Finding a dentist in Portsmouth is one thing, finding a good one you can actually get into is another. NHS lists have been stretched for years, private fees keep climbing, and the honest question most people have is simply which practices are worth registering with. This is our ranking of the ten that patients across the city rate the highest.
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To build it our writers worked through every dental practice in Portsmouth and its suburbs with a solid base of reviews, reading what patients actually say on Google rather than the practices’ own marketing. We weighed the average rating and the number of reviews behind it, the range and quality of the care, how comfortable nervous patients are made to feel, access including whether a practice takes NHS as well as private work, and value for what you pay. Reviews count for the most, because hundreds of patients tell you far more than any brochure.
A quick word on cost. NHS treatment is charged in fixed bands, very roughly £27 for a check-up, about £75 for fillings and around £327 for crowns or dentures, though these figures change so check the current rates. Private fees vary by practice, with a check-up often £40 to £60 and larger work priced on a plan. We have flagged which practices are NHS, private or both, yet NHS availability shifts constantly, so always call to confirm before you count on a space.
The list runs from the best down, starting at the top.
1. Clarendon Dental and Orthodontic Practice, Southsea
The clear leader, Clarendon sits on Clarendon Road in Southsea with close to a thousand reviews and a near-perfect average, a scale no other practice in the city comes near. It is a private practice offering orthodontics and cosmetic work alongside general dentistry, with membership plans to spread the cost. What patients return to again and again is the welcome, with reception staff who remember names and clinicians who lay out the options without ever pushing. A private check-up sits in the usual £40 to £60 range, with treatment quoted on a plan.
Why patients rate it
- Nearly 1,000 reviews at close to five stars, the biggest base in the city;
- A warm, personal welcome that puts nervous patients at ease;
- Orthodontics and cosmetic work under one roof;
- Clear explanations with no pressure to upsell.
Worth knowing
- Private, so there is no NHS route here;
- So popular that new-patient slots can take a while.
If you want the most trusted name in Portsmouth and are happy going private, start here.
2. Lighthouse Dental Practice, Southsea
A few doors from Clarendon on the same road, Lighthouse carries its own big following, over six hundred reviews near five stars. It is known for implants and crowns as much as everyday care, and the write-ups keep landing on the calm, thorough manner and the spotless surgeries. Families who have been for years tend to bring everyone else along. A private check-up runs around £45, with implants and cosmetic work on quotation.
Why patients rate it
- Over 600 reviews at close to five stars;
- A strong reputation for implants and crowns;
- Thorough, reassuring clinicians and very clean surgeries;
- Trusted by whole families over many years.
Worth knowing
- Largely private, so confirm any NHS availability;
- Specialist work is priced individually, so ask for a plan.
A superb all-rounder, and the one to shortlist if implants or crowns are on the cards.
3. Coast Dental Health, Copnor
Over towards Copnor and Baffins, Coast Dental Health pairs a near-perfect average with something increasingly rare, an NHS route alongside private care. Patients praise the straight talking and the sense that treatment is about need rather than sales. For many in the east of the city it is the most reassuring option on this list. NHS work is charged in the usual bands, with private check-ups from around £40.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.9 average with a solid base of reviews;
- Both NHS and private care under one roof;
- Honest, needs-first advice that patients trust;
- Handy for Copnor, Baffins and the east of the city.
Worth knowing
- NHS spaces come and go, so call to check availability;
- Parking close by can be tight at busy times.
The pick for anyone chasing good NHS care without dropping their standards.
4. Hampshire Terrace Dental Care, city centre
In the heart of the city on Hampshire Terrace, this practice backs up a 4.8 average with more than five hundred reviews, one of the deepest records on the list. It is a polished private practice with a cosmetic lean, and patients highlight the modern surgeries, the gentle hygiene appointments and clinicians who take their time over nervous visitors. A private check-up lands around £50, with treatment on a plan.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.8 average from more than 500 reviews;
- A central spot, easy to reach from the city centre;
- Modern surgeries and a calm, unhurried feel;
- Praised for gentle care with anxious patients.
Worth knowing
- Private, with a cosmetic focus;
- City-centre parking means paying or walking in.
A strong, central choice for private care and cosmetic work.
5. Perfect Smile, Cosham
Up in Cosham, Perfect Smile is a family practice that quietly stacks up warm reviews, a 4.8 average across roughly three hundred of them. It mixes NHS and private care, which makes it a genuine option for families who want both under one roof, and reviewers like the friendly team and the no-drama approach to children’s visits. NHS bands apply, with private check-ups from around £40.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.8 average with a healthy review count;
- NHS and private care, good for families;
- A friendly team that stays calm with children;
- Convenient for Cosham and the north of the city.
Worth knowing
- NHS availability changes, so ring ahead;
- Busy at peak times, so book early.
A dependable family practice with a foot in both the NHS and private camps.
6. The Dental Wave, Southsea
Back in Southsea, The Dental Wave is the cosmetic specialist of the group, a 4.8 average built on whitening, veneers and smile makeovers as much as routine care. Patients talk about the results, the modern, almost spa-like feel and the clinicians’ eye for detail. This is private work, priced on consultation, with check-ups around £45.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.8 average with a cosmetic reputation;
- Whitening, veneers and smile makeovers done well;
- A modern, relaxed, almost spa-like setting;
- An eye for detail that shows in the results.
Worth knowing
- Private and cosmetic-led, so not an NHS route;
- Makeover work is priced on consultation.
