The work that stops problems starting, and catches the rest while they are still small and cheap to fix. Regular check-ups, professional cleaning and advice built around your mouth, not a leaflet. The cheapest dentistry there is, is the treatment you never need.
Tell us when suits and we will call you back to arrange it. No obligation.
Treatment Overview
What IsPreventive Dentistry?
Preventive dentistry is all the care that stops dental problems starting, or catches them while they are still small and cheap to fix. It is not a single treatment. It is the approach that runs through everything we do, built on regular check-ups, professional cleaning, and advice that actually fits your mouth and your habits.
The idea is simple. Most of the expensive, uncomfortable dentistry people end up having started as something small that could have been prevented or caught early. A bit of plaque becomes decay, then a filling, then a root canal and a crown. Bleeding gums become gum disease and, in time, lost teeth. Prevention breaks that chain. A filling costs from £136, while the root canal and crown it can turn into cost far more.
Prevention here is not a lecture and a leaflet. At your check-up we look at what is actually happening in your mouth, then give you advice built around it: how you are brushing, how you clean between your teeth, what you eat and drink and when, and habits like grinding or smoking. Where it helps, we back that up with a professional clean, fluoride to strengthen the enamel (the hard outer surface of the tooth), or a night guard if you grind. Every check-up also includes a check for early signs of oral cancer.
Prevention is also the kindest route if you are nervous, because the less that goes wrong, the less treatment you ever need, and the easier every visit becomes. It is worth starting children young too, so good habits stick and the dentist never becomes something to fear.
What prevention covers
Regular check-ups to catch problems early
Professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar
Advice on brushing and cleaning between your teeth
Guidance on food, drink and habits that harm teeth
Fluoride to help strengthen enamel against decay
A night guard if you grind or clench your teeth
An oral cancer check at every examination
What you get here
Longer appointments, so nothing gets rushed
Advice built around your mouth, not a leaflet
Digital X-rays, with far less radiation
The same familiar faces, who know your history
An itemised cost before anything starts
A team used to nervous patients
Book your appointment
New patient examination £92,
including any X-rays you need. Routine check-up £55.
At your check-up we look at your teeth, gums and bite, take digital X-rays if you need them, and ask about your habits, your diet and how you clean at home.
02
We show you the risk areas
On screen, with photos, so you can see where plaque is building or where a problem is starting, rather than take our word for it.
03
A plan built around you
The right mix for your mouth: how often to come in, whether you would benefit from hygiene visits, fluoride or a night guard, and the small changes at home that make the biggest difference.
04
We keep an eye on it
At each visit we compare against the last, so we catch anything that is moving early and adjust the plan as your mouth changes.
Longer appointments, so we can talk through your concerns and give you a break if you need one.
Almost pain-free injections
The Wand numbs you without the big needle or the sting. Most patients are surprised how easy it is.
Digital X-rays
We diagnose faster, more accurately and with far less radiation than older film.
A hand to hold
Bring a partner in, or hold a nurse's hand. If you ever need us, we respond the same day.
About Waterside Dental
Your private dental practicein Hythe.
Waterside Dental is a private practice in Hythe, owned and led by principal dentist Dr Nikos Louskos since 2017. It has recently been refurbished to feel more like home than a clinic, and is run by a small, hand-picked team — so you'll always see a familiar face.
Care here is unhurried and patient-led. Appointments are longer so concerns can be talked through properly, treatment is explained in plain language, and nothing is rushed — with breaks during longer procedures whenever you need them.
We welcome private patients from Hythe and across Southampton — whether you're registering as a new patient or visiting for a single course of treatment while staying with your current dentist.
"I firmly believe that dentistry doesn't have to be unpleasant or scary, and that often it can be life-changing."
DR NIKOS LOUSKOS
Our Principal Dentist
Meet Dr NikosLouskos.
DDS · MSc Endodontics · GDC No. 102626
Principal dentist and practice owner, with a special interest in endodontics.
Dr Nikos Louskos qualified in Athens in 2005 and moved to the UK in 2006. He worked as an associate at Waterside before taking ownership of the practice in 2017.
In 2016 he completed a Master's in Endodontic Practice at Queen Mary University of London. He accepts referrals for complex root canal cases, which he treats under a microscope, and enjoys all aspects of general dentistry.
Nobody wants surprises after a dental visit. You'll get an itemised treatment plan with exact costs before anything begins, plus monthly payment options to spread the cost.
Finance is provided by Tabeo and is interest-bearing from 9.9% APR. Practice-plan discounts apply to selected treatments — full terms are listed on the Fees and Plans pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions patientsask us.
A few of the things patients ask us most often. If your question isn't here, just get in touch — we're happy to talk it through.
It is all the everyday care that stops dental problems starting, or catches them early while they are still small. Think regular check-ups, professional cleaning, fluoride, night guards for grinding, and advice built around your mouth. It is less a single treatment and more the approach behind everything we do.
Yes, usually a lot. Most expensive dentistry started as something small. A filling from £136 is a fraction of the root canal and crown it becomes if you leave it. Regular check-ups and cleaning are the cheapest dentistry there is, because they stop you needing the costly kind.
For most people a check-up every six months, with a hygiene visit around the same time. If your teeth and gums are healthy we may stretch that out. If something needs watching we will want to see you sooner. We tell you what suits your mouth rather than apply a blanket rule.
Brush twice a day, clean between your teeth daily, and go easy on sugary and acidic food and drink, especially between meals. But general advice only goes so far. The most useful thing we do is look at your mouth and tell you what matters for you specifically.
Absolutely. Prevention is not just for healthy mouths. If you already have fillings, gum trouble or missing teeth, good prevention protects the work you have had done and the teeth you still have, and stops new problems piling up.
It is one of the best things you can do. The less that goes wrong, the less treatment you ever need, and the easier each visit becomes. Regular, gentle visits also help you get comfortable with us over time. Tell us you are nervous and we will build your care around that.
Yes, and the earlier the better. Good habits learned young tend to stick, and children who come regularly rarely develop the fear that keeps so many adults away. Fluoride and simple advice go a long way at that age.
Yes. Fluoride is a quick, painless coating that strengthens the enamel against decay, useful for children and for adults prone to cavities. A night guard protects your teeth if you grind or clench. We will suggest either one if your mouth would benefit.
Whether you'd like to book or just have a question about treatment, send us a message and a member of the team will get back to you — the same day wherever we can.
