NHS Treatment in Long Sight at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS Greater Manchester 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 | 16.1% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 6.8% of 1,532 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | The Tooth Place Dental Surgery, Chadderton — 1.3 miles; 12 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | E-ACT the Oldham Academy North — 0.2 miles E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy — 0.7 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Manchester University Dental Hospital, Manchester — about 8 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Urban: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 18.1% 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 Long Sight
On our practice register: 16 practices within 5 miles of Long Sight, 64 practices within 10 and 179 practices within 20. The closest is The Tooth Place Dental Surgery in Chadderton, 1.3 miles south. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is The Tooth Place Dental Surgery, 1.3 miles south.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tooth Place Dental SurgeryChadderton | 1.3 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.6 (106 reviews) |
| Oldham OrthodonticsChadderton | 2.4 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 4.6 (86 reviews) |
| Crescent OrthodonticsRochdale | 3.9 miles north | ✓ | ✓ | 4.4 (104 reviews) |
| Apollonia House Dental & HealthcareMossley | 4.0 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (491 reviews) |
| KML ORTHODONTICSRochdale | 4.4 miles north | ✓ | – | – |
| Links OrthodonticsAshton-under-Lyne | 5.0 miles south | ✓ | ✓ | 2.7 (25 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Long Sight with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Chadderton, 1.3 miles south; the next are Rochdale (3.9 miles north) and Mossley (4.0 miles south-east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Chadderton | 2 | 1.3 miles south |
| Rochdale | 2 | 3.9 miles north |
| Mossley | 1 | 4.0 miles south-east |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | 2 | 5.0 miles south |
| Crumpsall | 1 | 5.0 miles west |
| Heywood | 1 | 5.2 miles north-west |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of Long Sight
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Edenfield Dental Care in Heywood (4.9 from 570 reviews), 5.2 miles north-west.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Edenfield Dental CareHeywood | 4.9 (570 reviews) | 5.2 miles north-west |
| Apollonia House Dental & HealthcareMossley | 4.9 (491 reviews) | 4.0 miles south-east |
| Walmsley DentalDroylsden | 4.9 (347 reviews) | 5.7 miles south |
| Oakley DentalManchester | 4.9 (274 reviews) | 6.4 miles south-west |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
The NHS route from Long Sight, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Bupa Dental Care, under a mile away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is The Tooth Place Dental Surgery, Chadderton, 1.3 miles away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. The hospital for complex cases | The nearest university dental hospital is Manchester University Dental Hospital in Manchester, about 8 miles away. |
| 4. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Long Sight are commissioned by NHS Greater Manchester 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 Long Sight focuses limited resources on the greatest clinical need. It's free for eligible under-18s and aimed primarily at children and teenagers with significant malocclusion. Knowing what the NHS can and cannot provide makes the NHS-versus-private decision clearer.
NHS Orthodontic Access in Long Sight
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 Borough of Oldham are not fixed — they depend on the referring practice and local demand at the time.
There's no orthodontist on record in Long Sight itself; the nearest dentist, Bupa Dental Care, is under a mile away and is a reasonable place to start for a referral. By national deprivation ranking, Long Sight is roughly mid-table for England. Regionally, 30.4% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay (OHID data). Most NHS orthodontic treatment begins between ages 10 and 15, and that band makes up 6.8% of the 1,532 residents in Long Sight's census neighbourhood, below the 8% average across Borough of Oldham. For hospital-based orthodontic care, Long Sight is about 8 miles from Manchester University Dental Hospital in Manchester. Long Sight is classified as urban: Nearer to a major town or city, and NHS dental commissioning here falls under NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board. Census data puts 16.1% of Long Sight's population at under 16. Secondary-age pupils near Long Sight attend schools such as E-ACT the Oldham Academy North (0.2 miles) and E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy (0.7 miles). 15 secondary schools are within three miles. Long Sight's Local Authority area covers 124 schools and 47,369 pupils, according to DfE figures. Long Sight has 15 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 85% of towns in England. There is no orthodontist on our records in Long Sight itself. The closest on record are The Tooth Place Dental Surgery in Chadderton, about a mile away; SimplyOne Dental MIDDLETON, about 4 miles away; and Deeplish Dental Practice in Rochdale, 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.
The NHS Orthodontic Pathway in Long Sight
The NHS pathway in Long Sight is well-structured — here's what to expect at each stage:
- Dental check-up: Your dentist performs an initial IOTN assessment and, if eligible, makes a formal referral.
- Referral to NHS orthodontist: You join the waiting list for the local NHS orthodontic service covering Long Sight.
- Specialist assessment: An orthodontist confirms your IOTN score, takes records, and confirms whether NHS treatment proceeds.
- Brace fitting: Metal fixed braces are fitted — typically 60–90 minutes.
- Active treatment: Adjustment appointments every 6–8 weeks for 18–24 months on average.
- Retention: Retainers provided at completion as part of the NHS course of care.
NHS Waiting Times in Long Sight
NHS orthodontic waiting times in Borough of Oldham vary and can range from 12 to 36 months from referral to treatment starting. For families where timing is important — particularly approaching the optimal treatment age — private orthodontics eliminates the wait entirely and typically begins within a few weeks of consultation.
Understanding Orthodontic Eligibility in Long Sight
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 Long Sight — Local Context
How long NHS treatment takes to start in Borough of Oldham depends heavily on the individual practice's current caseload.
Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Long Sight
Orthodontic problems in children are often best identified early. Understanding the difference between monitoring, interceptive and definitive treatment helps parents navigate it. This guide explains the age-7 assessment, interceptive options and NHS access for children.
Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Long Sight
Space maintainers hold open the gap left by a prematurely lost baby tooth, preventing neighbouring teeth from drifting in before the adult tooth erupts.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Long Sight
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Long Sight?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Long Sight is The Tooth Place Dental Surgery in Chadderton, about 1.3 miles to the south. The next closest are Ascroft Medical - Dental & Medical Clinic (1.4 miles) and Oldham Orthodontics (2.4 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Long Sight?
Our register has 16 practices within 5 miles of Long Sight, 64 practices within 10 miles and 179 practices within 20 miles.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Long Sight?
The nearest practice to Long Sight that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is The Tooth Place Dental Surgery in Chadderton, about 1.3 miles to the south. Others nearby include Oldham Orthodontics (2.4 miles) and Crescent Orthodontics (3.9 miles).
Is there a dentist near Long Sight?
There's no orthodontist based in Long Sight, though Bupa Dental Care (under a mile away) is a general dentist who can carry out an initial assessment and refer on if needed.
Which county covers Long Sight?
Long Sight is in Borough of Oldham.
Which NHS body covers Long Sight for dental care?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board.
How deprived is Long Sight compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Long Sight is close to the England average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
What if the NHS wait is too long?
Private orthodontic treatment removes the waiting list entirely. It offers the same clinical outcomes with greater choice of brace type and typically a more personalised experience — at higher cost 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 Borough of Oldham
Explore nhs treatment information for other towns and cities in Borough of Oldham — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: