Best Dentists in Tauranga
We assessed 21 dentists in Tauranga and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 1,625 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 13 August 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 Tauranga
The top 5 dentists in Tauranga are #1 ER Dental, #2 The Dentists, #3 ER Dental at Seventh, #4 Tooth Fairy Dental, and #5 Tooth Fairy Dental Bethlehem, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you choose.
-
1
ER Dental at Pyes Pa
★ 4.9 432 reviews +4 Top5 Score 1775★ 410 4★ 14 3★ 3 1★ 5ER Dental works well for people with dental anxiety, covering hygiene cleans, tooth extractions, and complex surgical procedures across a team that includes dentists Shivani and Ben alongside hygienist Martina. Each step is explained before and during treatment, and cost and options are discussed upfront so patients know what they are agreeing to before any work begins.
location_on 10/83 Pyes Pa Road, Pyes Pa, Tauranga
-
2
The Dentists - Tauranga
★ 5.0 213 reviews +6 Top5 Score 1705★ 207 4★ 5 1★ 1The Dentists handles check-ups, fillings, extractions, cracked tooth repairs, and hygiene cleans across a team that includes dentists Alistair and Bodon and hygienist Kailey. Patients with dental anxiety are well served here, as the dentists are noted for being gentle and for working through options before starting any treatment.
location_on 344 Otumoetai Road, Otūmoetai, Tauranga
-
3
ER Dental at Seventh
★ 4.9 188 reviews Top5 Score 1665★ 181 4★ 3 3★ 1 1★ 3From same-day tooth extractions to routine hygiene cleans and dental check-ups, ER Dental at Seventh draws patients who have avoided dentists for years and leaves them looking forward to coming back. Hygienist Candice uses a rubber mouth insert during cleaning to reduce discomfort, while dentists Kezia and Ben walk patients through X-rays and intraoral photos before any treatment begins.
location_on 52 Seventh Avenue, Tauranga
-
4
Tooth Fairy Dental - Mt Maunganui
★ 5.0 141 reviews +9 Top5 Score 164 +15★ 138 4★ 3Tooth Fairy Dental covers implant procedures, fillings on front teeth, hygiene cleans, and general check-ups across a team that includes dentists Grace, Kevin, Belinda, and Tom alongside hygienists Christine and Jazmyn. When schedule gaps open up, they have moved multi-session treatment plans into a single appointment to get patients sorted faster, with results patients describe as looking completely natural.
location_on 2 Kupe Avenue, Mount Maunganui
-
5
Tooth Fairy Dental Bethlehem
★ 4.9 123 reviews +3 Top5 Score 161 +15★ 113 4★ 9 1★ 1Tooth Fairy Dental Bethlehem draws patients who have avoided dentists for years, offering fillings, extractions including wisdom teeth, and general check-ups in a setting where staff take time to manage nerves without judgement. Dentist Meletta in particular has built a following strong enough that one patient drives six hours return to stay in her care.
location_on 227 SH2, Bethlehem, Tauranga
Before you choose a dentist in Tauranga
Drawn from 322 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 fees unregulated and varying between practices. A standard check-up and clean runs between $100 and $250, and a basic filling between $150 and $400.
Crowns can reach $1,500 to $2,500 or more, and root canals sit in a similar range depending on the tooth. If cost is a barrier, Work and Income New Zealand offers emergency dental grants for eligible people, and anyone under 18 is entitled to free basic dental care through enrolled providers.
How do I check that a dentist is registered and what to do if something goes wrong? expand_more
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 and oversees dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, and dental therapists. A hygienist and a dental therapist are not dentists, so their scopes of practice differ and they appear under separate categories on the register.
If something goes wrong, you can lodge a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner, which investigates breaches of patient rights under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994. For conduct concerns, the Dental Council of New Zealand can also investigate and has power to impose conditions, suspend, or deregister a practitioner.
How do I avoid being sold treatment I do not need? expand_more
Ask for a written treatment plan with itemised costs and clearly labelled alternatives before agreeing to anything, since reviews show that the better Tauranga practices do this without being prompted. X-rays and intraoral photos are a reasonable standard for justifying recommended work, and one practice noted here uses intraoral photos routinely so patients can see exactly what is being proposed. If a treatment feels unexpected or expensive, a second opinion from another registered dentist is entirely reasonable and any reputable practice will accept that without pressure.
