Running a telemarketing campaign to dentists? Here's what's in the list
| In the list | Count |
|---|---|
| Telephone numbers for UK dentists | 13,748 |
| Named contacts available (a person to ask for) | 11,521 |
| Workplaces counted by ONS (the whole UK market) | 16,910 |
In most cases the number on a dental record is the practice's main line, which rings at the front desk. That matters for how you call: the receptionist is handling patient bookings, payments and people arriving for appointments at the same time as your call, and the dentists themselves are chairside with patients for most of the day.
Two things to plan for:
- Group-owned practices. A practice that belongs to a dental group still has its own local number, but some buying (materials, equipment, IT, utilities) may be decided at the group's head office. Reception will usually tell you if that's the case; ask who to speak to there rather than ending the call.
- Associates are not owners. Many dentists working in a practice are self-employed associates. They decide on their own training and some clinical preferences, but not on practice contracts, so a named associate is rarely the right person for a supplier call.
Dental laboratories (dental technicians) are a separate category, so they aren't mixed into this list unless you ask for them.
TPS or CTPS? Screening dentists' phone numbers before you call
Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) you must not make a live sales call to a number registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) or the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS), unless that business has told you it's happy to take your calls. Sole traders and ordinary partnerships are treated as individuals, so their numbers go on the TPS; limited companies, LLPs and other organisations use the CTPS. Screen the whole list against both registers before every campaign, and keep your own do-not-call list of anyone who asks you not to ring again.
How UK dentists are set up, from the Office for National Statistics (16,910 workplaces, UK Business Counts 2026, SIC 86230):
| Legal form | UK workplaces | Share | Register that applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited companies and LLPs | 12,865 | 76% | CTPS |
| Sole traders | 2,700 | 16% | TPS |
| Partnerships | 1,240 | 7% | TPS |
| Charities, clubs and other non-profits | 25 | under 1% | CTPS |
| Public sector | 75 | under 1% | CTPS |
About three-quarters of UK dental practice workplaces are run by limited companies, so for most of this list the CTPS is the register that matters. The rest are mainly principal dentists trading on their own account or in partnership, and their numbers fall under the TPS. You can't tell which is which from a practice name: "Smith Dental Care" could be either. That's why the list should go through both registers, not just the one you expect.
If a practice manager tells you during a call that they're happy for you to ring back, note the date and who said it. If a practice asks you not to call again, add it to your own suppression list straight away, even if its number passed screening.
Who to ask for when you call dentists
In a dental practice the dentist rarely handles suppliers. Aim for the practice manager on a first call, and use them to reach the principal if the decision is bigger than the manager's budget.
| Ask for | What they decide | Getting them on the phone |
|---|---|---|
| Practice manager | Most supplier decisions: consumables, IT and phone systems, utilities, cleaning, waste collection, staff training and recruitment. | Usually in on weekdays, often in an office away from the desk. Ask for them by name and ask reception when they're normally free. |
| Principal dentist or practice owner | Larger spending: new surgeries, equipment such as chairs and imaging, refits, finance, and buying or selling a practice. | Almost never free during sessions. Ask the practice manager to book you a short call at the end of a session or before the first patient. |
| Lead dental nurse | Day-to-day clinical stock, decontamination and infection control products, and nurse training. | Busy chairside, but sometimes free at the end of the morning session. Useful as an internal champion for clinical products. |
| Treatment coordinator | In private-led practices: handling new patient enquiries, patient finance and practice marketing. | Often works set days; reception can tell you which. |
| Group head office or area manager | Central contracts for group-owned practices. | Ask the local practice manager for the right name and number rather than ringing a head office switchboard cold. |
Getting past reception at a dental practice
Dental receptionists protect two things: the appointment book and the dentists' time. They are not trying to block you, but they will deal with the patient in front of them first. A few habits make a big difference:
- Never ask for "the dentist". The receptionist can't interrupt a dentist with a patient in the chair, so the call ends there. Ask for the practice manager, by name if your record has one.
- Give your reason in one sentence that sounds like practice business, such as "it's about your clinical waste collections", not a vague "a business proposal".
- Offer to hold or call back. If there's a patient at the desk, "I'm happy to ring back at a better time, when is the practice manager usually free?" gets you a time instead of a brush-off.
- Take the receptionist's name and use it next time. In a small practice the same person will answer your follow-up call.
- If you're asked to email, get the practice manager's own address, put their name and your one-line reason in the subject, and say which day you'll call back.
