About Smylo
We believe everyone in England deserves to find an NHS dentist — without the frustration.
Making NHS dental care accessible to everyone
Finding an NHS dentist in England shouldn't feel impossible. Yet for millions of people, it does. Nearly half of NHS dental practices don't accept new adult patients. One in five UK residents isn't registered with a dentist at all. People resort to DIY dentistry, travel hundreds of miles, or simply give up.
Smylo exists to change that. We aggregate data from multiple official NHS and regulatory sources into a single, easy-to-use platform — so you can search, compare, and find the right NHS dental practice near you in minutes, not hours.
What Smylo does
Smylo is a free, independent platform that helps people in England find and compare NHS dental practices. We bring together information that's normally scattered across multiple government websites into one place:
- Which practices are accepting new NHS patients — the single most important piece of information for anyone looking for a dentist
- CQC inspection ratings — official quality assessments across five key areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led
- NHS contract data — how much of their NHS activity targets each practice actually delivers
- Location and contact details — with interactive map search by postcode
- Side-by-side comparison — so you can weigh up your options before making a decision
We cover 6,800+ NHS dental practices across England — every practice that holds an NHS contract.
The problem we're solving
The NHS dental access crisis is one of the most pressing healthcare issues in England:
- 96.9% of adults who aren't registered with an NHS dentist cannot find one accepting new patients (Healthwatch, 2024)
- Patients report resorting to self-extraction, dental tourism, and A&E visits for conditions that should be treated in a dental surgery
- NHS.uk — the official directory — often shows outdated information and offers no way to compare practices
- Existing alternatives lack crucial data like CQC ratings, NHS contract performance, or accept/reject status
Smylo was built to bridge this gap: a modern, data-rich tool that gives patients the information they need to make informed decisions about their dental care.
Our data sources
All information on Smylo comes from official, publicly available sources published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We don't make up ratings or rankings — everything is based on verifiable data.
| Source | What it provides | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Organisation Data Service (ODS) | Practice names, addresses, postcodes, ODS codes, contact details | Monthly |
| Care Quality Commission (CQC) | Overall ratings, 5 sub-category ratings, inspection dates, report links | After each inspection |
| NHS.uk Service Search API | Patient acceptance status, opening hours, services, facilities | Varies (practice self-reported) |
| NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) | Units of Dental Activity (UDA) — contracted vs delivered, patient demographics | Quarterly / Annual |
| OHID Fingertips | Area-level oral health indicators — child tooth decay, dental access rates | Annual |
We update our database regularly through automated ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) pipelines to ensure the information stays current.
Who's behind Smylo
Smylo is an independent project — not affiliated with the NHS, CQC, or any dental practice chain. We believe that public data paid for by taxpayers should be easy for the public to access and understand. Our goal is to empower patients with the information they need — clearly, honestly, and for free.
Important information
- We are not the NHS. Smylo is an independent information service. We don't provide dental treatment, handle bookings, or represent any dental practice.
- Data accuracy. While we use official sources and update regularly, some information (especially patient acceptance status) depends on practices self-reporting to the NHS. If in doubt, always call the practice directly to confirm.
- Not medical advice. Nothing on Smylo should be taken as medical or dental advice. If you have a dental emergency, call NHS 111, visit your nearest A&E, or find an urgent dental care service.
- Feedback welcome. Spotted something wrong? Each practice page has an "Is this information correct?" button. You can also contact us directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find an NHS dentist near me?
Enter your postcode on the Smylo homepage and select a search radius (1, 2, 5, or 10 miles). You'll see a map and list of nearby dental practices with CQC ratings, accepting status, and key details.
What is a CQC rating?
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects and rates dental practices in England on a scale of Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. Ratings cover five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led.
How do I register with an NHS dentist?
Contact the dental practice by phone or visit in person. Unlike GPs, dentists do not have catchment areas — you can register with any practice that is accepting new NHS patients. Some practices also offer online registration.
How often is the data on Smylo updated?
Data is sourced from official NHS and CQC systems. Practice details update monthly, CQC ratings update after each inspection, and accepting status is updated regularly from NHS.uk profiles.
Can I compare dental practices on Smylo?
Yes. Select up to 3 practices using the "Add to Compare" button, then click "Compare Now" to see a side-by-side comparison of CQC ratings, accepting status, and other key metrics.
Where does Smylo get its data?
All data comes from official government sources: NHS Organisation Data Service, Care Quality Commission, NHS.uk dental profiles, and NHS BSA. All data is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Data Attribution
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Data sourced from NHS England, the Care Quality Commission, and NHS Business Services Authority. Smylo is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS, CQC, or any government body.
Ready to find your dentist?
Enter your postcode and we'll show you every NHS dental practice nearby — with the data you need to choose the right one.
Search now