Best Dentists in Nelson

We assessed 18 dentists in Nelson and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 746 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 22 September 2026. How we rank

Top 5 Dentists in Nelson

The top 5 dentists in Nelson are #1 Access Dental, #2 One Dental, #3 Munro Dental, #4 Emmaus Dental, and #5 AM Dental, ranked by Top5 Score.

  • 1

    Access Dental NZ Ltd | Nelson Dental Surgery

    ★ 4.9 351 reviews Score 174
    Highest
    5★ 333 4★ 9 3★ 2 2★ 3 1★ 4

    Access Dental takes on urgent cases, same-day emergencies, tooth repairs, composite fillings, and full check-ups with hygiene appointments, making it a practical option across routine and acute dental needs.

    122 Kawai Street, Nelson South, Nelson

    Call 03 548 3971 Map Is this your business?
  • 2

    One Dental Nelson - Stoke

    ★ 4.6 116 reviews Score 150
    24.6 behind
    5★ 102 4★ 4 3★ 1 2★ 1 1★ 8

    One Dental handles nervous and phobia-affected patients across extractions, wisdom tooth removal, fillings, cleans, and restorative work, with sedation available for those who need it.

    575 Main Road Stoke, Stoke, Nelson

    Call 03 547 7725 Map Is this your business?
  • 3

    Munro Dental

    ★ 4.9 28 reviews Score 141
    32.9 behind
    5★ 27 3★ 1

    Munro Dental covers extractions, wisdom tooth removal, cleans and scales, periodontal treatment, and check-ups across a team that includes dentists Alex, Amy, and Riley alongside dedicated hygienists.

    37 Bridge Street, Nelson

    Call 03 548 0000 Map Is this your business?
  • 4

    Emmaus Dental | Richmond

    ★ 4.7 42 reviews Score 141
    33.1 behind
    5★ 37 4★ 2 2★ 1 1★ 2

    Emmaus Dental gets anxious and phobia-affected patients through extractions, fillings, crowns, and check-ups with a calm, step-by-step approach that multiple reviewers credit with curing their fear of dentists entirely.

    205 Queen Street, Richmond

    Call 03 544 8178 Map Is this your business?
  • 5

    AM Dental Ltd.

    ★ 4.6 62 reviews Score 140
    34.2 behind
    5★ 54 4★ 2 2★ 1 1★ 5

    AM Dental fits patients into same-day or after-hours slots for urgent work including tooth extractions, dry socket treatment, fillings, and chipped tooth repairs, even when fully booked.

    193 Milton Street, The Wood, Nelson

    Call 03 548 4345 Map Is this your business?

More rankings

More services in Nelson 4 links
Dentists elsewhere in New Zealand 4 links

Before you choose a dentist in Nelson

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.

The questions below are drawn from 421 customer reviews collected for this page.

What does dental treatment typically cost in New Zealand?

Adult dental care in New Zealand is largely unsubsidised and user-pays, so costs vary between clinics. A check-up and clean runs between $100 and $250, with one Nelson clinic charging a set fee of $155 for a hygiene appointment.

Fillings range from around $150 to $400, though reviews here mention a tooth rebuild for $450 and a check-up with x-ray described as very affordable. Crowns can reach $1,500 to $2,500 or more, extractions vary widely by complexity, and root canals sit at the higher end of the scale.

How do I check that a dentist is registered and what to do if something goes wrong?

Before booking, search the public register at dentalcouncil.org.nz to confirm your dentist holds a current annual practising certificate issued by the Dental Council of New Zealand, the statutory body that registers dentists, dental specialists, hygienists, dental therapists, and clinical dental technicians. If something goes wrong, you can lodge a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC), which investigates breaches of patient rights under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, or raise a conduct concern directly with the Dental Council of New Zealand, which can impose conditions, suspend, or decancel registration.

Hygienists and dental therapists are also registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand and appear on the same public register, so the same verification step applies when you are seeing a hygienist rather than a dentist. One review in this set describes repeated failed repairs where an earlier referral to a more experienced clinician would have saved significant cost, which illustrates why having a clear complaints pathway matters.

How do I avoid being sold treatment I do not need?

Ask for a written treatment plan with itemised costs and clearly stated alternatives before agreeing to anything, since reviews here praise practices that explain options and costs upfront before proceeding. Request that x-rays or clinical photos be shown to you so the recommended work is visually justified, not just described verbally. If a treatment plan feels extensive or expensive, getting a second opinion from another registered dentist is reasonable and something good practitioners will not discourage.

What are the warning signs of a dental practice you should avoid?
  • –Refusing to provide an itemised written quote before treatment starts, or quoting one price and billing another.
  • –Pressure to commit to a full treatment plan in the same appointment, without time to consider or seek a second opinion.
  • –Poor pain management during procedures, with staff dismissing or ignoring signs of discomfort in the chair.
  • –No clear process for follow-up when work fails, leaving you to absorb the cost of redoing treatment.
  • –Repeated attempts to fix the same problem without referring you to a more experienced clinician when the approach is not working.
  • –Unexplained administrative requirements or data practices that make you uncomfortable before or after you pay.
What should you ask before booking a dentist?
  • –What is the total cost of a first visit including x-rays, and will I receive an itemised quote before any treatment proceeds?
  • –Will I see the same dentist at each visit, or does the practice have high staff turnover?
  • –Do you provide a written treatment plan that includes alternatives and lets me choose before committing?
  • –How do you handle after-hours or weekend dental emergencies, and is there a dentist available or just an answering service?
  • –What do you do for nervous or anxious patients, and can I signal during treatment if I need a break?
Top 5 Dentists in Nelson badge

Run one of these businesses?

Verify your listing and put this badge on your own website. It's free, takes two minutes, and the badge keeps up with your rank at every check.

Verify and get your badge

About this ranking

What the 10 dentists listed above hold, at the 22 September 2026 check.

351
reviews held by the #1 ranked business
62
reviews held by the #5 ranked business
4.5
lowest rating among the 10 listed
3.5%
of their 746 reviews are one-star
How are the top dentists in Nelson chosen?

We build this page from Google Maps results for dentists in Nelson. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record, using the same published method on every page. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. See how we rank for how rankings are made and who is left out.

Are you a dentist in Nelson?

No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying your listing is free: it adds a small trust bonus (+3 points) to your score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing, and gives you a dashboard showing how your score is made up. A paid subscription adds a website link, a profile page and your ranking history. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.

Not listed? The usual reasons 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. Check where you rank first, and if you think we missed you, get in touch.

How far is each one from you?

Type your suburb or use your location, and we'll show the distance on every card. The order stays the same.