Figo puts up with having his teeth checked about as well as most dogs do, which is to say: reluctantly, and with a lot of personality involved. Dental disease is one of the most common problems UK vets see in dogs, and because the early signs – a bit of tartar, breath that’s worse than usual – don’t look urgent, it’s easy to let slide. I wanted to find out what proper dental care for dogs actually looks like here, because “dog dentist” is one of those searches that doesn’t quite match how the profession works in the UK.
There’s no such thing as a “dog dentist” in the UK
In the UK, dental work on dogs is done by vets, not by a separate “dentist” profession the way it is for people. Some vets go further and train specifically in dentistry, earning the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Dentistry credential – a status awarded for genuine extra qualification in the field. As of our last check, there were only 12 of these advanced practitioners across the whole of the UK, so it’s a small, genuinely specialist group, not a parallel high-street profession.
Finding advanced dental care, city by city
We checked where the genuinely specialist options actually sit, rather than just pointing you at the nearest general practice:
- Yorkshire (Leeds / Harrogate area): VetDentist in Harrogate is a dedicated, referral-only dental practice, run by Bob Partridge since 2018, taking patients referred from across the UK. If you’re anywhere in Yorkshire, this is a genuine specialist option, not a general practice that also happens to do teeth.
- Newcastle: two of the UK’s 12 RCVS Advanced Practitioners in Small Animal Dentistry are based in the Newcastle/Tyne and Wear area.
- Bristol: one advanced practitioner is based in the wider Avon area.
- Edinburgh: one advanced practitioner is based just outside the city, in East Lothian.
- Glasgow: one advanced practitioner is based in Stirling, around 30 miles north of Glasgow – close enough to be worth knowing about if you’re in the west of Scotland.
- London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool: we couldn’t confirm a dedicated advanced-dentistry referral practice in any of these specifically – we checked one well-known Birmingham referral hospital and its own RCVS accreditation explicitly excludes dentistry. Your best route in these cities is your own vet: any general practice vet can refer a complicated case to an advanced practitioner or dental referral centre, wherever in the country it is.
You can use the RCVS’s own Find a Vet tool to search for an Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Dentistry, and it’s always worth asking your regular vet whether a referral is worth considering for your dog – our UK vets directory is a good starting point for finding your nearest general practice.
Why we won’t point you toward “anaesthesia-free” teeth cleaning
You’ll see providers offering to scale your dog’s teeth without a general anaesthetic, sometimes marketed as gentler or cheaper. The RCVS’s own position, backed by the British Veterinary Dental Association, is that these procedures “are not in the best interests of the health and welfare” of the animal – without anaesthetic, nobody can properly see or clean below the gumline, and dogs can find the whole process frightening or painful.
More importantly, scaling below the gumline and removing teeth with instruments are both legally acts of veterinary surgery, which only a qualified vet is allowed to perform. A non-vet provider offering these services risks action under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and if a dog is harmed in the process, that opens a separate question under the Animal Welfare Act too. If your dog’s teeth genuinely need cleaning below the gumline, that’s a job for a vet, under anaesthetic, done properly – always speak to your vet first rather than a non-veterinary provider.
Keeping a dental visit calm
Figo isn’t a fan of having his mouth examined, and plenty of dogs feel the same about any vet visit, let alone one involving their teeth. We give him a Calmdogs® calming chew beforehand on visit days – it’s a complementary treat built around chamomile, valerian and passionflower, and it’s specifically marketed for stressful events like vet visits, fireworks and car journeys, not as a sedative or medicine. It won’t fix a genuinely anxious dog’s deeper issues – that’s a conversation for your vet or a qualified behaviourist – but as part of a calmer routine around a visit, it’s a sensible, honest little addition to the kit bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there such a thing as a dedicated "dog dentist" in the UK?
No. Dental work on dogs is done by vets. Some hold the RCVS's Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Dentistry credential, a genuine extra qualification, but there are only around 12 of these vets nationwide – it isn't a separate high-street profession.
How do I find a specialist for my dog's teeth?
Search the RCVS's Find a Vet tool for an Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Dentistry near you, or ask your own vet about a referral – any general practice vet can refer a complicated case on.
Is anaesthesia-free dental cleaning safe for dogs?
The RCVS and British Veterinary Dental Association both advise against it. Scaling below the gumline and removing teeth are legally acts of veterinary surgery that only a vet may perform, and doing this without anaesthetic risks missed problems and distress to the dog.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
