NHS Treatment in Finger Post at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board |
|---|---|
| NHS orthodontic charges | Free for eligible under-18s; adults pay Band 3 (£332.10) |
| Deprivation | More deprived than most of England |
| Residents under 16 | 13.8% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 5.6% of 1,590 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St Helens, St Helens — 1 miles; 14 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy — 0.8 miles St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy — 0.9 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Liverpool University Dental Hospital, Liverpool — about 11 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Urban: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 27.8% of residents in the surrounding census area (Census 2021) |
Sources: Census 2021 (NOMIS), DfE Get Information About Schools, ONS geography, UK NHS dental charge schedules and our orthodontic practice register. Distances are straight-line.
Practices listing NHS orthodontics near Finger Post
On our practice register: 10 practices within 5 miles of Finger Post, 51 practices within 10 and 178 practices within 20. The closest is Talking Teeth in St Helens, 0.4 miles east. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St Helens, 1.0 miles north-east.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St HelensSt Helens | 1.0 miles north-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (257 reviews) |
| Boutique Dental 23Ashton in Makerfield | 4.2 miles north-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (136 reviews) |
| Ashton Smile ClinicAshton in Makerfield | 4.3 miles north-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.7 (86 reviews) |
| Rainford OrthodonticsRainford | 4.5 miles north-west | ✓ | ✓ | 4.0 (41 reviews) |
| RAINFORD ORTHODONTIC PRACTICESt. Helens, Ryde | 4.5 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – |
| Deacon DentalWidnes | 5.5 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.4 (92 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Finger Post with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is St Helens, 1.0 miles north-east; the next are Ashton in Makerfield (4.2 miles north-east) and Rainford (4.5 miles north-west).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| St Helens | 1 | 1.0 miles north-east |
| Ashton in Makerfield | 2 | 4.2 miles north-east |
| Rainford | 1 | 4.5 miles north-west |
| St. Helens, Ryde | 1 | 4.5 miles north-west |
| Widnes | 2 | 5.5 miles south |
| Golborne | 1 | 5.9 miles east |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of Finger Post
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is St. Raphael's Dental Practice in Skelmersdale (4.9 from 429 reviews), 6.3 miles north.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Raphael's Dental PracticeSkelmersdale | 4.9 (429 reviews) | 6.3 miles north |
| Boutique Dental 23Ashton in Makerfield | 4.9 (136 reviews) | 4.2 miles north-east |
| Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St HelensSt Helens | 4.8 (257 reviews) | 1.0 miles north-east |
| Turret Orthodontics LiverpoolWarrington | 4.7 (89 reviews) | 6.7 miles south-east |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
The NHS route from Finger Post, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Jones Dental Care, 7.9 miles away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St Helens, 1 miles away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. The hospital for complex cases | The nearest university dental hospital is Liverpool University Dental Hospital in Liverpool, about 11 miles away. |
| 4. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Finger Post are commissioned by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. |
NHS orthodontics is free for eligible under-18s and is reached by referral. Distances are straight-line.
For families in Finger Post, the NHS pathway offers a subsidised route to fixed braces for eligible children. The process starts with your dentist, includes a formal eligibility assessment, and places you on a waiting list. Understanding its limits helps families in Finger Post plan around realistic waiting times.
NHS Orthodontic Access in Finger Post
NHS orthodontic treatment is free for under-18s who meet the clinical threshold. Adults who do qualify pay the NHS Band 3 charge, £332.10 in England from April 2026, which covers the whole course. NHS waiting times in St. Helens are not fixed — they depend on the referring practice and local demand at the time.
