

It depends on what you need, because the NHS is the lower-cost route for clinically necessary care, while private care usually gives you longer appointments, more choice of materials and treatments the NHS doesn't offer, such as implants and whitening.

Should I get a root canal on the NHS or privately?

Either can be the right choice, since NHS dentists provide root canal treatment when it's clinically needed, while privately you can see a specialist endodontist, which can help with complex cases such as curved canals or treating a tooth a second time.