Your first visit is mostly about getting to know your mouth and what you want from it.
Your first visit to a new dentist is a longer check-up called a new patient exam. At Whitefield Dental it costs £70 for adults and includes a full mouth and gum check, an oral cancer screen, x-rays if you're due them, intra-oral photos and a treatment plan. It's a check-up only, so no treatment happens unless you choose to book it.
If you've been searching for a dentist near me because you've moved or simply haven't been for a while, here's what to expect.
What happens at a new patient exam?
We start by talking. You'll fill in a short health and dental questionnaire, and we'll ask about any problems, worries or things you'd like to change. Then we check:
Every tooth, including old fillings and crowns
Your gum health
Your mouth, tongue and throat, as part of an oral cancer screen
We take x-rays if they're due or needed, and intra-oral photos so you can see what we see. At the end, we explain what we found in plain words and give you a tailored plan. You can book it at reception or take it home and think about it.
The oral cancer screen matters more than people realise. Mouth cancer can start as a patch or ulcer that doesn't hurt, and the NHS mouth cancer page lists the signs to look out for between visits.
How much does a new patient exam cost?
For adults it's £70. Children's new patient exams are free for under fives, £15 for ages 6 to 10, £20 for ages 11 to 14 and £25 for ages 15 to 17. Routine adult check-ups after that are £50, and a hygienist visit is £75. You'll find everything on our price guide.
We're a private practice, and you'll know the price of any treatment before you agree to it.
Should you join a dental plan?
If you'd rather spread the cost, a plan can work out well. You need to have had your new patient exam first, and our dentists need to class you as dentally stable before you join. Plans start at £9.99 a month for an annual check-up, rising to £28.20 a month for two check-ups and four hygiene visits a year.
Every adult plan includes an annual oral cancer screen, an emergency appointment within 48 hours, 20% off clinically necessary treatment and 5% off cosmetic and implant treatment. The child plan is £6.99 a month, and a parent needs to be registered with us. Our plan membership page has the full breakdown.
What should you bring to your first appointment?
Bring a list of any medicines you take, and anything you know about past treatment, such as root canals, implants or braces. If your old practice took x-rays recently, it's worth asking them to send copies. And come with your questions. It's your appointment.
Dr Annam Salim, Cosmetic & Implant Dentist at Whitefield Dental.
What if you haven't been to a dentist in years?
You're far from alone, and nobody here will tell you off.
The longer you leave it, the harder it feels to book, so the best time is now.
Our reception at 118 Radcliffe New Road, Whitefield.
How do you choose a dentist near me?
Look for a practice that publishes its prices and has opening hours you can actually use. Check that the dentists are registered with the General Dental Council, which every practising dentist in the UK must be. Read recent reviews, but look at what people say about how they were treated, not just the star rating. And notice how the practice handles your first call. If they answer your questions clearly before you've booked, that's a good sign.
Finding a dentist near me in Whitefield
We're at 118 Radcliffe New Road in Whitefield, around ten minutes' walk from Whitefield Metrolink stop, so we're easy to reach from Prestwich or central Manchester. We're open until 8pm on Tuesdays and on Saturday mornings by pre-booking, which makes check-ups easier to fit around work. Patients have been coming to this practice since 1968.
Book your new patient exam
If you've been looking for a dentist near me and want somewhere that explains things properly, send us an enquiry through our booking form or give us a call. We'll find you a time that suits.
Whitefield Dental is at 118 Radcliffe New Road, Whitefield, Manchester M45 7WQ. Call us on 0161 524 9883 or email dentist@whitefielddentalpractice.co.uk. We're open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 6pm, Tuesday 9am to 8pm, Friday 8am to 3pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm by pre-booking.
Frequently asked questions
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It's longer than a routine check-up, because we go through your history and check everything from scratch. Reception can give you a time when you book.
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No. We're a private practice, so we don't offer NHS treatment. We offer private routine appointments and monthly or annual dental plans.
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Yes. Once you're registered, you can register your children as private or plan patients. New patient exams are free for under fives.
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No. The new patient exam is a check-up only. You'll get a plan to book or take away.
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After your new patient exam, once our dentists have classed you as dentally stable.
