NHS Treatment in Forwood at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board |
|---|---|
| NHS orthodontic charges | Free for eligible under-18s; adults pay Band 3 (£332.10) |
| Deprivation | Less deprived than most of England |
| Residents under 16 | 13.1% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 6.4% of 1,399 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | Brockley House Dental, Stroud — 3.4 miles; 6 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | Thomas Keble School — 2.8 miles Stroud High School — 3.7 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Bristol Dental Hospital, Bristol — about 24 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 19.2% 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 Forwood
On our practice register: 6 practices within 5 miles of Forwood, 12 practices within 10 and 55 practices within 20. The closest is Imperial Dental Group Stroud, 3.2 miles north. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is Brockley House Dental, 3.4 miles north.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brockley House DentalStroud | 3.4 miles north | ✓ | ✓ | 4.6 (500 reviews) |
| HRS Dental CareStonehouse | 4.4 miles north-west | ✓ | ✓ | 4.7 (102 reviews) |
| Optimal Dental CareStonehouse | 5.1 miles north-west | ✓ | ✓ | 5.0 (303 reviews) |
| Woodcock Lane Dental Care Stonehouse GloucestershireStonehouse | 5.3 miles north-west | ✓ | ✓ | 5.0 (26 reviews) |
| Cirencester Dental PracticeCirencester | 9.5 miles east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (413 reviews) |
| CIRENCESTER ORTHODONTICSCirencester | 9.6 miles east | ✓ | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Forwood with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Stroud, 3.4 miles north; the next are Stonehouse (4.4 miles north-west) and Cirencester (9.5 miles east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Stroud | 1 | 3.4 miles north |
| Stonehouse | 3 | 4.4 miles north-west |
| Cirencester | 2 | 9.5 miles east |
| Gloucester | 3 | 10.6 miles north |
| Cheltenham | 5 | 14.0 miles north |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of Forwood
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Optimal Dental Care in Stonehouse (5.0 from 303 reviews), 5.1 miles north-west.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Optimal Dental CareStonehouse | 5.0 (303 reviews) | 5.1 miles north-west |
| Woodcock Lane Dental Care Stonehouse GloucestershireStonehouse | 5.0 (26 reviews) | 5.3 miles north-west |
| Cirencester Dental PracticeCirencester | 4.9 (413 reviews) | 9.5 miles east |
| The Limes Dental Practice, GloucesterGloucester | 4.9 (208 reviews) | 10.6 miles north |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
The NHS route from Forwood, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Leckhampton Dental Clinic, 13.6 miles away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is Brockley House Dental, Stroud, 3.4 miles away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. The hospital for complex cases | The nearest university dental hospital is Bristol Dental Hospital in Bristol, about 24 miles away. |
| 4. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Forwood are commissioned by NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board. |
NHS orthodontics is free for eligible under-18s and is reached by referral. Distances are straight-line.
The NHS orthodontic pathway in Forwood focuses limited resources on the greatest clinical need. The process starts with your dentist, includes a formal eligibility assessment, and places you on a waiting list. The main limitation is waiting time, which can be substantial across Gloucestershire.
NHS Orthodontic Costs in Forwood
The NHS route covers the whole course, from the specialist assessment to the retainers at the end.
Going private for the same metal braces in Forwood costs roughly £1,500–£3,500; you're paying for immediate access and appliance choice rather than a better clinical result.
NHS Orthodontic Access in Forwood
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. Waiting times for NHS orthodontic treatment in Gloucestershire differ considerably between practices and can change over time.
Provision in Forwood varies by practice — it's worth comparing more than one before committing. Forwood's deprivation ranking places it in a less deprived band than most of England. OHID data for this ICB shows 17.4% of 5-year-olds with visible dental decay. Census 2021 counts 1,399 residents in the neighbourhood around Forwood, 6.4% of them aged 10 to 15, close to the 6.5% average across Gloucestershire. For hospital-based orthodontic care, Forwood is about 24 miles from Bristol Dental Hospital in Bristol. Forwood sits within NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board for NHS dental commissioning. ONS classifies Forwood as smaller rural: Further from a major town or city. Forwood's under-16 share, 13.1%, is below the typical level. Families in Forwood are served by secondary schools including Thomas Keble School (2.8 miles) and Stroud High School (3.7 miles). 1 secondary school is within three miles. Measured by orthodontic practices within five miles (6), Forwood has more choice than 64% of towns in England. We hold no orthodontic practice records in Forwood itself. The nearest recorded are Imperial Dental Group Stroud, about 3 miles away; HRS Dental Care in Stonehouse, about 4 miles away; and Cirencester Dental Practice, about 10 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 Forwood?
Many patients in Gloucestershire 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.
Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Forwood
Spotting a developing problem early rarely means treating it straight away. Not every child who sees an orthodontist needs treatment right away, but early identification allows targeted intervention. It means the right treatment at the right time rather than rushing in early.
NHS Orthodontics for Children in Forwood
Children in Forwood who meet the IOTN eligibility threshold are entitled to NHS-funded orthodontic treatment. Referrals are made by the child's dentist once most adult teeth have erupted. NHS treatment for children is almost always metal fixed braces.
NHS Brace Eligibility in Forwood
Many patients in Forwood are surprised they don't automatically qualify for NHS braces. NHS-contracted orthodontists in Gloucestershire apply the same national criteria consistently. Knowing where you stand before the referral process saves time and manages expectations in Forwood.
What If You Don't Qualify for NHS Treatment?
If your IOTN score falls below the threshold for NHS funding, private orthodontic treatment is fully available with no eligibility criteria and no waiting list. This means you can start treatment within weeks of your consultation, with full choice of brace type — metal, ceramic, aligner, or lingual — rather than being limited to NHS metal braces.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Forwood
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Forwood?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Forwood is Imperial Dental Group Stroud, about 3.2 miles to the north. The next closest are Brockley House Dental (3.4 miles) and Inspirewell, Buteyko Breathing and Myofunctional Therapy (3.4 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Forwood?
Our register has 6 practices within 5 miles of Forwood, 12 practices within 10 miles and 55 practices within 20 miles.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Forwood?
The nearest practice to Forwood that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is Brockley House Dental in Stroud, about 3.4 miles to the north. Others nearby include HRS Dental Care (4.4 miles) and Optimal Dental Care (5.1 miles).
How deprived is Forwood compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Forwood is less deprived than most of England. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
How's children's dental health in Forwood's area?
Regionally, 17.4% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay, per OHID data.
Who commissions NHS dentistry in Forwood?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board.
What county is Forwood in?
Forwood is in Gloucestershire.
Are NHS orthodontic charges the same across the UK?
No — NHS dental charges are set separately in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. What stays the same everywhere is that eligible under-18s pay nothing. Adults who do qualify pay the NHS Band 3 charge, £332.10 in England from April 2026, which covers the whole course.
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 Gloucestershire
Explore nhs treatment information for other towns and cities in Gloucestershire — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: