Durham Smile Clinic

Fantastic experience: Great service provided by lovely people

Fantastic experience: All very friendly and an excellent service

Fantastic experience: Very good care, my experience has been friendly and professional; non-judgemental. If you are worried about how bad your teeth are, and that you will be judged, you won't. You will be talked to straightly and given options. It won't be cheap, but they do have finance options; they could explain that better, but then, they don't push you or make you feel like they are selling. So ask about this. I saved up first.

Fantastic experience: Cannot recommend enough. The dentist really put me at ease , as a nervous neurodivergent patient it’s not easy to tolerate the whole experience but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this practice

Fantastic experience: I have been with the practice for many years now and have always found everyone to be welcoming and friendly. They put you at ease and the service I have had has always been exemplary. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: I'm a very nervous patient the receptionist and the dentist were great and I felt very well looked after despite being a nervous wreck.i had two fillings done and even though I was terrified the staff were amazing and made the whole thing as easy for me as possible can't recommend them highly enough

Fantastic experience: Durham Smiles Clinic offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere with staff that are friendly and efficient, making the whole experience as easy and comfortable as possible. Thank you to all concerned.

Fantastic experience: Every interaction with each member of the team has been first class. Thank you

Positive experience: Very professional and swift appointment. Advice given for the future

Fantastic experience: Such a lovely and friendly team. I would 100% recommend to anyone in need of dental aid

Fantastic experience: Very professional and excellent quality service highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: Professionally run practice. Feel confident with the Dentists to do a good job.

Fantastic experience: I’ve been going here for years and while there was an initial disappointment when Stuart left, I seem to finally have got a good dentist again. Let’s hope he sticks around.

Fantastic experience: Highly recommend

Fantastic experience: A trip to the dentist is normally not the nicest place to go but at Durham smile clinic I always receive a great service, they always advise how much my treatment will cost and able to book in appointments

Positive experience: The waiting time at the clinic was too long.

Fantastic experience: Lovely welcoming staff. Always helpful and polite. Dan (the dentist I use) is always friendly and remembers the problems I have with my teeth and always has good customer service skills and patience when treating. Really pleased I made the choice to go private. It is worth the money for a quality service and never feel rushed.

Negative experience: I need more time to see how the new practice is running as my family members have both had bad experiences lately and have moved on to a new dental practice. EDIT. On my last check up, the new dentist looked in my mouth and said everything looked fine. No probing, no checking gums no checking teeth. A visual inspection does not detect decay, gum disease or pain. Either my last dentist was overly cautious or just knew me well. This seems to have gone down hill fast with prices going up fast!

Negative experience: Have dealt with the clinic for a number of years with my two eldest children. Previously never had issues however over the last year constantly cancelling/rearranging appointments. Having taken the day off work to take my daughter to her appointment at 0950 to have her braces removed (after the 4th time of them rescheduling) I receive a call at 0840 to cancel!! Absolutely disgraceful!!!

Positive experience: The clinic is not what it was. Lack of permanent Dentists doesn’t make patients feel confident in their treatment. I had 3 things missed on my dental exam by one Dentist who left with immediate effect, which the next Dentist I saw informed me of. Lack of communication/information to patients when cancelling appointments is not the way forward.

Fantastic experience: New patient here - everybody at the Smile Clinic is super friendly and kind, takes time to explain any procedure in full. Great experience so far

Fantastic experience: Everyone there is friendly and helpful. They did amazing work on my son's teeth. They were very thorough and explained everything that was going on.

Fantastic experience: Can get appointments quickly, really listen, first class treatment

Fantastic experience: Stuart Ray is the best dentist I have ever had: calm, professional, reassuring and very gentle. I have had brilliant service from this practice from the moment I became a patient here, and have had the very best experience - from dentistry (crown replacement, broken tooth) to hygiene (special mention for Sarah Gill, the tops!) as well as the dental nurses (Lisa is fantastic) and the very welcoming receptionists.

Positive experience: Has become quit expensive with a reduced treatment plan As ever though , the treatment was excellent

Fantastic experience: Excellent hygeinest.

Fantastic experience: Staff polite helpful and friendly

Negative experience: Disappointed is an understatement been with this dentist a number of years and had previously left 5 star review as I had an infection in my tooth twice and wanted it pulled I took there advice paid £300 for treatment which ended august 2022 and all was well. However between now and August I'm on a 2nd infection in the same tooth the last time I ended up in hospital last time taking dangerously high volumes of pain relief and 2 lots of antibiotics this infection has started again so I booked emergency appointment to have the tooth pulled to avoid a similar scenario. I explained the previous situation I'm trying to avoid and they said I do not have an infection I pleaded for them to remove the tooth they refused, I have wait and go back when Its really bad. What is the point wasted valuable time and money and just have to wait till I'm overdosing on painkillers before any assistance will be offered I will not be going back and have asked to be removed from their client list

Negative experience: Worst ever experience. Do not use.

