Looking for a Private Dentist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent?

Most people look for a dentist at a bad moment — something hurts, a filling has come out, or a check-up has been put off so long that the putting-off has become its own problem. Which is exactly when nobody has the patience to research it properly.

So here is the short version of what is worth checking, whether or not you end up here.

Will you see the same dentist each time?

This is the question that matters most and the one people ask least. Seeing the same clinician means you explain yourself once, and it means someone actually knows what your mouth looked like last year. At this practice you are seen by Dr Simon Azimi, who is registered with the General Dental Council under number 81382.

You can check any UK dentist's registration yourself on the GDC's public register. It takes about thirty seconds and it is worth knowing you can.

How do they handle nervous patients?

Ask what they actually change, not whether they are “good with nervous patients” — everyone says yes to that. Longer appointments? A signal to stop that gets honoured? Being told what is about to happen before it happens? If it has been years since your last visit, ask directly whether that will be commented on. Here it is not.

Is the practice CQC registered?

Every dental practice in England has to be registered with the Care Quality Commission, and its inspection reports are public. You can search any practice by name on the CQC website.

Where is it, really?

Not the postcode — the journey. A practice that is convenient is a practice you keep going back to. We are at 1 The Lodge, Mount Pleasant Avenue, at the entrance to Calverley Park and directly opposite Tunbridge Wells railway station: off the train and through the door in about two minutes, which suits people who commute or who would rather not think about parking.

What does a first appointment involve?

A check-up is a proper look at teeth, gums and soft tissues, and a plain explanation of what is going on — including the things that are fine, which is most of it for most people. Nothing gets done at that appointment that you have not agreed to. If you want treatment, you get the options and what they cost before anything starts.

Are you taking new patients?

Yes — and the honest answer to “how soon” depends on the week, so it is worth a phone call rather than a promise on a web page. Ring 01892 547286 and ask. If it is urgent, say so when you ring.

This post was published in January 2021 and rewritten in September 2026.

See what a check-up involves