Best and worst times to call dentists
Dental practices run to a tight appointment book, so the phones follow a daily pattern. This is general advice; a practice's own opening hours, which are usually on its website, are worth checking before a big calling day.
| When | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| From opening until about 9.30am | Avoid | Patients in pain ring for emergency and same-day appointments as soon as the lines open. |
| Monday mornings | Avoid | Weekend toothache calls and rearranged appointments pile up; reception is at full stretch. |
| Mid-morning, roughly 10am to 12pm, Tuesday to Thursday | Good time | The opening rush has passed and the practice manager has usually cleared the morning's admin. |
| Lunchtime | Avoid | Some practices close the phones or switch to an answerphone over lunch. Only call then if a time has been agreed. |
| Mid-afternoon, roughly 2.30pm to 4pm | Good time | A second quiet spell before the after-school and after-work appointments start. |
| Late afternoon, evenings and Saturdays | Avoid | Late and weekend sessions are often run for patients who work, with a smaller team on the desk. |
When you get the practice manager, ask when suits them for a follow-up and diary it there and then. A booked call beats a cold call at any time of day.
Seasonality: when in the year to call dentists
Dental practices don't have a big trading season, but their year still has a rhythm worth planning around:
What to say: a short opener and replies to common objections
A first call to a dental practice has two parts: getting through reception, then earning a few minutes with the practice manager.
To reception
Hello, it's Sam from [your company]. Could I speak to [practice manager's name], please? It's about [one-line reason, for example your sterilisation supplies].
If asked to call back
Of course, I know you're busy. When is [name] usually free, mid-morning or mid-afternoon?
To the practice manager
Thanks for taking the call, I'll be quick. We work with dental practices on [what you do], mainly to [one concrete benefit]. Is that something you look after, or does it go to the principal?
Fill in the brackets with your own product and reason for calling. The last question does a lot of work: in dental practices it often isn't obvious whether the manager or the principal signs off, and asking directly saves you a wasted second call.
When they push back
Say yes, then make it count: "Happy to. So it doesn't get lost among the lab and supplier emails, I'll put your name in the subject line. Can I ring you on Thursday morning to see if it's worth a proper chat?" Confirm the address and diary the call.
Treat it as a referral, not a no: "That's helpful. Who at head office looks after [your area]? And would you be happy for me to mention that I spoke to you?" Practice managers can often put a word in.
"That's good to hear. When does your current agreement come up for renewal? I'll make a note to call a month before, so you've got a comparison price when you need one."
Prices for a list of dentist phone numbers
You pay per record, and the price per record falls as the order grows:
| Number of records | Price per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 2,500 | £295 |
| 2,500 to 4,999 | £270 |
| 5,000 to 9,999 | £245 |
| 10,000 to 19,999 | £220 |
| 20,000 to 49,999 | £195 |
| 50,000 or more | £170 |
Other phone lists
Questions about calling dentists
Where can I get a list of dentists' phone numbers to call?
We supply one. Our list of dentist phone numbers holds 13,748 UK dental practice telephone numbers, with 11,521 named contacts available, and you can choose the regions or postcode areas you cover. Ask for a free count and sample records before you buy. Public sources such as the CQC register in England list practices too, but copying numbers out by hand is slow and doesn't give you a named person to ask for.
Running a telemarketing campaign to dentists? What do I need first?
Four things: numbers screened against the TPS and CTPS; a named practice manager to ask for, rather than "the dentist"; a one-line reason for calling that sounds like practice business; and a calling plan that avoids the first hour of the day and Monday mornings, when patients jam the lines. Book follow-up calls at the end of each conversation rather than ringing cold again.
Are the numbers direct lines to the dentists?
No. They're practice numbers, which in most cases ring at the front desk. That's normal for dental practices and it's why the practice manager, not the dentist, is the right first contact.
Are dental laboratories included in the dentist phone numbers?
No. Dental technicians and laboratories are a separate category of 1,109 numbers. You can add them to your order or leave them out.
Should I call dental practices or write to them first?
Either works, but a short letter or email addressed to the practice manager by name, followed by a call a few days later, gives reception a reason to put you through: "I wrote to [name] last week" is easier to pass on than a cold pitch.
How much does a list of dentist phone numbers cost?
You pay per record: £295 per 1,000 for orders under 2,500 records, falling to £170 per 1,000 for 50,000 records or more (excluding VAT). Tell us which dentists you want and we'll send a free count and an exact price.