Fantastic experience: Extremely helpful and professional to the core. Always willing to help and accommodate your need or problem. The staff are friendly and supportive.

Negative experience: High prices. Would not recommend

Negative experience: Unfortunately as soon as the orthodontist next door lost the NHS contract and they merged the two practices the service disappeared along with a lot of their dentists. We’ve now moved to a different dentist as their communication was non existent.

Negative experience: Absolutely terrible service, this dentist has gone seriously downhill, the new dentist Laila was prepared to leave my 6 year old grandson over Christmas with an infection under his tooth with no antibiotics, we had to push for him to have antibiotics and his mum was told you are taking antibiotics away from someone else that needs them when there is a shortage - we will certainly be changing dentists after this experience, was a much better practice before Portman took over - you need to re train your staff in customer service - they were also more concerned about being paid than treating him

Negative experience: Although the name is similar to the predecessor and it is next door our experience was disappointing with broken equipment (No functioning X ray machine) causing repeated visits including significant work at another dentist. Now has an amateur feel,...... Not what it was.

Negative experience: Zero correspondence whatsoever as to what's happening with orthodontist appointments, I haven't had any date for my next appointment and it's been almost 3 months, absolutely shocking at being able to handle demand

Negative experience: Since they have lost the nhs contract the care has been terrible no appointments and now you can't get through on the telephone so disappointed as it was great before mr steadman retired

Negative experience: Not impressed with this orthodontics at all. Slow treatment progress, older treatment practices, lacking in orthodontists. Usually running late for appointments. Staff are usually pleasant, hence the second star

Positive experience: An excellent service is provided by caring individuals. The only reason I couldn't give 5 stars is the length of time I have to wait between appointments. Three months is too long to wait to get the treatment I have been advised to have. Otherwise first class care

Negative experience: Incapable of identifying emergency treatment and poor clinical and language skills. Inability to speak English and very poorly preformed medical practice

Negative experience: They need Orthodentist’s as we have had cancelled appointments and nobody really cared about their patients . My son has been going for two years had blocks fitted then told didn’t need them them two years later was told he did need them. He went to get them fitted and they were the wrong size . Still on going . Staff friendly but they need Orthodentist’s.

Fantastic experience: friendly and efficient

Fantastic experience: Very thorough and professional service

Negative experience: I would not recommend this place, my son has been turned away at his last 2 appointment to say sorry we sent a letter out, you can never get intouch when you try to phone and never get a reply by email

Fantastic experience: Each appointment has been a good experience..

Fantastic experience: Professional friendly staff. Extremely thorough check up. Spotless surgery

Positive experience: Service is fine but I think there should be some refunds for the fact we couldn't attend for so long.

Fantastic experience: Staff are friendly and helpful. I was made to feel at ease and my treatment was explained step by step.

Fantastic experience: We had to wait some weeks in order to see a dentist but I understand that this is due to the covid situation and they are short staffed. The waiting room is not as cheerful and colourful as it used to be and lacked paintings and plants etc. This of course could be another result of the covid

Fantastic experience: Always get a friendly welcome at reception and by the Dental assistants.

Negative experience: Notwithstanding lockdown, it is impossible to get appointments and there is too long a gap between them. There is now no orthodontist so prescriptions are being advised via photographs and a long wait again for next appointment, at the beginning we were advised 6-9 months, we are approx 18 months and still no idea when the braces will come off

Positive experience: Overall experience is a lovely calm atmosphere,but having to pay for ppe is a con considering it is a private practice so this should be inwith your fees and an added extra

Fantastic experience: Modern, bright, airy premises and friendly, efficient staff provide excellent service. The only problem is that parking in the area can sometimes be difficult.

Fantastic experience: Professional, friendly service, takes great care to do the work reqiured to high standard

Fantastic experience: I am not usually a fan to dentists but from the moment we arrived we felt at ease and respected. Brilliant service.

Fantastic experience: I have been a patient at Durham City Smiles since it opened and have always been happy with by my experiences (despite it being a Dental Surgery!). At present I have just finished the first part of my treatment and was quite relaxed. I was also extremely happy with the way I was treated by all staff.

Fantastic experience: Professional, courteous and caring practice.

Fantastic experience: The dentist explained clearly what he was doing. The procedure was tricky but he succeeded in the task without me suffering much discomfort. I felt great confidence in him

Fantastic experience: Really friendly staff, receptionist, dentist and his assistant Clean, comfortable environment

Fantastic experience: Friendly team great service recommended

Fantastic experience: My only disappointment is in my self for not making an appointment earlier . Was fantastic dentist that a saw put me at ease straight. Told me exactly what a needed to have done . And am booked in for my next 2 appointments. First class worth every penny.

Fantastic experience: Made very comfortable quickly! Very informative and yes would highly recommend Durham smiles!

Fantastic experience: Greame was great, he always make me feel at ease, and I am very disappointed that he is leaving!

Fantastic experience: Belated check up, delayed because of Covid lockdown No 1 in March. Very happy and comfortable to visit during lockdown 2, comprehensive Covid safe measures in place. The usual excellent professional and friendly treatment by Graeme Dentith.

Fantastic experience: Receptionist informed us our orthodontist was isolating but was very informed and we were very happy with her help.

Fantastic experience: Melanie gave me a scale manually not ideal but the best I could expect because of Covid 19 Super job

Fantastic experience: All staff very helpful starting with the booking an appointment to receiving the urgent treatment. The practice is well organized in handling the social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fantastic experience: Pleasant experience post lockdown. Felt very safe and my hygiene appointment went well

Fantastic experience: Very professional under difficult circumstances. Couldn’t fault the service that I received.

Fantastic experience: So today I had a trip out, yes I left the house Obviously I didn’t go anywhere exciting or adventurous, I went where I had to #TheDentist I have been shielding since March as I am in the ‘high risk/vulnerable group’ I cannot thank Stuart n Vicky enough for the time they spent with me. Durham City Smiles definitely are being extremely cautious in the current climate. I had to when outside and they unlocked the door to the practice. I was greeted by the dental nurse in FULL PPE, she took my temperature before I entered the premises. I was then asked to put my belongings into a crate, use the alcohol hand gel, put on a mask and accompany her to the surgery. The dentist was in the same attire- they looked like they were about to go into battle - at least you knew you were entering a sterile environment where cross infection was of paramount importance I usually see Graeme who I trust implicitly, so to see someone different was initially nerve racking, but Stuart could not have been nicer. The whole thing was painless and I felt very comfortable in their care

Fantastic experience: Staff all friendly, knowledgeable and efficient.

Fantastic experience: I can not praise Durham City Smiles enough. The team are amazing, caring and so nonjudgmental. My teeth are a mess following years of abuse but I was made to feel comfortable and at ease. My treatment with Stuart has just started and he and Lisa have been brilliant. The whole team are so welcoming and accommodating and I can’t thank you all enough. Worth travelling from Whitby to my home town any time! Thankyou again Clare Gildroy

Fantastic experience: A really pleasant experience, clean environment, welcoming staff and friendly chatty dentists.

Fantastic experience: Thanks to Stuart and Vicky for putting my smile on my dile again

Fantastic experience: Felt completely at ease in expert hands

Fantastic experience: Absolutely love it there im an adult but needed braces since i was about 16. Ive had them on about 8 months now and if i ever have a problem with them they always slot me in within 2 days. Staff are so friendly and put me at ease instantly if i ever feel nervous. They always let me know what they are going to do and explain the process. Only downside is parking but then again i dont think it is on their hands as it is in a residential estate. Place deserves alot more recognition than they get

Fantastic experience: My daughter has been under the care for 2 years and I cannot fault anything about the service that we have received. Having her braces on for 18 months and now just retainer check up appointments. The change in her teeth is fantastic. The staff are very accommodating when I have needed to change appointments. The only let down is that there is no on site car parking and for those who perhaps struggle walking or with small children its not always easy to park so make sure you leave plenty of time to get there and get parked prior to the appointment time.

Negative experience: Totally unresponsive.

Negative experience: Completely inflexible and insensitive to the needs of children. They cancel you or move your appointments and you are expected to do whatever they say or they just stare at you like you are being difficult. Constantly short staffed so you have to wait longer than reccomended between appointments. Treatment is good when you get it, would just be nice to not be treat like cattle.

Fantastic experience: The staff are fantastic, my daughter just had braces put on yesterday! She was nervous but the staff put her at ease, chatted and were generally lovely. Thank you

Negative experience: My daughter had an appointment during school time so I had to finish work early to go and pick her up for her appointment just for us to get there to be told the appointment had been cancelled. They had allegedly sent a letter which I had not received but surely in this day and age a phone call or email to back up the letter might have been a better idea. I now have to take more time off work and my daughter has to miss more education. Really bad set up.

Positive experience: Good orthodontist but parking is a nightmare and waking to it is a chore

Fantastic experience: I booked in for a check up, the location is easy to get to, the surgery is light and non intrusive, Graeme my dentist didn't faff, didn't try to sell me anything, treated me with a good professional service. Couldn't recommend this practice enough-I already have, my partner and 2 kids are already booked in !

Fantastic experience: Brilliant dental practice very friendly and relaxed atmosphere

Fantastic experience: I didn't wait a lot to be seen, the dentist was extremely friendly and professional (ad solved my problem)! Absolutely a good service :)