We pride ourselves not only in providing excellent dental care but also great customer service.
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Why choose us
Professional & Friendly Staff
All our qualified dental nurses are trained in the UK and registered with General Dental Council.
Our Team Culture is Friendly and Attentive. We always put patients’ interests first.
Emergency Dental Appointments
Same day emergency appointments for unregistered patients are available at £150.
This includes consultation and advice, x-rays and prescriptions if required.
First Class Aftercare
Aftercare needed after dental appointments is usually free of charge.
Wherever possible we will provide complimentary advice and consultations via email and phone if needed.
Experienced Dentist (38+yrs)
Dr. Paul Au
- Dental degree from University of Edinburgh in 1984
- Master of Science degree from University of Edinburgh in 1990
- Registrar of College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia (1994)
Our team
We pride ourselves not only in providing excellent dental care but also great customer service.
Having graduated from University of Edinburgh in 1984, I spent a number of years in the Community Dental Service in the Lothian area gaining experience in treating children and special needs group. I was also able to achieve a masters degree in that field in 1990.
As my parents decided to emigrate to Canada in the late 80s, I was encouraged to cross the pond to learn from the North Americans who are certainly more advanced in certain aspects of dentistry. During the ten years that I was in Vancouver, I was able to run a successful private practice and gained further training in cosmetic, implant and orthodontic (braces) dentistry. My time there proved fruitful in more ways than one as my two children were born there too.
In 2001, I was invited to return to Hong Kong (my birthplace) to be a principal dentist in a leading dental health care firm. However, I have always wanted to have my children brought up and educated in the pleasant surrounds of Edinburgh. Upon returning in 2003, I joined a private practice in the southside of Edinburgh
I started this practice in 2008 and it is my utmost desire to provide high quality care using the most up-to-date equipment and materials. My aim is to help you achieve optimal dental health and a healthy and attractive smile by providing all aspects of dental care including implants, invisible braces, cosmetic veneers, all-ceramic crowns/bridges, laser treatments and facial aesthetics.
I believe we have assembled a team of dedicated individuals who can provide a professional, safe and relaxed environment for these treatments to be carried out. I look forward to meeting all of you very soon and hope that you will be impressed by our commitment and skills. Meantime, I welcome any comments or questions that you may have. Email:paul@essentialdentalcare.co.uk
- Full Member of British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD)
- Full Clinical Member of Association of Dental Implantology (ADI)
- Invisalign Go-certified provider
- Cfast braces-certified provider
- Smilefast-certified provider
- Fellow of International Congress of Oral Implantology (ICOI)
- Gold Member of the British Dental Bleaching Society (BDBS)
- Member of the British Society of Occlusal Studies (BSOS)
- Registered Somnowell Practitioner (Anti-snoring appliance)
- General Dental Council Registration no. 58871
DR. Andrew Newcomb
Restorative Dentist (GDC 264621)
Andrew graduated from Newcastle University in 2016 and has worked in Edinburgh since 2017.
Andrew’s passion is restorative dentistry, having expanded his skill set through advanced courses in Composite, Veneers and Implants, being an advocate of Invisalign since 2018. He has also studied biomimetic dentistry, allowing him to use the most modern materials and techniques. He has a patient and caring demeanour which underpin his relaxed chair side manner.
In his spare time, Andrew enjoys mountaineering, football and travelling.
Lana O'Brien
Dental Therapist (GDC 288032)
Lana is a newly qualified Dental Therapist who has recently joined Essential Dental Care. She is excited to take her next step in the dental field and grow her career in this friendly and supportive team. She is passionate about oral health and patient education, and she's patient-focused and loves building relationships with patients and colleagues. She's knowledgeable about periodontal disease and provides preventative and restorative care with attention to detail. She also has a strong background in skin aesthetics.
Lana's goal is to use the skills she's learned in her previous jobs, while gaining new knowledge and experience in different environments to develop herself personally and professionally. She's a valuable asset to any dental team and is confident that she can make a positive impact on the oral health of her patients.
Janet Sun
Practice Manager (GDC 127611)
Originally from Hong Kong, she moved to Edinburgh in the late 80s as a student and then onward to Vancouver in the 90s. She returned to Auld Reekie in 2003. Having qualified as both a dental technician and dental nurse, she helped Paul set up Essential Dental Care in 2008. She has overseen the many refurbishments to the practice, making it more comfortable and professional for patients to attend and for the team to work in.
