Virtual Consultant Online on Facebook

What the Facebook page is for

The Virtual Consultant Online Facebook page is a low-pressure place to keep up with patient education, new guides and practical reminders without having to remember to visit the website. It suits people who are still deciding whether orthodontic treatment is right for them, parents comparing options for a child, and adults who have thought about straightening their teeth for years and want to read around the subject before they speak to anyone. Posts are written for patients, in plain English, and point back to fuller guides on this site when a topic needs more room than a post allows.

The topics we post about

Posts follow the questions UK patients ask most: how braces and clear aligners differ, how long treatment usually takes, what a first orthodontic appointment involves, how NHS eligibility works for children and teenagers, how retainers protect results afterwards, and what to expect from a remote photo assessment. Because the same topics appear in the site guides, you can use a post as a quick refresher and open the linked guide when you want the detail. Nothing on the page is a substitute for an individual assessment, and posts say so.

Using Facebook alongside the full guides

A social post is a summary. The full guides cover the same subjects with comparison tables, sources and frequently asked questions, so they are the better place to check a detail before you act on it. If a post mentions braces, the braces hub explains the types and the typical stages. If it mentions aligners, the clear aligners hub covers wear time, attachments and who they suit. If it mentions cost, the cost pages explain what drives the price of treatment. Treat Facebook as the shortcut and the site as the reference.

For parents and families

A large part of the audience is parents researching treatment for a child or teenager. The most useful starting points are how orthodontic need is assessed, when assessment commonly happens, and how NHS-funded and private care differ in the UK. The eligibility pages explain the IOTN scale that NHS services use to decide whether a child qualifies. Reading those before an appointment makes it easier to ask sensible questions and to understand the answer you are given, whichever route you choose.

For adults thinking about treatment

Adults are often surprised to learn that age is rarely the barrier people assume. What matters is the health of your teeth and gums, the bite, and what you want to change. The adult braces and adult aligner guides explain the options, the usual trade-offs between visibility, speed and comfort, and why a dental check-up and a clear plan matter before starting. Following the page is an easy way to meet those ideas gradually rather than all at once.

Social content is not a clinical assessment

A post cannot see your teeth, your bite or your medical history, so it cannot tell you what treatment you need or whether you need any. Before and after images in particular show one person's outcome, and results vary. The only route on this site that involves a clinician reviewing your own photos is the guided photo assessment. It gives an indication of suitable options and cost guidance, and a registered dental professional remains responsible for any treatment plan that follows.

Moving from reading to a quote

When you have read enough, the guided photo assessment is the practical next step. You take a short series of photos at home, answer a few questions about what you would like to change, and a clinician reviews them. You do not need to follow the page or hold a Facebook account to do this, and the assessment does not commit you to treatment. If you would rather compare costs first, the calculator and cost guides give a realistic picture of what influences the price.

Where to ask questions

Facebook messages are not monitored as a clinical or support channel, so please do not send treatment questions, urgent problems or anything about a submitted assessment there. Comments and messages on social platforms can go unread, and they are not a secure place to share health information. For any enquiry about your own case, use the contact page or the details in your assessment, and for urgent dental problems contact your dentist or NHS 111.

Useful related pages

This guide is for general information only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for advice from a registered dentist or orthodontist.