NHS Treatment in Westfields at a Glance
| NHS dental services | NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire 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 | 19.3% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 8.2% of 1,397 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Nearest practice listing NHS | Willows Dentistry, Hereford — 1.4 miles; 3 within 10 miles |
| Nearest secondary schools | Whitecross Hereford — 0.3 miles Aylestone School — 1.9 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Urban: Further from a major town or city |
| Daily activities limited by health | 16.1% 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 Westfields
On our practice register: 9 practices within 5 miles of Westfields, 9 practices within 10 and 14 practices within 20. The closest is St.Owen Dental Studio in Hereford, 1.4 miles south-east. The nearest listing NHS orthodontics is Willows Dentistry, 1.4 miles south-east.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willows DentistryHereford | 1.4 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (196 reviews) |
| St Martins Dental & Implant ClinicHereford | 1.7 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (167 reviews) |
| Tupsley Dental Practice and Implant CentreHereford | 1.8 miles east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (146 reviews) |
| Phoenix OrthodonticsGloucester | 25.5 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.5 (163 reviews) |
| Gloucester Dental CareGloucester | 25.6 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 3.6 (249 reviews) |
| The Limes Dental Practice, GloucesterGloucester | 26.1 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (208 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Westfields with practices listing NHS orthodontics
The closest town with practices listing NHS orthodontics is Hereford, 1.4 miles south-east; the next are Gloucester (25.5 miles south-east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Hereford | 3 | 1.4 miles south-east |
| Gloucester | 3 | 25.5 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 Westfields
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Willows Dentistry in Hereford (4.9 from 196 reviews), 1.4 miles south-east.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Willows DentistryHereford | 4.9 (196 reviews) | 1.4 miles south-east |
| Tupsley Dental Practice and Implant CentreHereford | 4.9 (146 reviews) | 1.8 miles east |
| St Martins Dental & Implant ClinicHereford | 4.8 (167 reviews) | 1.7 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 Westfields, step by step
| Step | Where it is from here |
|---|---|
| 1. Your dentist screens | The nearest general dentist on our register is Bupa Dental Care, 12.7 miles away. They check the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and refer. |
| 2. The NHS orthodontic practice | The nearest practice listing NHS orthodontics is Willows Dentistry, Hereford, 1.4 miles away. Referrals go to a practice with an NHS contract. |
| 3. Who commissions it | NHS dental services around Westfields are commissioned by NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board. |
NHS orthodontics is free for eligible under-18s and is reached by referral. Distances are straight-line.
NHS orthodontic treatment in Westfields follows a structured pathway from your dentist through to a specialist. The process starts with your dentist, includes a formal eligibility assessment, and places you on a waiting list. The main limitation is waiting time, which can be substantial across Herefordshire.
NHS Waiting Times in Westfields
NHS orthodontic waiting times in Herefordshire 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 Westfields
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 Herefordshire differ considerably between practices and can change over time.
Not every practice near Westfields offers the same treatments, so it's worth checking what each one covers. By national deprivation ranking, Westfields is roughly mid-table for England. OHID's regional oral-health data records visible dental decay in 19.4% of local 5-year-olds. Most NHS orthodontic treatment begins between ages 10 and 15, and that band makes up 8.2% of the 1,397 residents in Westfields's census neighbourhood, above the 6.2% average across Herefordshire. Westfields sits within NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board for NHS dental commissioning. Officially, Westfields is categorised as urban: Further from a major town or city. Westfields's under-16 share sits at 19.3%, per the 2021 Census. The closest secondary schools to Westfields are Whitecross Hereford (0.3 miles) and Aylestone School (1.9 miles). 4 secondary schools are within three miles. Westfields's Local Authority has 110 schools educating 24,851 pupils (DfE data). Measured by orthodontic practices within five miles (9), Westfields has more choice than 72% of towns in England. We hold no orthodontic practice records in Westfields itself. The nearest we do hold are St.Owen Dental Studio in Hereford, about a mile away; Buckingham House Dental Surgery in Great Malvern, about 18 miles away; and The Mayhill Dental & Specialist Centre in Monmouth, about 18 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.
What NHS Treatment Costs in Westfields
The NHS route covers the whole course, from the specialist assessment to the retainers at the end.
Going private for the same metal braces in Westfields costs roughly £1,500–£3,500; you're paying for immediate access and appliance choice rather than a better clinical result.
Orthodontic Eligibility in Westfields
NHS orthodontic treatment is not available to everyone. NHS-contracted orthodontists in Herefordshire apply the same national criteria consistently. Understanding the scoring in advance means a more informed conversation with your dentist.
Adult NHS Orthodontic Access in Westfields
Adults (18 and over) are rarely eligible for NHS orthodontic treatment in Westfields. NHS funding for adults is generally limited to severe clinical cases — such as jaw surgery patients or those with significant cleft palate-related needs. Cosmetic adult orthodontics is not NHS-funded.
Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Westfields
Children's orthodontics in Westfields covers a spectrum from early monitoring to active interceptive treatment. Not every child who sees an orthodontist needs treatment right away, but early identification allows targeted intervention. This guide explains the age-7 assessment, interceptive options and NHS access for children.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions — NHS Treatment in Westfields
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Westfields?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Westfields is St.Owen Dental Studio in Hereford, about 1.4 miles to the south-east. The next closest are Willows Dentistry (1.4 miles) and Evans Morton & Evans Orthodontics (1.6 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Westfields?
Our register has 9 practices within 5 miles of Westfields, 9 practices within 10 miles and 14 practices within 20 miles.
Is there an NHS orthodontist near Westfields?
The nearest practice to Westfields that lists NHS orthodontic treatment is Willows Dentistry in Hereford, about 1.4 miles to the south-east. Others nearby include St Martins Dental & Implant Clinic (1.7 miles) and Tupsley Dental Practice and Implant Centre (1.8 miles).
Which NHS body covers Westfields for dental care?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board.
How deprived is Westfields compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Westfields is close to the England average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
How many schools are in Westfields's area?
DfE figures put 110 schools and 24,851 pupils across Westfields's Local Authority.
Is Westfields a family area?
Census data puts 19.3% of Westfields's population at under 16.
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 Herefordshire
Explore nhs treatment information for other towns and cities in Herefordshire — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: