By Dr Elizabeth Crake
Looking after a whole family's teeth is a different challenge to looking after just your own. A typical Wimbledon household might span a toddler with their first milk teeth, school-age children, a teenager weighing up braces, busy working parents and a grandparent or two, each with their own needs and routines. This guide pulls it all together: how often each age group should be seen, the prevention that genuinely works, what care actually costs, and how to choose a practice that suits everyone under one roof.
How often should each member of the family be seen?
There is no single answer that fits a whole family. Guidance from NICE moved away from the old "every six months for everyone" rule years ago. Instead, your dentist sets a recall interval based on each person's individual risk, from 3 months for someone with active issues up to 24 months for a very low-risk adult. Children are usually seen more often because their mouths change quickly and decay can progress fast in milk teeth.
As a practical starting point for most healthy families, here is a typical pattern. Your dentist will tailor the exact gap to each person at their visit.
| Age group | Typical check-up interval | What we focus on |
|---|---|---|
| Babies & toddlers (first tooth–4) | Every 6–12 months | Familiarity, early decay, brushing and weaning habits |
| Children (5–12) | Every 6–12 months | Adult teeth coming through, fissure sealants, diet |
| Teenagers (13–18) | Every 6–12 months | Alignment, wisdom teeth, sports guards, hygiene habits |
| Adults (19–64) | Every 6–24 months by risk | Gum health, fillings, oral cancer screening, wear |
| Older adults (65+) | Every 6–12 months | Gum recession, dry mouth, crowns, dentures and implants |
Whatever the interval, the principle is the same: catching the small filling before it becomes a root canal, and early gum inflammation before it becomes gum disease, is the most cost-effective dentistry a family can do. Our full general & family dentistry page explains what each examination includes.
Prevention that works for the whole family
Most dental problems across every generation are preventable, and the basics are simple. The NHS advice that protects a five-year-old protects a fifty-five-year-old too:
- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, last thing at night and on one other occasion. Spit, don't rinse, so the fluoride keeps working.
- Supervise children's brushing until around age seven, and use the right amount of toothpaste for their age.
- Clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes, this is where most adult decay and gum disease start.
- Keep sugar to mealtimes. It's the frequency of sugar, not just the amount, that drives decay, so grazing and sugary drinks are the real culprits.
- See a dentist and hygienist regularly, so problems are spotted while they're small and cheap to fix.
For older children, teens and adults, a regular hygienist visit adds protection that brushing alone can't match, particularly important given Wimbledon's hard water, which encourages tartar build-up.
One trip, the whole family. Between the school run, work in town and weekend sport on the Common, time is the scarcest thing in most SW19 households. Booking back-to-back family appointments at our Wimbledon Village practice means everyone is checked in a single visit, and our team speaks 13+ languages, so plans can be explained in the language each family member is most comfortable with.
What family dental care actually costs
NHS dental care is free for children under 18 in England, so the little ones are covered. For private care, which typically means longer, calmer appointments and flexible timing around school and work, here are our transparent prices:
| Appointment | Price |
|---|---|
| New patient check-up (inc. 2 X-rays & oral cancer screening) | Contact us for current fees |
| Regular patient check-up (X-rays extra) | £80 |
| Child check-up (new patient, under 17) | £60 |
| Child check-up (regular) | £55 |
| Standard hygiene clean | £90 |
| Premium Airflow clean | £120 |
| Composite filling (tooth-coloured) | £150–£350 |
| NHS care for under-18s | Free |
| Denplan membership (per adult, inc. 2 exams + 2 hygienes) | from £17.41/mo |
Prices are confirmed in writing before any treatment. A monthly Denplan membership is a popular way for families to spread the cost of routine care across the year rather than paying per visit.
Register your family in Wimbledon Village
Gentle, all-ages dental care with Dr Elizabeth Crake and our family team at The Dental Lounges Wimbledon. Back-to-back family appointments available around school and work.
Book an appointment View family dentistryCare that changes with each life stage
A good family practice grows with you, so you're not chasing a different clinic every time a need changes.
Children and teenagers
Early visits are about familiarity, fissure sealants and good habits. As teeth settle into adulthood, many teenagers and parents look at clear aligners such as Invisalign to correct crowding discreetly.
Adults
Alongside routine exams, adult care often includes composite bonding to repair chips, or gentle teeth whitening before a big family occasion.
Older adults
Later life brings its own needs, from crowns protecting heavily filled teeth to dental implants replacing missing ones. Having all of this at one trusted practice keeps care joined-up across the generations.
How to choose the right family dentist
When you're choosing where to register everyone, a few things matter more than the rest:
- All ages, one roof, so a single practice knows your whole family's history.
- Flexible appointments that work around school, work and the commute.
- Transparent pricing confirmed in writing, with membership options to spread cost.
- A gentle, patient approach with nervous children and anxious adults alike.
- The full range of care on site, from preventive hygiene to implants, so referrals stay rare.
Whenever you're ready, our friendly team in Wimbledon Village would be glad to welcome your family and build a routine that fits real life.
Frequently asked questions
NICE guidance recommends an interval set by the dentist based on each person's risk, from as short as 3 months up to 24 months for very low-risk adults. In practice most children and many adults are seen every 6–12 months. The right gap is personalised: a low-risk grandparent and a teenager in braces won't be on the same schedule.
Yes, NHS dental care is free for children under 18 in England, and for under-19s in full-time education. We also offer private children's check-ups from £55–£60, which usually allow longer, calmer appointments and flexible timing around school.
Yes, we care for every generation, from toddlers to grandparents, under one roof in Wimbledon Village. Booking family appointments back-to-back saves a second trip, and a monthly Denplan membership from £17.41 per adult can spread the cost of routine exams and hygiene.