What are the warning signs of a dental practice you should avoid? expand_more
- –Pressure to commit to expensive treatment during the first visit, with no time to consider or compare options.
- –No itemised written quote provided before work begins, making it impossible to verify charges afterwards.
- –Final costs that exceed the original estimate without prior explanation or approval.
- –Rushed appointments where the dentist does not explain what they are doing or why.
- –Poor pain management during procedures, with concerns brushed off rather than addressed.
- –One reviewer described feeling their entire treatment was rushed with no meaningful aftercare, which signals a practice prioritising throughput over patient outcomes.
What should you ask before booking a dentist? expand_more
- –Ask what the first visit and any x-rays will cost in total, so there are no surprises at the counter.
- –Ask whether you will receive a written treatment plan with cost options before any work is carried out.
- –Ask how the practice handles after-hours or same-day dental emergencies, since several Tauranga practices have fitted urgent cases in quickly and that access matters when pain strikes on a weekend.
- –Ask whether you will see the same dentist at each visit, as continuity helps the dentist understand your history and reduces the chance of conflicting treatment advice.
- –Ask how the team supports nervous patients, since reviews across multiple practices here show that a calm, non-judgmental approach makes a measurable difference to outcomes for anxious people.
Also recommended dentists in Tauranga
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
-
6
Tauranga Crossing Dental
★ 4.9 103 reviews +2 Top5 Score 158 +15★ 99 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 2Tauranga Crossing Dental is where people who have avoided dentists for decades, or been through dental trauma, get complex work done and leave wanting to return. Dentist Maria sits down after each appointment to go through X-rays and images with patients, and her clear explanations of every treatment step have converted long-lapsed patients into committed regulars.
location_on Shop 19, Tauranga Crossing, 2 Taurikura Drive, Tauriko, Tauranga
-
7
Smile Art Dental
★ 4.9 102 reviews +3 Top5 Score 158 +15★ 100 1★ 2Smile Art Dental gets children and adults through multi-year orthodontic journeys, covering traditional braces, Invisalign, and aligner treatment, with one patient completing treatment at 62. Dr Mithuna takes time at each appointment to walk patients and parents through every step ahead, and monthly payment plans have made treatment accessible for families carrying a significant financial commitment.
location_on 1115 Cameron Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga
-
8
Fiona Paterson Dentist
★ 5.0 88 reviews Top5 Score 1585★ 88Fiona Paterson Dentist turns nervous and long-lapsed patients into regulars, covering fillings, extractions, implants, and hygiene cleans with a calm and transparent approach to treatment planning. Fi phones patients the same evening after procedures to check they are doing okay, a level of personal follow-up that comes up repeatedly across patient accounts.
location_on 233 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui
-
9
Team Dental Tauranga - 2nd Ave
★ 4.5 157 reviews Top5 Score 1565★ 134 4★ 4 2★ 1 1★ 18Team Dental Tauranga gets nervous and anxious patients through extractions, fillings, veneers, and hygiene cleans with named dentists Gordon, Faizu, and Nick alongside hygienist Tanya. Same-day and emergency appointments come up repeatedly, including over Easter weekend and for out-of-town visitors, making them a strong option when you cannot wait.
location_on Accident And Emergency Centre 19 Second Avenue, Tauranga
-
10
Baywide Smiles Dental
↓ 2★ 4.9 78 reviews +2 Top5 Score 155 +15★ 76 1★ 2Baywide Smiles brings dentist-anxious patients back into regular care, with dentists Paul and Ivan named repeatedly for clear treatment explanations, non-judgmental attitudes, and staying late to fit around work schedules. Hygienist Martina offers in-depth consultations that go well beyond a standard clean, covering personalised oral health education alongside the treatment itself.
location_on 5/1334 Cameron Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga
About this ranking
What the 10 dentists listed above hold, at the 13 August 2026 check.
We first assessed dentists in Tauranga in June 2026 and have rechecked the ranking once since. Across the 14 locations we assess dentists in, the 140 businesses listed have a median rating of 4.9, and one-star reviews are 3.3% of their total.
What has changed since June 2026? expand_more
- Aug 2026
Scoring method updated. Fiona Paterson Dentist and Team Dental Tauranga entered the list, at #8 and #9.
- Jun 2026
First check. ER Dental #1.
How are the top dentists in Tauranga chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for dentists in Tauranga. 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. 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 Tauranga. 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.