Appointment availability and the range of treatments on offer both vary practice to practice around Finger Post. By national deprivation ranking, Finger Post sits among the more deprived areas of England. OHID data for this ICB shows 31.2% of 5-year-olds with visible dental decay. Census 2021 counts 1,590 residents in the neighbourhood around Finger Post, 5.6% of them aged 10 to 15, below the 6.7% average across St. Helens. Complex cases can be referred to a hospital orthodontic department; the nearest university dental hospital to Finger Post is Liverpool University Dental Hospital in Liverpool, about 11 miles away. For NHS dental services, Finger Post falls under NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. By ONS classification, Finger Post falls under urban: Nearer to a major town or city. Census data puts only 13.8% of Finger Post's population at under 16, below the typical share. Families in Finger Post are served by secondary schools including St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy (0.8 miles) and St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy (0.9 miles). 6 secondary schools are within three miles. There are 76 schools and 26,828 pupils in Finger Post's Local Authority area, per DfE data. Finger Post has 10 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 75% of towns in England. We hold no orthodontic practice records in Finger Post itself. The nearest recorded are Talking Teeth in St Helens, under a mile away; Boutique Dental 23 in Ashton in Makerfield, about 4 miles away; and Rainford Orthodontics, about 4 miles away. NHS capacity is limited — practices often have closed lists for new NHS patients, which is why private treatment is the realistic route for many adults and for those who cannot wait.
How Long Is the NHS Wait in Finger Post?
Many patients in St. Helens wait 18 months or longer between NHS referral and treatment starting. During this period teeth continue to develop and cases can become more complex. Private treatment, while more expensive, begins promptly and offers far greater choice of treatment type.
NHS vs Private Fees in Finger Post
On the NHS, one course of treatment runs from fitting right through to retainers, with nothing added along the way.
Private treatment in Finger Post trades cost for speed and choice — around £1,500–£3,500 for metal braces, but starting within weeks and with ceramic, lingual and aligner options on the table.
NHS Brace Eligibility in Finger Post
NHS orthodontic treatment is not available to everyone. Even visibly crooked teeth may score below the threshold, which is why understanding IOTN matters. If NHS funding isn't available, private treatment has no eligibility threshold and no waiting list.
Eligibility in Finger Post — Local Context
NHS waiting times in St. Helens are not fixed — they depend on the referring practice and local demand at the time.
Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Finger Post
For many families in Finger Post, the question isn't whether their child needs treatment — it's when to start. The aim is to monitor development and intervene at the right time, not to begin treatment immediately. This guide explains the age-7 assessment, interceptive options and NHS access for children.
NHS Treatment for Children in Finger Post
Eligible children under 18 in Finger Post are entitled to NHS orthodontic treatment free of charge. The process starts with a dentist IOTN assessment and formal referral to the local NHS orthodontic service.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Finger Post
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Finger Post?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Finger Post is Talking Teeth in St Helens, about 0.4 miles to the east. The next closest are Dr R Stecewicz - St Helens Family Dental Clinic (0.8 miles) and Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St Helens (1.0 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Finger Post?
Our register has 10 practices within 5 miles of Finger Post, 51 practices within 10 miles and 178 practices within 20 miles.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Finger Post?
The nearest practice to Finger Post that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is Alverna House Dental Practice | Dental Implants and Invisalign Provider St Helens, about 1.0 miles to the north-east. Others nearby include Boutique Dental 23 (4.2 miles) and Ashton Smile Clinic (4.3 miles).
Is Finger Post well served by schools?
DfE figures put 76 schools and 26,828 pupils across Finger Post's Local Authority.
How deprived is Finger Post compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Finger Post is more deprived than most of England. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
How many families live in Finger Post?
Census data puts 13.8% of Finger Post's population at under 16.
Is tooth decay common among young children near Finger Post?
Regionally, 31.2% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay, per OHID data.
How much do NHS braces cost?
NHS orthodontic treatment is free for under-18s who meet the clinical threshold. Adults who do qualify pay the NHS Band 3 charge, £332.10 in England from April 2026, which covers the whole course. 18-year-olds in qualifying full-time education are also exempt, as are adults on certain benefits or low incomes, and one charge covers the full course from fitting to retainers.
Last updated: October 2026, compiled by the Virtual Consultant Online editorial team from our practice register and public data. Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice; it is not reviewed by a clinician. Sources: NHS, General Dental Council. How we compile our information.
NHS Treatment Across St. Helens
Explore nhs treatment information for other towns and cities in St. Helens — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: