Why Some Patients Travel Across London for a Dentist They Trust
20 October 2026
Why Some Patients Travel Across London for a Dentist They Trust
One of the questions we occasionally ask new patients is how they found us. The answer is often surprising. Many have travelled across London. Some have travelled from outside London altogether. A few have even arranged dental appointments around visits to the United Kingdom. In a city with thousands of dentists, it is something we never take for granted. People rarely travel further than necessary for routine appointments. Most of us are busy. We look for convenience. We choose what is close to home or work.
Yet time and again, we meet patients who have passed countless dental practices on their journey to see us. When we ask why, the answer is remarkably consistent. Trust. Not technology. Not marketing. Not location. Trust. Over the years, we have come to appreciate that dentistry is a profession built on relationships.
Trust matters
Patients are placing their health in our hands. They are often discussing concerns they may have lived with for years. Some are anxious. Some have had difficult experiences in the past. Others are making important decisions about their long-term oral health. In those moments, trust matters. Many of our patients first arrive because they have been recommended by a family member, friend, colleague or neighbour.
It is not unusual for us to meet a new patient and discover that we already care for their parents, sibling, spouse, cousin or close friend. That kind of recommendation means a great deal to us. Healthcare is different from most services. When somebody recommends a restaurant, they are sharing a pleasant experience. When somebody recommends a dentist, they are sharing something far more personal. They are placing their own reputation behind that recommendation. That trust must be earned.
More involved and reassured
For some patients, trust begins because we speak the same language. As dentists born in Iran, educated in Germany and now practising in London, we are fortunate to care for patients from many different backgrounds. We speak English, Persian (Farsi) and German, and for some patients there is genuine comfort in being able to discuss treatment in their preferred language. Complex treatment discussions can feel less intimidating. Questions become easier to ask. Family members can feel more involved and reassured. Yet language itself is only part of the story. The real value lies in feeling understood. Translation is about words. Understanding is about meaning.
Sometimes a patient simply wants to know that they can take their time. Sometimes they want reassurance that their concerns are being heard. Sometimes they need confidence that the person advising them is doing so with their best interests at heart. Those needs are universal. They apply whether a patient speaks English, Persian, German or any other language. At Implant & Perio Clinic in Marylebone, near Harley Street, we have always believed that trust is built through honesty rather than persuasion.
"You’ll be in good hands there.”
That means recommending treatment when it is needed. It also means explaining when treatment is not needed. It means discussing options openly. It means taking the time to answer questions. And it means respecting the fact that every patient is different. Some patients come to us for dental implants. Others are seeking periodontal treatment, Invisalign, restorative dentistry or routine dental care. Whatever brings them through our doors, our goal remains the same: to provide thoughtful, evidence-based care that serves their long-term interests.
Perhaps that is why so many of our patients arrive through recommendation. Not because we are the closest practice. Not because we advertise the most. But because trust tends to travel. One conversation between friends. One recommendation within a family. One patient telling another patient: “I think you’ll be in good hands there.” After all, in dentistry, that may be the most meaningful recommendation of all.
About the Authors
Dr Sanaz Tehrani, DDS (Germany), and Dr Pedram Negahban, DDS (Germany), are the Clinical Directors of Implant & Perio Clinic in Marylebone, Central London. Both qualified from RWTH Aachen University in Germany and have spent many years caring for patients in the United Kingdom. Perhaps the greatest compliment they can receive is when a patient recommends them to someone they care about.
Implant & Perio Clinic is located on Portland Place, Marylebone, near Harley Street, London W1
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