London dental clinic

What does the future of dentistry look like in the Square Mile? Can oral health become part of corporate wellness strategies in the same way as gym memberships and mindfulness apps? And how do practices meet the expectations of time-poor, reputation-conscious professionals without succumbing to the gimmickry that has sometimes plagued private care?

At Smile Hub in Spitalfields, Dr Cath Freestone believes she has found an answer: a model that blends clarity, convenience and calm confidence. Or, as she puts it herself: “Dentistry shouldn’t be dramatic. It should feel straightforward, calm, certain.”

A practice designed for the City

Smile Hub’s Spitalfields practice, close to Liverpool Street, is designed for City professionals who trust its reputation and long-term relationships. The location is no accident. It reflects a clear strategy: place dentistry where City professionals live their working lives.

“Our patients don’t want to waste time,” says Cath. “Lawyers, bankers, analysts — they want dentistry that fits around them, not the other way round.”

The on-site clinics mean that treatment can happen within a lunch hour, without the disruption of long waiting times. “In the City, people don’t want to be seen in reception. That’s why corporate clinics matter.”

It is a solution tailored not just to convenience but to the unique reputational concerns of financial services and legal professionals.

Minimal Attendance Dentistry

The guiding principle is what Smile Hub calls Minimal Attendance Dentistry (MAD) — a model where technology allows patients to reduce their in-person visits. Through Virtual Monitoring, patients’ Invisalign progress can be tracked remotely. This suits the relentless pace of corporate diaries.

“Our patients don’t want to come every week. They want to get on with their lives,” says Dr Freestone. “Virtual Monitoring lets them do that.”

It is an innovation that matches the rhythm of City work — continuity of care, without interruption of careers.

Open Days and high conversion

For Invisalign, Smile Hub has also institutionalised Invisalign Open Days, structured events that combine education, consultation and decision-making.

“It’s a chance for people to see it for themselves,” says Cath. “They can ask questions, see the scans, talk to us.”

The results speak for themselves: Open Days deliver high conversion rates. Patients feel they are being offered clarity, not a sales pitch.

The Total Invisalign Package (TIP) adds another layer of certainty. “TIP means everything is included,” she explains. “Patients know exactly what they’re getting, and they love that.”

For City professionals accustomed to transparent contracts and structured deals, the TIP framework feels natural — and trustworthy.

Reputation built on reviews

Trust, however, is not built solely through pricing models. It is a culture.

“Trust is built in small steps, not in one big leap,” says Dr Freestone. Every interaction matters: the first phone call, the first scan, the sequence of touchpoints.

That approach is reflected in Smile Hub’s online reputation. The practice has consistently garnered five-star reviews, which Cath regards as evidence of patient trust. “We don’t need to shout. Our reviews do that for us.”

Technology with discernment

Technology plays a crucial role, but Cath is cautious to avoid gimmicks.

“Technology is only worth it if it makes life easier for the patient. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

The iTero scanner is an example. “When you can actually see the simulation, that’s when people say — oh, I get it now,” she says. For many patients, the moment of seeing their future smile crystallises their decision to proceed.

But she is equally clear about what Smile Hub does not adopt. “If it’s not evidence-based, we don’t do it,” she says.

In a profession sometimes seduced by marketing-driven fads, that stance is as much about brand integrity as clinical ethics.

A culture of calm professionalism

If the City is often noisy, Smile Hub seeks to be its counterpoint.

“I want the experience to feel calm. Yes, it’s clinical, but it doesn’t need to feel like it,” says Cath.

The ethos is echoed in the practice environment: minimalist, serene, understated. The brand projects calm confidence — “confidence without fuss,” as she puts it.

For patients, many of whom face stress in their professional lives, that difference is palpable. Dentistry becomes less an ordeal and more an extension of their wellness routine.

From wellness to business model

Smile Hub’s role within corporate wellness may be its most significant innovation. “We’re part of people’s wellness journey,” says Dr Freestone. “It’s not separate, it’s integral.”

The Smile Hub Club extends that principle. Membership provides routine care as a subscription, ensuring continuity and predictability — benefits highly valued by City professionals who see oral health not as indulgence but as investment.

“Invisalign isn’t just straight teeth,” Cath explains. “It’s confidence in a meeting, confidence on a date. It’s not vanity — it’s health.”

For employers, there is also a case to be made. With staff retention and productivity linked increasingly to wellness benefits, discreet, high-quality dental care on-site may soon become as standard as gym memberships or mindfulness apps.

A blueprint for the future

The British Dental Association has warned repeatedly that NHS provision is faltering, with shortages creating “dental deserts” even in urban areas. Against that backdrop, Smile Hub’s boutique, evidence-based, patient-first model may not only appeal to the City but also offer a blueprint for urban dentistry across Britain.

The philosophy may sound disarmingly simple — clarity, calm, certainty. Yet in a profession challenged by hype, shortage and rising patient expectations, it is also quietly revolutionary.

As Dr Cath Freestone reflects: “We’re not here to oversell. We’re here to guide people through, calmly, step by step.”

For the Square Mile, it is dentistry aligned with the tempo of professional life. For the wider industry, it may be a glimpse of dentistry’s future — confidence without fuss.

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

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