NHS Treatment in True Street 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 | Around the England average |
| Residents under 16 | 14.9% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 6.4% of 1,892 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic, Totnes — under a mile; 7 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | King Edward VI Community College — 1.7 miles Paignton Academy — 3.3 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth — about 20 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Larger rural: Further from a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 22.4% 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 True Street
On our practice register: 5 practices within 5 miles of True Street, 16 practices within 10 and 21 practices within 20. The closest is Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic in Totnes, 0.8 miles west. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic, 0.8 miles west.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dart Vale Dental & Implant ClinicTotnes | 0.8 miles west | ✓ | ✓ | 4.6 (501 reviews) |
| Identiti UK | Orthodontic Laboratory and Training CoursesTotnes | 1.3 miles west | ✓ | ✓ | 5.0 (3 reviews) |
| Ocean Orthodontic ClinicCockington | 5.2 miles north-east | ✓ | ✓ | 5.0 (534 reviews) |
| OCEAN ORTHODONTIC CLINICTorquay | 5.2 miles north-east | ✓ | – | – |
| Fresh Dental & Implant ClinicDartmouth | 6.1 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.4 (104 reviews) |
| Devon Dental Centre of ExcellenceAshburton | 7.2 miles north-west | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (243 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to True Street with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Totnes, 0.8 miles west; the next are Cockington (5.2 miles north-east) and Torquay (5.2 miles north-east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Totnes | 2 | 0.8 miles west |
| Cockington | 1 | 5.2 miles north-east |
| Torquay | 1 | 5.2 miles north-east |
| Dartmouth | 1 | 6.1 miles south-east |
| Ashburton | 1 | 7.2 miles north-west |
| Newton Abbot | 1 | 7.3 miles north |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of True Street
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Ocean Orthodontic Clinic in Cockington (5.0 from 534 reviews), 5.2 miles north-east.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Orthodontic ClinicCockington | 5.0 (534 reviews) | 5.2 miles north-east |
| Victoria Road Dental Practice LtdExmouth | 4.8 (809 reviews) | 16.9 miles north-east |
| Devon Dental Centre of ExcellenceAshburton | 4.8 (243 reviews) | 7.2 miles north-west |
| Dart Vale Dental & Implant ClinicTotnes | 4.6 (501 reviews) | 0.8 miles west |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
The NHS route from True Street, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Bupa Dental Care, 6.5 miles away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic, Totnes, 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 Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth, about 20 miles away. |
| 4. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around True Street 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 orthodontics in True Street funds treatment for patients who meet the IOTN clinical need threshold. It's free for eligible under-18s and aimed primarily at children and teenagers with significant malocclusion. For those who don't qualify or can't wait, private treatment fills the gap effectively.
What NHS Treatment Costs in True Street
On the NHS, one course of treatment runs from fitting right through to retainers, with nothing added along the way.
Equivalent private metal braces in True Street typically run £1,500–£3,500 — far more than NHS treatment, but with no waiting list and a wider choice of appliance.
How Long Is the NHS Wait in True Street?
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.
NHS Orthodontic Access in True Street
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 Devon differ considerably between practices and can change over time.
Not every practice near True Street offers the same treatments, so it's worth checking what each one covers. True Street's deprivation ranking is neither notably high nor low compared with England as a whole. OHID's regional oral-health data records visible dental decay in 22.6% of local 5-year-olds. Most NHS orthodontic treatment begins between ages 10 and 15, and that band makes up 6.4% of the 1,892 residents in True Street's census neighbourhood, close to the 6.3% average across Devon. For hospital-based orthodontic care, True Street is about 20 miles from Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth. True Street — larger rural: Further from a major town or city by ONS classification — is covered by NHS Devon Integrated Care Board for NHS dentistry. Census data puts 14.9% of True Street's population at under 16. Secondary-age pupils near True Street attend schools such as King Edward VI Community College (1.7 miles) and Paignton Academy (3.3 miles). 1 secondary school is within three miles. With 5 orthodontic practices within five miles, True Street is better served than 60% of towns in England. No orthodontic practice is recorded in True Street. The closest on record are Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic in Totnes, under a mile away; South Devon Dental in Torquay, about 4 miles away; and GreenTree Dental Implant Clinic in Paignton, 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.
Children's Orthodontics in True Street
For many families in True Street, the question isn't whether their child needs treatment — it's when to start. Understanding the difference between monitoring, interceptive and definitive treatment helps parents navigate it. 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.
NHS Brace Eligibility in True Street
Many patients in True Street are surprised they don't automatically qualify for NHS braces. NHS-contracted orthodontists in Devon apply the same national criteria consistently. Understanding the scoring in advance means a more informed conversation with your dentist.
Eligibility in True Street — Local Context
NHS waiting times in Devon are not fixed — they depend on the referring practice and local demand at the time.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in True Street
Where is the nearest orthodontist to True Street?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to True Street is Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic in Totnes, about 0.8 miles to the west. The next closest are Identiti UK | Orthodontic Laboratory and Training Courses (1.3 miles) and South Devon Dental (3.9 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near True Street?
Our register has 5 practices within 5 miles of True Street, 16 practices within 10 miles and 21 practices within 20 miles.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near True Street?
The nearest practice to True Street that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is Dart Vale Dental & Implant Clinic in Totnes, about 0.8 miles to the west. Others nearby include Identiti UK | Orthodontic Laboratory and Training Courses (1.3 miles) and Ocean Orthodontic Clinic (5.2 miles).
What towns are near True Street?
Nearby towns include Totnes, Cornworthy, Littlehempston.
How deprived is True Street compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, True Street is close to the England average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
How's children's dental health in True Street's area?
Regionally, 22.6% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay, per OHID data.
How many families live in True Street?
Census data puts 14.9% of True Street's population at under 16.
How long is the NHS orthodontic wait in True Street?
NHS orthodontic waiting times in Devon typically range from 12 to 24 months — and in some areas longer. Private treatment has no waiting list and usually begins within weeks of consultation.
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: