NHS Treatment in Holt Wood at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board |
|---|---|
| NHS orthodontic charges | Free for eligible under-18s; adults pay Band 3 (£332.10) |
| Deprivation | Around the England average |
| Residents under 16 | 14.7% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 6.8% of 2,408 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | POOLE ORTHODONTICS LTD, Broadstone — 7 miles; 11 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill — 2.9 miles Emmanuel Church of England Middle School — 3.3 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 15.3% 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 Holt Wood
On our practice register: None within 5 miles of Holt Wood; 22 practices within 10 and 37 practices within 20. The closest is The Straight Tooth Company in Ringwood, 6.9 miles east. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is POOLE ORTHODONTICS LTD, 7.0 miles south.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POOLE ORTHODONTICS LTDBroadstone | 7.0 miles south | ✓ | – | – |
| Wallisdown Dental PracticeBournemouth | 7.3 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (274 reviews) |
| New Leaf DentalBournemouth | 8.3 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (73 reviews) |
| Seaview Dental PracticePoole | 8.3 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (210 reviews) |
| Westbourne Dental SurgeryBournemouth | 9.0 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.7 (73 reviews) |
| Only OrthodonticsBournemouth | 9.1 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (150 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Holt Wood with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Broadstone, 7.0 miles south; the next are Bournemouth (7.3 miles south) and Poole (8.3 miles south).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Broadstone | 1 | 7.0 miles south |
| Bournemouth | 7 | 7.3 miles south |
| Poole | 4 | 8.3 miles south |
| Christchurch | 2 | 10.5 miles south-east |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of Holt Wood
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Dental on the Banks in Poole (4.9 from 1,019 reviews), 10.1 miles south.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dental on the BanksPoole | 4.9 (1,019 reviews) | 10.1 miles south |
| Ocean DentalcareBournemouth | 4.9 (401 reviews) | 9.6 miles south-east |
| Dorset Dental ClinicPoole | 4.9 (389 reviews) | 9.1 miles south |
| Dorset Dental ImplantsPoole | 4.9 (237 reviews) | 9.1 miles south |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
The NHS route from Holt Wood, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is mydentist, 3.8 miles away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is POOLE ORTHODONTICS LTD, Broadstone, 7 miles away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Holt Wood are commissioned by NHS Dorset 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 Holt Wood focuses limited resources on the greatest clinical need. Eligible under-18s get excellent clinical outcomes at no cost. Knowing what the NHS can and cannot provide makes the NHS-versus-private decision clearer.
NHS Orthodontic Access in Holt Wood
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 Dorset depends heavily on the individual practice's current caseload.
Holt Wood has no orthodontic practice of its own, but a dentist — mydentist — is about 4 miles away, and a general dentist is who most people ask for an orthodontic referral in the first place. Holt Wood's deprivation ranking is neither notably high nor low compared with England as a whole. OHID data for this ICB shows 16.7% of 5-year-olds with visible dental decay. In the census neighbourhood around Holt Wood, 6.8% of the 2,408 residents are aged 10 to 15, above the 6.3% average across Dorset, the age band in which most NHS orthodontic treatment begins. NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board is the NHS body responsible for dental commissioning in Holt Wood. Holt Wood's ONS geography type is smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city. Holt Wood's under-16 share sits at 14.7%, per the 2021 Census. The closest secondary schools to Holt Wood are St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill (2.9 miles) and Emmanuel Church of England Middle School (3.3 miles). 1 secondary school is within three miles. There are 179 schools and 51,332 pupils in Holt Wood's Local Authority area, per DfE data. Holt Wood has no orthodontic practice within five miles on our register, and the closest is roughly 7 miles away. No orthodontic practice is recorded in Holt Wood. The nearest we do hold are The Straight Tooth Company in Ringwood, about 7 miles away; Poole Orthodontics UK in Broadstone, about 7 miles away; and Wallisdown Dental Practice in Bournemouth, about 7 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.
NHS Orthodontic Costs in Holt Wood
On the NHS, one course of treatment runs from fitting right through to retainers, with nothing added along the way.
Going private for the same metal braces in Holt Wood costs roughly £1,500–£3,500; you're paying for immediate access and appliance choice rather than a better clinical result.
How Long Is the NHS Wait in Holt Wood?
Many patients in Dorset 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.
Early Orthodontic Assessment for Children in Holt Wood
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. Early review can prevent more complex problems later and simplify treatment when it does begin.
Children's Orthodontics in Holt Wood — Local Context
Holt Wood has no orthodontic practice of its own, but a dentist — mydentist — is about 4 miles away, and a general dentist is who most people ask for an orthodontic referral in the first place. 14.7% of Holt Wood's residents are under 16, per the 2021 Census. In the census neighbourhood around Holt Wood, 6.8% of the 2,408 residents are aged 10 to 15, above the 6.3% average across Dorset, the age band in which most NHS orthodontic treatment begins. Families in Holt Wood are served by secondary schools including St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill (2.9 miles) and Emmanuel Church of England Middle School (3.3 miles). 1 secondary school is within three miles. Holt Wood's Local Authority area covers 179 schools and 51,332 pupils, according to DfE figures. OHID's regional oral-health data records visible dental decay in 16.7% of local 5-year-olds. ONS classifies Holt Wood as smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city. Holt Wood sits within NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board for NHS dental commissioning. By national deprivation ranking, Holt Wood is roughly mid-table for England. People in Holt Wood usually travel further for an orthodontist: the nearest on our register is about 7 miles away. They typically offer children's assessments and NHS-funded treatment for eligible patients.
Am I Eligible for NHS Orthodontics in Holt Wood?
NHS orthodontic treatment is not available to everyone. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) is the primary tool used across Dorset to decide who receives funded treatment. Knowing where you stand before the referral process saves time and manages expectations in Holt Wood.
Eligibility in Holt Wood — Local Context
NHS waiting times in Dorset are not fixed — they depend on the referring practice and local demand at the time.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Holt Wood
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Holt Wood?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Holt Wood is The Straight Tooth Company in Ringwood, about 6.9 miles to the east. The next closest are Poole Orthodontics UK (7.0 miles) and POOLE ORTHODONTICS LTD (7.0 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Holt Wood?
Our register has 0 practices within 5 miles of Holt Wood, 22 practices within 10 miles and 37 practices within 20 miles. None is inside 5 miles; the closest is in Ringwood, 6.9 miles away.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Holt Wood?
The nearest practice to Holt Wood that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is POOLE ORTHODONTICS LTD in Broadstone, about 7.0 miles to the south. Others nearby include Wallisdown Dental Practice (7.3 miles) and New Leaf Dental (8.3 miles).
Where's the nearest dentist to Holt Wood?
No orthodontic practice covers Holt Wood directly — the nearest dentist, mydentist, is about 4 miles away and is a normal first stop for a referral into orthodontic care.
Is Holt Wood rural or urban?
By ONS classification, Holt Wood falls under smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city.
How deprived is Holt Wood compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Holt Wood is close to the England average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
Who commissions NHS dentistry in Holt Wood?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board.
What if the NHS wait is too long?
Going private removes the wait entirely, with the same clinical outcomes plus a wider choice of brace type and a more personalised experience — for a higher price than the NHS charge.
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 Dorset
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