NHS Treatment in Swiss Cottage at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS West and North London 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 | 16.7% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 7.5% of 1,514 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | [le] dental, Kilburn — under a mile; 15 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | Harris Academy St John's Wood — 0.2 miles The UCL Academy — 0.4 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | UCL Eastman Dental Hospital, London — about 3 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Urban: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 20.4% 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 Swiss Cottage
On our practice register: 84 practices within 5 miles of Swiss Cottage, 181 practices within 10 and 381 practices within 20. The closest is [le] dental in Kilburn, 0.3 miles north. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is [le] dental, 0.3 miles north.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [le] dentalKilburn | 0.3 miles north | ✓ | ✓ | 5.0 (238 reviews) |
| ST JOHNS WOOD ORTHODONTIC CLINICLondon | 0.3 miles south-east | ✓ | – | – |
| Willow Tree Dental and Orthodontic CentreLondon | 0.4 miles north-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (129 reviews) |
| Advance Dental Suite - Dental Implants | Composite Bonding | Invisalign & Teeth Straightening | Emergency | HygienistKilburn | 0.7 miles west | ✓ | ✓ | 4.6 (647 reviews) |
| ANGLE HOUSE ORTHODONTICS CRICKLEWOODLondon | 1.9 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – |
| THE LONDON LINGUAL ORTHODONTICS CLINICLondon | 2.0 miles south-east | ✓ | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Swiss Cottage with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Kilburn, 0.3 miles north; the next are London (0.3 miles south-east) and Soho (2.1 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 Swiss Cottage
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is [le] dental in Kilburn (5.0 from 238 reviews), 0.3 miles north.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| [le] dentalKilburn | 5.0 (238 reviews) | 0.3 miles north |
| Bass OrthodonticsSoho | 4.9 (175 reviews) | 2.1 miles south-east |
| Willow Tree Dental and Orthodontic CentreLondon | 4.9 (129 reviews) | 0.4 miles north-east |
| The London Smile ClinicLondon | 4.8 (309 reviews) | 2.1 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 Swiss Cottage, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Smile Solutions, 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 [le] dental, Kilburn, under a mile away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. The hospital for complex cases | The nearest university dental hospital is UCL Eastman Dental Hospital in London, about 3 miles away. |
| 4. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Swiss Cottage are commissioned by NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board. |
NHS orthodontics is free for eligible under-18s and is reached by referral. Distances are straight-line.
For families in Swiss Cottage, the NHS pathway offers a subsidised route to fixed braces for eligible children. 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 Greater London.
NHS Waiting Times in Swiss Cottage
NHS orthodontic waiting times in Greater London 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.
NHS Orthodontic Access in Swiss Cottage
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 Greater London depends heavily on the individual practice's current caseload.
Orthodontic practices in and around Swiss Cottage vary in the treatments and appointment types they offer. National deprivation data ranks Swiss Cottage among England's more deprived areas. In the census neighbourhood around Swiss Cottage, 7.5% of the 1,514 residents are aged 10 to 15, above the 6.8% average across Greater London, the age band in which most NHS orthodontic treatment begins. Complex cases can be referred to a hospital orthodontic department; the nearest university dental hospital to Swiss Cottage is UCL Eastman Dental Hospital in London, about 3 miles away. NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board is the NHS body responsible for dental commissioning in Swiss Cottage. ONS classifies Swiss Cottage as urban: Nearer to a major town or city. Census figures show 16.7% of the local population is under 16. Families in Swiss Cottage are served by secondary schools including Harris Academy St John's Wood (0.2 miles) and The UCL Academy (0.4 miles). 35 secondary schools are within three miles. There are 89 schools and 28,805 pupils in Swiss Cottage's Local Authority area, per DfE data. Measured by orthodontic practices within five miles (83), Swiss Cottage has more choice than 99% of towns in England. There is no orthodontist on our records in Swiss Cottage itself. The nearest recorded are [le] dental in Kilburn, under a mile away; ST JOHNS WOOD ORTHODONTIC CLINIC in London, under a mile away; and St Johns Wood Orthodontic Clinic in Abbey Road, under a mile 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.
What NHS Treatment Costs in Swiss Cottage
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 Swiss Cottage costs roughly £1,500–£3,500; you're paying for immediate access and appliance choice rather than a better clinical result.
Kids' Braces & Interceptive Treatment in Swiss Cottage
Spotting a developing problem early rarely means treating it straight away. Parents in Swiss Cottage increasingly bring children for a first assessment around age 7-8. This guide explains the age-7 assessment, interceptive options and NHS access for children.
Children's Orthodontics in Swiss Cottage — Local Context
Not every practice near Swiss Cottage offers the same treatments, so it's worth checking what each one covers. Swiss Cottage's under-16 share sits at 16.7%, per the 2021 Census. In the census neighbourhood around Swiss Cottage, 7.5% of the 1,514 residents are aged 10 to 15, above the 6.8% average across Greater London, the age band in which most NHS orthodontic treatment begins. The closest secondary schools to Swiss Cottage are Harris Academy St John's Wood (0.2 miles) and The UCL Academy (0.4 miles). 35 secondary schools are within three miles. Swiss Cottage's Local Authority area covers 89 schools and 28,805 pupils, according to DfE figures. Swiss Cottage's ONS geography type is urban: Nearer to a major town or city. NHS dental commissioning in Swiss Cottage falls under NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board. National deprivation data ranks Swiss Cottage among England's more deprived areas. Swiss Cottage has 83 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 99% of towns in England. The nearest university dental hospital to Swiss Cottage is UCL Eastman Dental Hospital, London, about 3 miles away, where hospital orthodontic referrals are seen. They typically offer children's assessments and NHS-funded treatment for eligible patients.
NHS Brace Eligibility in Swiss Cottage
Whether you or your child qualifies for NHS treatment in Swiss Cottage comes down to a structured assessment. It measures the complexity and impact of the problem, and only cases above a threshold score receive NHS funding. If NHS funding isn't available, private treatment has no eligibility threshold and no waiting list.
Eligibility in Swiss Cottage — Local Context
Waiting times for NHS orthodontic treatment in Greater London differ considerably between practices and can change over time.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Swiss Cottage
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Swiss Cottage?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Swiss Cottage is [le] dental in Kilburn, about 0.3 miles to the north. The next closest are St Johns Wood Orthodontic Clinic (0.3 miles) and ST JOHNS WOOD ORTHODONTIC CLINIC (0.3 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Swiss Cottage?
Our register has 84 practices within 5 miles of Swiss Cottage, 181 practices within 10 miles and 381 practices within 20 miles.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Swiss Cottage?
The nearest practice to Swiss Cottage that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is [le] dental in Kilburn, about 0.3 miles to the north. Others nearby include ST JOHNS WOOD ORTHODONTIC CLINIC (0.3 miles) and Willow Tree Dental and Orthodontic Centre (0.4 miles).
How many schools are in Swiss Cottage's area?
Swiss Cottage's Local Authority has 89 schools educating 28,805 pupils (DfE data).
How deprived is Swiss Cottage compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Swiss Cottage is more deprived than most of England. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
Which towns are close to Swiss Cottage?
Nearby towns include West Hampstead, Frognal and Fitzjohns, Belsize Park.
Is Swiss Cottage rural or urban?
By ONS classification, Swiss Cottage falls under urban: Nearer to a major town or city.
Are NHS orthodontists the same as private ones?
Often the same specialist orthodontists provide both NHS and private care, sometimes from the same practice. The clinical skill is identical; what differs is the appliance choice, waiting time and level of personalisation between the two funding routes.
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 Greater London
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