NHS Treatment in Frankaborough at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS Devon 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 | 15.1% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 5.8% of 1,851 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | Torrington Dental Practice, Great Torrington — 18.4 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | Launceston College — 5.9 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth — about 21 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 21.1% 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 Frankaborough
On our practice register: None within 10 miles of Frankaborough; 1 practice within 20. The closest is Torrington Dental Practice in Great Torrington, 18.4 miles north. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is Torrington Dental Practice, 18.4 miles north.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrington Dental PracticeGreat Torrington | 18.4 miles north | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (238 reviews) |
| Plymouth Dental Centre of ExcellenceSaltash | 20.6 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (768 reviews) |
| Meavy Way Dental PracticePlymouth | 21.1 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 3.6 (238 reviews) |
| Eilertsen Dental Care, PlymouthPlymouth | 21.2 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (273 reviews) |
| Crownhill Dental Practice - PlymouthPlymouth | 21.2 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (236 reviews) |
| Queen Annes Dental PracticeBideford | 22.2 miles north | ✓ | ✓ | 4.4 (38 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Frankaborough with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Great Torrington, 18.4 miles north; the next are Saltash (20.6 miles south) and Plymouth (21.1 miles south).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Great Torrington | 1 | 18.4 miles north |
| Saltash | 1 | 20.6 miles south |
| Plymouth | 6 | 21.1 miles south |
| Bideford | 1 | 22.2 miles north |
| Ashburton | 1 | 26.4 miles south-east |
| Barnstaple | 4 | 26.5 miles north |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
The NHS route from Frankaborough, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Bupa Dental Care, 18.9 miles away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is Torrington Dental Practice, Great Torrington, 18.4 miles away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. The hospital for complex cases | The nearest university dental hospital is Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth, about 21 miles away. |
| 4. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Frankaborough are commissioned by NHS Devon Integrated Care Board. |
NHS orthodontics is free for eligible under-18s and is reached by referral. Distances are straight-line.
NHS orthodontic treatment in Frankaborough follows a structured pathway from your dentist through to a specialist. It's free for eligible under-18s and aimed primarily at children and teenagers with significant malocclusion. The main limitation is waiting time, which can be substantial across Devon.
How Long Is the NHS Wait in Frankaborough?
Many patients in Devon 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.
What NHS Treatment Costs in Frankaborough
An NHS course covers the entire treatment: appointments, the brace, adjustments, de-bonding and retainers.
Private treatment in Frankaborough 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 Orthodontic Access in Frankaborough
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. How long NHS treatment takes to start in Devon depends heavily on the individual practice's current caseload.
Orthodontic practices in and around Frankaborough vary in the treatments and appointment types they offer. Frankaborough's deprivation ranking places it in a more deprived band than most of England. 22.6% of 5-year-olds across this ICB have visible dental decay, per OHID's most recent figures. Census 2021 counts 1,851 residents in the neighbourhood around Frankaborough, 5.8% of them aged 10 to 15, below the 6.3% average across Devon. The nearest university dental hospital to Frankaborough is Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth, about 21 miles away, where hospital orthodontic referrals are seen. Frankaborough — smaller rural: Further from a major town or city by ONS classification — is covered by NHS Devon Integrated Care Board for NHS dentistry. Frankaborough's under-16 share sits at 15.1%, per the 2021 Census. Secondary-age pupils near Frankaborough attend schools such as Launceston College (5.9 miles). People in Frankaborough usually travel further for an orthodontist: the nearest on our register is about 18 miles away. No orthodontic practice is recorded in Frankaborough. The nearest we do hold are Torrington Dental Practice in Great Torrington, about 18 miles away; Plymouth Dental Centre of Excellence in Saltash, about 21 miles away; and Transit Way Dental & Implant Clinic in Plymouth, about 21 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.
Kids' Braces & Interceptive Treatment in Frankaborough
For many families in Frankaborough, the question isn't whether their child needs treatment — it's when to start. Parents in Frankaborough increasingly bring children for a first assessment around age 7-8. A photo assessment is a gentle way to get an early steer before booking anything.
The Age-7 Assessment
The British Orthodontic Society recommends an orthodontic assessment by age 7 for children with notable concerns. At age 7, most children have their first permanent molars and incisors, giving an orthodontist enough information to evaluate jaw relationships, arch development, bite patterns, and likely future crowding.
Orthodontic Eligibility in Frankaborough
Many patients in Frankaborough are surprised they don't automatically qualify for NHS braces. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) is the primary tool used across Devon to decide who receives funded treatment. This guide explains how IOTN works, who qualifies, and what private options exist if you don't.
Eligibility in Frankaborough — Local Context
NHS orthodontic waiting times in Devon vary significantly by practice and by how the referral was made.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Frankaborough
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Frankaborough?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Frankaborough is Torrington Dental Practice in Great Torrington, about 18.4 miles to the north. The next closest are Plymouth Dental Centre of Excellence (20.6 miles) and Transit Way Dental & Implant Clinic (20.7 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Frankaborough?
Our register has 0 practices within 5 miles of Frankaborough, 0 practices within 10 miles and 1 practice within 20 miles. None is inside 5 miles; the closest is in Great Torrington, 18.4 miles away.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Frankaborough?
The nearest practice to Frankaborough that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is Torrington Dental Practice in Great Torrington, about 18.4 miles to the north. Others nearby include Plymouth Dental Centre of Excellence (20.6 miles) and Meavy Way Dental Practice (21.1 miles).
How deprived is Frankaborough compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Frankaborough 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 Frankaborough?
15.1% of the local population is under 16, per the most recent Census.
Is tooth decay common among young children near Frankaborough?
Regionally, 22.6% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay, per OHID data.
What kind of area is Frankaborough?
ONS classifies Frankaborough as smaller rural: Further from a major town or city.
Are NHS orthodontists the same as private ones?
Frequently the same specialist, sometimes even the same practice, provides both. The clinical skill doesn't change — what differs between the two routes is appliance choice, waiting time and how personalised the experience is.
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 Devon
Explore nhs treatment information for other towns and cities in Devon — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: