How we work
We're an independent directory built from official public data. Here's exactly where every detail comes from, and how we keep it accurate.
What "regulated" means
Every practice on the site is checked against the official regulator's published register for its nation. When you see "CQC regulated" (or HIW, HIS, RQIA), it means the practice appears on that regulator's public register, so you know it's a real, regulated dental service. It does not mean the regulator endorses us or the practice.
Who regulates dentists in the UK
- England: CQC (Care Quality Commission)
- Wales: HIW (Healthcare Inspectorate Wales)
- Scotland: HIS (Healthcare Improvement Scotland) + NHS boards
- Northern Ireland: RQIA (Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority)
These regulators register and inspect dental practices. Importantly, they publish inspection reports but do not give dental practices a consumer star rating. For example, CQC does not currently rate dental services the way it rates GPs or care homes. So any star rating you see on our site comes from patient reviews on Google, clearly labelled as such, never from a regulator.
Where each detail comes from
- Existence, address, regulatory status, inspection report link: the official regulator (above).
- Star rating, review count, reviews, map location: Google.
- Treatments, opening hours, booking links: the practice's own website (rolling out).
Every fact is shown with its source and a "last checked" date. If we can't verify something, we leave it blank rather than guess. Accuracy matters more than completeness, especially for healthcare.
How often we update
The regulators publish updates on their own schedules (CQC weekly; the others roughly quarterly). When they publish, we refresh our database, so figures reflect the latest published data. Reviews and website details are refreshed periodically too.
Independence
We're not affiliated with the NHS, CQC, HIW, HIS, RQIA or any private dental practice, and we're not a booking platform. We present published data independently, so you can weigh up your options clearly.