Don’t you just hate it when someone claims to offer personalisation, but they can’t even tailor a service to YOU?
Dentistry isn’t like that anymore. Private dental care is no longer a niche luxury product. It’s now something 26.8% of patients actually use and actively prefer to the NHS.
26.8% of patients to be precise.
After all, only at private dental clinics can you expect personalised care that puts YOU front and centre.
So if you’ve been wondering…
“What does personalisation in dentistry even look like?”
“How does the treatment plan get personalised?”
“How long will an appointment at a private clinic take?”
You’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what to expect from private dental care and why personalised dentistry really is the future.
What Is Personalised Dental Care, Anyway?
Personalised dental care sounds fancy, but at its heart, it’s all about putting YOU in control.
Your private dentist:
- Will get to know you (and your mouth) inside out
- Will invest the time to find the right treatment options for your needs
- Will work with you to help you reach your goals
The contrast to a traditional dentist is stark. Standard appointments are all about speed and throughput. Get in, get out, and see the next patient.
Appointments with a private dentist are the opposite. Your time is their time. And by offering:
- Longer appointments
- More thorough check-ups
- Customised treatment plans
Your dentist can actually personalise your experience to match your individual needs.
Why Do Private Dentists Make The Difference?
In 2023, the private dentistry sector was valued at a massive £10.6 billion and for good reason.
People are sick of getting by with standard dentistry and are willing to invest more money and time to get the care they deserve.
Martina Collins has been the leading private dentist in Belfast since 2016, and Martina and her team have worked hard to focus on offering personalisation above all else, even during routine visits.
Here are a few more ways your private dentist stands apart from the crowd:
Time
Private dentists have time. You might think that 15 minutes is enough time to look at your teeth. You would be wrong.
Private dentists make time to…
- Listen
- Explain things
- Check in on you
- Personalise your treatment
That time creates space for your dentist to personalise the whole process to YOU.
Consistency
Walk into an NHS dentist, and you’ll see whoever happens to be free at the time. Your private dentist will see you and only you.
That means your dentist will build an understanding of you as a patient. You are not a number on a list. You’re an individual with individual concerns and goals.
Choice
The NHS has finite resources and has to make hard choices on how to allocate them. Private dental care is a different ballgame.
Private dentists offer choice because they have more choice. As a result, you can benefit from:
- The latest treatment options and technology
- Same-day crowns, aligners, and more
- Treatment options designed with your needs in mind
What Can I Expect On My First Visit To A Private Dentist?
Expect to be amazed, delighted, and totally thrown off by how different your visit will be. If you’re new to the world of private dentistry…
Walk into any private dental practice, and the contrast to an NHS practice will hit you in the face.
It’s not just the state-of-the-art equipment. It’s also the calming décor, professional staff who treat you like family, and friendly receptionists who know you by name.
But it doesn’t stop at first impressions…
The appointment
Expect your first visit to take around 45–60 minutes. Plenty of time for your private dentist to:
- Look at your overall oral health
- Review your medical and dental history
- Explain things in language YOU can understand
- Check in on your concerns and expectations
The whole visit will be unhurried and calm. No more sprinting through the appointment because the dentist has another patient waiting.
The treatment plan
This is where the personalisation happens. Your dentist will design a treatment plan just for YOU.
Your dentist knows:
- Your concerns
- Your budget and timeline
- Your goals
- Your general health
…and uses this information to help create the treatment plan.
As a result, you get a plan that’s as unique as you are.
Technology That Can Change Your Mind About Dentistry
Technology that used to be confined to Hollywood science fiction is now at your dentist’s fingertips.
Digital impressions
Gone are the days of gagging on the goop in a dental impression tray. Digital scanners use a camera and infrared light to capture detailed 3D models of your teeth.
The result is quicker turnaround times for more accurate crowns, bridges, aligners, and more without the discomfort of traditional impression methods.
Intraoral cameras
Tiny cameras in a dentist’s handpiece beam live images of your teeth to a screen so that you can see exactly what they see.
Pointing the camera at that cavity the dentist mentioned? Boom, there it is on screen. This kind of transparency builds trust and helps patients understand their treatment needs.
Advanced imaging
Digital X-rays aren’t just lower radiation than traditional film X-rays (they use 90% less radiation, in fact). They also give you instant, high-resolution images for your dentist to review on the spot.
The best dental clinics even offer advanced imaging options like 3D cone beam imaging for complex dental needs.
The Preventive Care Advantage
Here’s a little secret that many people don’t know…
Prevention matters to private dentists. The reason is simple: prevention is a time-consuming process. However, private dentists have the time to do it right.
Regular check-ups turn into comprehensive dental wellness visits, where your dentist monitors for changes in your oral health and catches problems at an early stage.
Prevention also allows your dentist to create a cleaning and maintenance schedule designed just for you.
Everyone’s teeth and mouth are different. Your dentist and hygienist will work with you to create a cleaning and maintenance schedule that matches your specific needs.
For some people, that means coming in every three months for a check-up and cleaning. For others, semi-annual cleanings and exams will do the job just fine.
You’re Building A Long-Term Partnership
Dentistry isn’t a transaction. It’s a relationship. And that’s why private dental clinics outperform big name chains by 93% when it comes to customer retention.
Why? Independent practices (which represent 65% of dental practices in the UK) live and die by long-term patient relationships.
Your private dentist isn’t someone you see when you have a problem. They are your partner on your journey towards a lifetime of optimal oral health.
Think of it this way…
Would you rather have your heart checked by a new physician every single time? Or would you rather build a relationship with one doctor who knows your health history inside and out and has your back?
The same goes for your mouth.
Bringing It All Together
Personalised dental care is more than just a buzzword.
With a private dentist, you get a partner who is invested in helping you take care of your oral health. The private practice environment and approach mean:
- Longer appointments that give your dentist the time to understand you and your concerns
- Advanced technology that helps them offer more choice and comfort
- Customised treatment plans that focus on your goals
…and that’s just for starters.
Personalised dentistry from a private dentist transforms the way you view your care from a transactional process to a genuinely personal one.
You have the choice to accept standard dental care as it is or experience what dentistry looks like when your dentist has the time and resources to focus on YOU first.
Ready to find out what personalisation in dentistry really looks like?
Your smile is worth it.