Concerns about trust in dentistry are not unique to the City of London. In July, the General Dental Council (GDC) published research into professional burnout, reporting widespread fatigue among clinicians and unease about “increasingly commercialised” treatment. Other reports have highlighted that patients themselves feel trapped between NHS shortages and private options they struggle to navigate, with calls for “clearer, more consistent communication about treatments and costs” (BBC News).
In this context, Cath’s philosophy of transparency feels less like a boutique preference and more like an antidote to a systemic malaise.
“Trust isn’t won in a single consultation,” says Dr Freestone. “It’s built in small steps — every touchpoint matters.”
Smile Hub structures its patient journey around those incremental trust points. From the first phone call to the last aligner in an Invisalign case, everything is sequenced to reduce uncertainty. The goal is not to impress patients with jargon or to dazzle them with high-tech theatre, but to create clarity.
“Our patients don’t want to be sold to,” Cath explains. “They want honesty, clarity, and to feel looked after.”
It is a sentiment that sounds deceptively modest, but in an industry where marketing noise often overwhelms substance, it is a deliberate stance.
Technology is where Dr Freestone draws a firm line between hype and help.
“We embrace scanners, simulations, remote monitoring — anything that makes life easier for the patient,” she says. “But if it doesn’t serve the patient, if it’s just gimmick, we don’t touch it.”
Her adoption of the iTero digital scanner is a case in point. Patients can visualise their smiles within minutes, a moment that often transforms doubt into commitment. Similarly, Virtual Monitoring allows Invisalign treatment to progress with minimal clinic visits — a vital concession to City professionals whose diaries are unrelenting.
Yet other technologies are held at bay. “If the evidence isn’t there, it’s not happening here,” she says simply.
One of Smile Hub’s most distinctive features is the Total Invisalign Package (TIP) — a structured, all-inclusive offer that avoids the hidden fees and fragmented pricing models that frustrate patients.
“TIP means everything is included,” says Cath. “Patients know exactly what they’re getting, and they love that.”
It is less about the aligners themselves and more about communication. Clear pricing is as much a trust-building tool as digital imaging.
If clarity is the philosophy, reputation is the outcome. Smile Hub boasts consistent five-star reviews, which Cath regards as validation of her approach. “We don’t need to shout,” she says with quiet satisfaction. “Our reviews do that for us.”
In an age when professional trust is as fragile as it is valuable, the silent testimony of satisfied patients can outweigh any campaign.
Smile Hub’s evidence-based, patient-centred model may be boutique in scale, but its ethos carries wider implications. The British Dental Association has repeatedly warned that the profession risks drifting towards consumerist “menu dentistry”, where choice and cosmetics overshadow health outcomes. Against that tide, Cath’s call for restraint and clarity sounds more like a manifesto.
“Dentistry shouldn’t be dramatic,” she insists. “It should feel straightforward, calm, certain.”
In Spitalfields, a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street, Dr Cath Freestone is demonstrating that dentistry does not need to be loud to be effective. By choosing clarity over hype, evidence over gimmicks, and patience over persuasion, she is offering a model that is at once humane and rigorously professional.
For City professionals, the value is obvious: discreet, efficient, trustworthy care. For the profession at large, Smile Hub represents a reminder that the future of dentistry may depend not on dazzling technology, but on something more elusive: calm confidence and earned trust.
Time, health, and value are central to Smile Hub’s approach. To learn more about Dr Cath Freestone’s health-first approach to smile design and cosmetic integrity, visit www.smile-hub.co.uk
Book Consultation
Fill in the form and our friendly team will be in touch with you momentarily
Yesterday I completed a series of treatments with Dr Kush at Smile Hub. There was quite a lot to be done and I went into the treatment plan feeling nervous as my previous dentist (at a different pract... Read More
I've had a consistently excellent experience with Smile Hub, particularly with Judy, Naf and Sarah. They are friendly, professional, and always take the time to make me feel comfortable and well-infor... Read More
Had my teeth cleaned by Reena today. Was excellent. She explained the whole process and did a thorough job. Managed to get an appointment on Saturday same week.
I recently visited to get my teeth cleaned and Judy and Naf were very professional and nice. They answered all of my questions and guided me through effective toothbrushing techniques. Highly recommen... Read More
I had a great Invisalign experience with Dr Hena. She really listened to what I wanted and gave helpful, expert advice along the way. The clinic is clean, modern and friendly, and everything always ra... Read More