Michelle Leung
Trainee Dental Nurse
After 10+ years of retail experience and a hectic lifestyle in Hong Kong. Michelle decided to experience a new life in Edinburgh. She totally fell in love with the peaceful and beautiful city during a brief visit and has now fully settled in. She also took up the challenge of becoming a trainee dental nurse and joined EDC in 2021 . Her determination and hardworking attitude earns her a permanent position after her probation period. Fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin helps our Chinese patients to attend our practice with confidence. She loves cooking, travelling and enjoy learning new things.
Carmen Ma
Trainee Dental Nurse
Carmen had been working in the aviation industry for more than 15 years in Hong Kong. She has settled well in Edinburgh since 2020 with her family. She is trilingual (Cantonese, Mandarin) and has excellent customer service skills. At EDC, she has also developed a passion for dentistry and is very keen to help people
Carmen is inspired daily by her husband and her son. In her free time, Carmen likes to watch movies especially Korean soap dramas
Maggie Leung
Trainee Dental Nurse
Maggie is a trainee dental nurse. She and her family happily settled down in Edinburgh in the summer of 2022. She has 10 years working experience in the beauty industry. She loves nature and animals. Maggie found herself having more time than before for baking and dog walking. Her kind and easy going nature has earned a special place with the other team members.
Our ethos
Our Pledge
- We pride ourselves as being able to offer affordable high quality private dentistry in a comfortable setting.
- We always provide a treatment plan and cost estimate for your perusal.
- We will perform our very best standard of work for you at all times.
- We will never compromise our standard of care although we may be running behind in our appointments.
- We are happy to discuss special financial arrangements for certain treatment procedures (e.g. cosmetic makeover, implants, braces).
- We only use commercial laboratories that have many years of experience in providing high quality private work.
- We undergo continuous further education to keep abreast of current technology.
- We have full confidence to provide work warranty of 1 year for fillings, 2 years for root canal treatments and 3 years for implants, dentures, crown /bridges and veneers. Exclusions: trauma/accident and lack of regular dental examinations (twice yearly).
- We understand everybody’s busy schedule and will try our best to keep on time.
- We will listen with respect and address any negative feedback promptly.
Your Commitments
- Take care of the dental work that we provide, following all the advice and instructions given.
- Payment of appropriate fees on completion of each treatment visit. We accept cash, debit or credit cards.
- Attend regular examinations and appointments as recommended by us.
- A minimum of 48 hours notice for cancellations of any appointments. Failed appointments and short-notice cancellations will attract a charge of £80 per appointment. A higher fee will apply at our discretion for longer appointments (more than 30 minutes).
- Failed appointments are unfair to other patients who may benefit from being seen earlier.
- Inform us of any concerns that you may have with respect to your visit so we may be given a chance to address them efficiently.
- Be understanding when you have been kept waiting for your appointment time. In most cases, it is because that we had to deal with emergencies or an unexpected complication. As we refuse to compromise on our standard of care, your visit will also not be rushed. We are happy to reschedule you should the need arises.
- Kindly recommend us to others if you are happy with the services that we provide.
Our Standards
- Our cross-infection control and sterilization procedures fulfill BDA (British Dental Assoc.) guidelines.
- We only use High Quality Equipment and Materials that are of CE-certified, ISO Standard or ADA approved.
- We only work with High Quality Laboratories. We mainly used labs based in the UK, which are registered with the DLA and DAMA. All the dental technicians are registered with GDC (General Dental Council). Occasionally we may use labs in Switzerland, Germany and North America for special procedures.
- Our Dentists, Hygienist and nursing staff regularly attend continuing education meetings to keep up-to-date with dental technology and standards.
- We offer mercury-free fillings which we believe will enhance the long term health of both our patients and staff
- Non latex-environment- latex is a well known irritant and allergen. We believe this is important to significantly reduce the risk of an allergic reaction for our patients. In addition, it is well known to improve the health of the hands of our staff.
- In the waiting lounge, reading materials are regularly updated and toys are regularly cleaned and disinfected.
Contact us
Communication
Get in touch
Make an appointment or request emergency treatments.
Chinese patients can use the above WhatsApp number to contact us in Chinese
Manage the cost with our Dental Plan
Spread the costs of your dental treatments with a dental plan to make your dental care affordable.