Frequently Asked Questions

The fastest way is to book your first visit online via our booking system, or call us on 020 7274 0861. There's no separate registration form - we'll take all the details we need at your first appointment, including your medical history and any concerns you'd like us to look at.

No - most appointments don't require a referral. You can book directly with us for any treatment, including consultations with our in-house specialists in implants, periodontics or orthodontics. If you've been referred by another practice, just mention this when booking.

Your first visit is a comprehensive examination and a relaxed conversation. We'll review your medical history, examine your teeth and gums, take any photographs or X-rays needed, and discuss what you'd like from your dental care going forward. Most first appointments take 30 to 45 minutes.

Just yourself. If you've been registered at another practice recently, any recent X-rays or treatment records are helpful but not essential - we'll request them if needed. A list of any regular medication is also useful.

Yes, of course. Many patients prefer to have someone with them, particularly for first visits or longer consultations. Your companion can wait in our reception area or sit with you in the surgery - whichever feels right.

Not unless you want to. The first appointment is primarily diagnostic and a conversation about what comes next - any treatment is planned and quoted separately, with nothing decided on the day unless you choose to.

Our full price list is available on the Pricing page, with consultations starting from £75 and individual treatments priced from there. Every treatment plan we put together is fully tailored to your needs, with a clear, all-in quote provided before any work begins. No hidden fees.

Yes - we offer 0% interest finance over up to 12 months on any treatment over £350, through our finance partner Chrysalis Finance. The application is straightforward, the approval is fast, and the cost of credit is always zero. Longer-term finance (24 to 60 months, with interest) is also available.

Denplan Essentials is our monthly membership plan, from £23.27 per month. It covers your routine examinations, hygiene visits, X-rays and preventive advice, plus 10% off any additional restorative work. Worldwide dental emergency cover is included. For patients who visit regularly, it usually pays for itself within a year.

We're a private practice and don't directly bill insurance companies, but we'll provide all the documentation you need to claim back from your insurer. Most patients with private dental insurance (Bupa, AXA, WPA and others) find this works smoothly - please bring your policy details to your first visit.

Yes - we're a mixed practice, offering both NHS and private treatment. NHS availability varies; get in touch and we'll let you know what's available for new patients at the moment. Children's NHS treatment is available for all patients under 18.

We accept all major cards, bank transfer, and finance plans where applicable. Treatment is typically paid for at the end of each appointment, with finance plans set up in advance for larger treatments.

Always. Every treatment plan we put together includes a full, itemised, all-in quote - including any laboratory fees, materials and follow-up appointments. Nothing is added later, and nothing begins without your written consent.

We're at 179 Denmark Hill, Dulwich, London SE5 8DX - between Camberwell and Dulwich, in the heart of South London.

Monday and Wednesday: 8:30am to 6:00pm. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm. Closed on weekends. Emergency appointments outside these hours can occasionally be arranged - please call to discuss.

Yes - on-street parking is available on Denmark Hill and the surrounding side streets. We're also a two-minute walk from Denmark Hill train station, making us very easy to reach by public transport.

Denmark Hill station is a two-minute walk away - served by Thameslink, London Overground and Southeastern. Several buses also stop close by, including the 35, 40, 42, 45, 68, 176, 185 and 484.

Yes - the practice has step-free access at street level. If you have specific accessibility requirements, please mention them when booking and we'll make sure everything is set up to suit you on the day.

By phone on 020 7274 0861, by email at info@denmarkhillsmiles.co.uk, or via our online booking system. We aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.

We offer late appointments until 6:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. We don't currently open on weekends, but emergency appointments outside opening hours can occasionally be arranged.

Absolutely. Nervous patients are one of the largest parts of our practice. We offer extended first appointments at no extra cost, phased treatment plans, agreed stop signals during procedures, and full sedation options where useful. Most nervous patients tell us, after their first visit, that they wish they'd come sooner.

Yes - we offer inhalation sedation (gas and air), oral sedation (a tablet taken before the appointment), and IV sedation (administered through a small cannula). Dr Wassim Chawich, our Prosthodontist Specialist, regularly performs treatment under sedation for anxious patients.

A genuinely warm welcome, and no judgement. A meaningful number of our patients return after long gaps - five, ten, sometimes twenty years. We move at your pace, explain everything in plain language, and won't push you into anything you're not ready for. The most important visit is the one you book.

Yes - we're proud to be a family practice in the truest sense, treating patients from their first tooth through to retirement and beyond. Children's NHS treatment is available.

We recommend a first visit around your child's first birthday, or within six months of their first tooth appearing - whichever comes first. Early visits are short, gentle, and mostly about familiarising them with the practice rather than any clinical work.

Of course - we look after many families across multiple generations. Family appointments can be booked back-to-back so you only need to visit once, and we'll do our best to coordinate dates that work for everyone.

Anything causing significant pain, swelling, or that can't reasonably wait for a routine appointment. The most common are severe toothache, facial swelling or signs of infection, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost crown or filling, or sudden bleeding that won't stop. If you're in any doubt, just call us.

In most cases, yes. We keep emergency slots open throughout each working day. If you call before lunchtime, we can almost always fit you in the same afternoon. Severe pain, swelling or trauma is always prioritised.

Call us straight away. If the tooth is intact, pick it up by the crown (not the root), rinse it gently in water if it's dirty, and try to place it back in the socket. If that's not possible, store it in milk or saliva and bring it with you. The faster you can be seen - ideally within an hour - the better the chance of saving it.

For most dental emergencies, a dentist is the right place - A&E generally can't provide dental treatment, only pain relief. The exceptions are facial trauma involving the jaw or surrounding bones, uncontrolled bleeding after an injury, or significant swelling affecting breathing or swallowing. In those cases, A&E or 999 first.

For urgent issues outside opening hours, call us and leave a message - we check messages regularly and will return your call as soon as we can. For genuine emergencies after hours, NHS 111 can also provide urgent dental advice and direct you to an out-of-hours dental service if needed.