The one to see if a brighter, straighter smile is the goal.
7. Perfect Smile, North End
The sister practice to the Cosham branch, Perfect Smile in North End, at Maple House, carries a 4.7 average over more than three hundred reviews. It is a busy family practice offering NHS and private care, with the same welcoming reputation, and it is handy for North End, Fratton and the centre. NHS bands apply, with private check-ups from around £40.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.7 average from over 300 reviews;
- NHS and private care for the whole family;
- A friendly, well-run practice in a central spot;
- Good for North End, Fratton and nearby.
Worth knowing
- As ever with NHS, call to check for spaces;
- A busy practice, so popular times go fast.
Another solid family option, especially for the middle of the city.
8. One Smile Dental, city centre
One Smile, near the city centre, is the newest name on the list and already sitting at a near-perfect average, though from a smaller base of around a hundred and fifty reviews. It is a private, cosmetic-leaning practice with a modern feel, and early patients rate the gentle approach and the clear pricing. A private check-up runs around £45.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.9 average, if from a smaller review base;
- A modern, private practice near the city centre;
- A gentle approach and clear, upfront pricing;
- One to watch as it builds a following.
Worth knowing
- Private only, so no NHS route;
- A shorter track record than the names above.
A promising modern practice for private care and a fresh, unhurried setup.
9. mydentist, Palmerston Road, Southsea
The big-name option, mydentist on Palmerston Road is part of the national chain and the most established NHS presence on this list, with a 4.6 average across nearly five hundred reviews. It will not win on boutique charm, but for reliable NHS care in the middle of Southsea it is a sensible, central choice, and the scale tends to mean more appointment capacity than a small practice can offer. NHS bands apply, with private options too.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.6 average from nearly 500 reviews;
- A long-established NHS presence in central Southsea;
- More capacity than a small practice, so often easier to get seen;
- Both NHS and private treatment available.
Worth knowing
- A chain, so less of the personal touch some want;
- NHS lists still fill up, so check before you register.
The practical NHS pick for central Southsea when you just need a reliable chair.
10. Damira Hilsea Dental Practice, Hilsea
Rounding out the ten, Damira in Hilsea is part of the Damira group and holds a 4.6 average over four hundred reviews. It offers NHS and private care and suits the north of the city, with patients noting efficient, friendly service, even if parking and traffic nearby can test the patience. NHS bands apply, with private check-ups from around £40.
Why patients rate it
- A 4.6 average from over 400 reviews;
- NHS and private care, handy for Hilsea and the north;
- Efficient, friendly service that keeps patients coming back;
- Part of an established dental group.
Worth knowing
- Parking and traffic nearby can be awkward;
- NHS spaces vary, so phone to confirm.
A reliable north-of-the-city option with both an NHS and a private route.
The ten practices at a glance
Here is the shortlist in one view, with where each sits and how you pay.
| # | Practice | Area | NHS or private | Score (out of 10) | % (out of 100) |
| 1 | Clarendon Dental & Orthodontic | Southsea | Private | 9.5 | 95 |
| 2 | Lighthouse Dental | Southsea | Mainly private | 9.2 | 92 |
| 3 | Coast Dental Health | Copnor | NHS and private | 9.0 | 90 |
| 4 | Hampshire Terrace Dental | City centre | Private | 8.8 | 88 |
| 5 | Perfect Smile, Cosham | Cosham | NHS and private | 8.6 | 86 |
| 6 | The Dental Wave | Southsea | Private | 8.4 | 84 |
| 7 | Perfect Smile, North End | North End | NHS and private | 8.2 | 82 |
| 8 | One Smile Dental | City centre | Private | 8.0 | 80 |
| 9 | mydentist, Palmerston Rd | Southsea | NHS and private | 7.7 | 77 |
| 10 | Damira Hilsea | Hilsea | NHS and private | 7.5 | 75 |
How the practices scored (out of 10)
What the ranking shows
A couple of clear patterns run through the numbers. The best-rated names cluster in Southsea and the city centre, with Clarendon, Lighthouse and The Dental Wave all within a short walk of one another, while the north and east are covered by Cosham, Hilsea and Copnor. The other dividing line is access. The two practices at the very top are private, and the genuine NHS routes sit a little further down, not because the care is weaker but because an open NHS list is harder to come by than a five-star review.
Review volume does a lot of the separating too. Several practices share a 4.9, so what lifts Clarendon clear is the sheer weight of patients behind it. The honest takeaway is about supply, not quality.
The hardest part in Portsmouth is not finding a good dentist, it is finding a good one with an NHS list still open.
Private care buys you choice and shorter waits, NHS care buys you the fixed band price if you can land a place, and plenty of these practices offer both. If you are new to the city and working through the essentials, we have also ranked the best driving schools in and around Portsmouth.
How we scored the practices
Each practice was scored out of ten on the same weighted measures, adapted for dentistry. Review scores and reputation on Google carried the most at about 35 per cent, the care itself on range and quality another 25, value including both NHS band charges and private fees 15, consistency backed by the number of reviews 15, and access and comfort, meaning how easy it is to be seen and how nervous patients are looked after, the final 10. We read the public reviews and compared the practices against one another rather than undergoing treatment ourselves, and we checked the standard NHS band charges and typical private fees as part of the value score. Costs and NHS availability both change often, so confirm the current charges and whether a list is open before you register. This is an editorial snapshot as of October 2026, not a clinical or official ranking, and the order may shift as practices grow and their reviews build.
