Best Dentists in Napier and Hastings
We assessed 28 dentists in Napier and Hastings and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 903 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 8 October 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
Dental fees in NZ are unregulated and vary widely between practices, so the same treatment can cost very differently across town. Ask for a written treatment plan with itemised costs before agreeing to anything, check whether the dentist is registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand, and ask how after-hours emergencies are handled.
Top 5 Dentists in Napier and Hastings
The top 5 dentists in Napier and Hastings are #1 The Dentists Taradale, #2 Dentiq, #3 David Marriott Dental, #4 Dental on Raffles, and #5 Lumino Taradale, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you choose.
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1
The Dentists - Taradale
★ 4.9 231 reviews +2 Top5 Score 173 +45★ 221 4★ 3 2★ 1 1★ 6The Dentists Taradale works well for people who dread the chair, with staff including Mei and Sean consistently helping nervous patients feel at ease through fillings, surgery, scale and polish, and structural repair work. Dentist and assistant pairings like Mei and Phoebe work closely together, and patients say the team takes time to explain what needs doing before starting any procedure.
location_on 18 Meeanee Road, Taradale, Napier
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2
Dentiq
★ 4.7 130 reviews +13 Top5 Score 167 +115★ 117 4★ 4 3★ 1 1★ 8Dentiq draws patients through gum surgery, crown work, operculectomies, and multiple fillings, with Dr Sundar named repeatedly for walking through each procedure in detail and actively managing pain and comfort throughout. Hygienist Debbie is separately praised by sensitive-teeth patients for a gentle, thorough approach, and the team rings patients back when they say they will.
location_on 20 Gloucester Street, Greenmeadows, Napier
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3
David Marriott Dental
★ 4.8 99 reviews Top5 Score 157 +15★ 89 4★ 5 3★ 1 1★ 4David Marriott Dental covers cleanings, fillings, crowns, extractions, and dentures, with multiple reviewers noting they felt nothing during procedures and left more comfortable than they expected. They also accommodate urgent same-day appointments and offer payment plans including WINZ quotes, which makes getting treatment done easier regardless of budget.
location_on 300 Southampton Street West, St Leonards, Hastings
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4
Dental on Raffles
↑ 5★ 4.4 116 reviews +13 Top5 Score 156 +125★ 98 4★ 1 3★ 1 2★ 2 1★ 14Dental on Raffles built a strong reputation around cosmetic and restorative work including veneers, clear aligners, amalgam removal using the SMART protocol, and tooth extractions, with Paola and Gary each named for thoroughness and calm chairside communication. Paola in particular is noted for following up patient questions in writing after appointments, giving detailed explanations that address concerns raised between visits.
location_on 106 Raffles Street, Hawkes Bay, Napier
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5
Taradale Dentist, Napier - Lumino The Dentists
★ 4.7 67 reviews +4 Top5 Score 153 +55★ 62 4★ 1 1★ 4Lumino Taradale gets results across fillings, full smile restorations, and hygiene appointments, with dentists including Andrew and Paola and hygienist Elsie each drawing repeat praise for patient comfort and attention to detail. Beyond fixing immediate problems, the team takes time to explain treatment clearly at every stage and patients report outcomes that exceeded what they expected going in.
location_on 20A Puketapu Road, Taradale, Napier
Before you choose a dentist in Napier and Hastings
Drawn from 162 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What does dental treatment typically cost in New Zealand? expand_more
Adult dental care in New Zealand is largely user-pays, with no general government subsidy. A standard check-up and clean runs between $100 and $250, and basic fillings range from around $150 to $400.
Crowns can cost $1,500 to $2,500 or more, and root canals sit in a similar range depending on complexity. If cost is a barrier, WINZ offers emergency dental grants, and one local practice reviewed here explicitly offers payment plans for working patients.
How do I check that a dentist is registered and what to do if something goes wrong? expand_more
Every dentist practising in New Zealand must hold a current registration and annual practising certificate issued by the Dental Council of New Zealand, which you can verify free of charge on the public register at dentalcouncil.org.nz before you book. Dental hygienists and dental therapists are regulated separately by the same council, so if your appointment is with a hygienist or therapist rather than a dentist, check their registration category matches the work being done.
If something goes wrong, your first step is raising the concern directly with the practice, and reviews here show that practices which respond well to complaints tend to resolve issues quickly. For unresolved or serious concerns, the Health and Disability Commissioner investigates complaints about any health provider under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act, and the Dental Council itself can impose conditions, suspend, or deregister a practitioner for conduct issues.
How do I avoid being sold treatment I do not need? expand_more
Ask for a written treatment plan with itemised costs and a clear explanation of why each item is recommended before agreeing to anything, and a good practice will show you x-rays or photos to justify the work. Reviews here flagged cases where patients were quoted for extensive treatment on a first visit without adequate explanation, and in one instance a patient was quoted for four times the work they came in for, so if a quote feels disproportionate, a second opinion from another registered dentist is entirely reasonable. Distinguishing necessary treatment from optional or cosmetic work is easier when your dentist explains what happens if you delay, because urgent issues like infection or structural failure carry real consequences, while cosmetic options carry none beyond appearance.
What are the warning signs of a dental practice you should avoid? expand_more
- –Surprise charges that exceed the quoted price without prior explanation, as flagged in multiple reviews where patients were billed $60 to $70 more than the quoted amount for a standard clean.
- –Pressure to commit to expensive treatment on the spot during a first visit, with no written plan and no time to consider alternatives.
- –Rushed appointments where the dentist spends only a few minutes on a procedure billed as a full service, leaving patients feeling shortchanged on care.
- –A dentist whose manner becomes cold or hostile when a patient raises concerns or returns with a problem, rather than engaging constructively with the issue.
- –No follow-up contact after a complex procedure, which is a gap noted in contrast to practices that proactively call patients the next day.
- –Referral to a specialist only after repeated failed attempts at a procedure, rather than recognising the limits of their scope early and referring promptly.
What should you ask before booking a dentist? expand_more
- –Ask what the total cost of a first visit will be, including x-rays and any examination fee, so you are not caught by a bill higher than expected.
- –Ask whether the practice provides a written treatment plan with itemised costs and alternative options before any work begins.
- –Ask how they handle after-hours dental emergencies, since some practices here have offered same-day or early-morning appointments for urgent cases while others have had patients wait weeks.
- –Ask whether you will see the same dentist at each visit, as continuity matters for building a treatment history and for anxious patients who need to rebuild trust.
- –Ask specifically how they support nervous patients, because several practices in this area have explicit approaches for anxiety management that go well beyond a general assurance of being gentle.
Also recommended dentists in Napier and Hastings
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
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6
Hastings Dentist - Golden Apple Dental
↓ 2★ 4.6 74 reviews +1 Top5 Score 152 +45★ 65 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 7Golden Apple Dental gets people through extractions, fillings, wisdom tooth removals, and sensitive teeth assessments, with dentists including Pop, Taz, and Isha named for taking time to explain what is actually happening before doing anything. Patients who describe themselves as deeply anxious or traumatised by past dental experiences report feeling calm enough to return for ongoing care.
location_on Hastings Health Centre 303 Saint Aubyn Street West, Hastings
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7
Napier Dental Practice | Lumino The Dentists
↑ 1★ 4.7 51 reviews +2 Top5 Score 151 +65★ 45 4★ 3 1★ 3Napier Dental Practice draws returning patients who describe finally feeling comfortable in a dental chair, with dentists Gwyn and Dave each named for explaining procedures step by step and checking comfort throughout. Gwyn in particular is praised for meeting patients where they are emotionally, while Dave is noted for a caring manner that makes even nervous patients feel at ease across check-ups and ongoing treatment.
location_on 157 Tennyson Street, Napier South, Napier
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8
Parkside Dental
↑ 2★ 4.9 40 reviews +2 Top5 Score 148 +45★ 37 4★ 1 3★ 1 2★ 1Parkside Dental carries out wisdom tooth extractions, fillings, crowns, deep gum cleaning, and toothache treatment, with dentists including Kris, Zinah, and Gawin each drawing specific repeat praise from patients. Kris in particular caught a cancerous lip sore during a routine visit and arranged specialist referral promptly, and the practice follows up with patients by phone the day after treatment.
location_on 514 Kennedy Road, Greenmeadows, Napier
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9
Bay Dental Care
↓ 3★ 4.7 55 reviews +1 Top5 Score 148 +15★ 51 1★ 4Bay Dental Care turns anxious patients into willing returnees, with dentists Nick and Jae, hygienists Bridget and Maddy, and the wider team carrying out check-ups, cleans, and longer treatment courses in a way that repeatedly draws the phrase 'I don't dread coming anymore'. They follow up after treatment to check how patients are recovering, and communicate directly via email between visits.
location_on 507 Saint Aubyn Street West, Central, Hastings
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10
Napier Dentist - Golden Apple Dental
★ 4.7 40 reviews Top5 Score 1475★ 36 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 2Golden Apple Dental steps in for emergency extractions, root canals, fillings, and crowns when other practices turn patients away, with staff ringing around branches to get urgent cases seen the same day. Dentists including Jack, V, Charlotta, and Isha are each named for explaining procedures clearly before starting and keeping patients calm throughout, with many self-described nervous patients reporting they left willing to come back.
location_on 17 Tennyson Street, Napier South, Napier
About this ranking
What the 10 dentists listed above hold, at the 8 October 2026 check.
We first assessed dentists in Napier and Hastings in July 2026 and have rechecked the ranking twice since. The Dentists - Taradale has held first place at every check, and Dentiq, David Marriott Dental and Taradale Dentist, Napier - Lumino The Dentists have been in the top 5 alongside it throughout. Across the 14 locations we assess dentists in, the 140 businesses listed have a median rating of 4.9, and one-star reviews are 3.1% of their total.
What has changed since July 2026? expand_more
- Oct 2026
Scoring method updated. Dental on Raffles entered the top 5, up from #9. Hastings Dentist - Golden Apple Dental left the top 5, down to #6. Napier Dentist - Golden Apple Dental entered the list at #10.
- Aug 2026
Hastings Dentist - Golden Apple Dental entered the top 5, up from #10. Dental on Raffles entered the list at #9.
- Jul 2026
First check. The Dentists - Taradale #1.
How are the top dentists in Napier and Hastings chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for dentists in Napier and Hastings. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer? expand_more
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for dentists in Napier and Hastings. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.