We’re delighted to announce Clarendon Dental Spa as the winner of Dental Practice of the Year at the My Local Awards 2026 Yorkshire.
This award celebrates practices that combine clinical excellence, innovation and outstanding patient care, and Clarendon Dental Spa is a truly deserving winner. Based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Clarendon Dental Spa is an industry-leading dental practice and specialist referral centre, and one of the largest and busiest clinics in the UK. With a whole team of specialists under one roof, the practice has built a reputation for delivering exceptional dentistry while making patients feel genuinely supported throughout their care.
Since opening in 2007, Clarendon Dental Spa has grown into something remarkable. What began as a high-end cosmetic dental practice with four surgeries has developed into a state-of-the-art clinic with 10 surgeries across four floors, two waiting areas and a team of more than 35 clinicians, nurses and administrative staff. That growth reflects not only ambition, but years of trust, dedication and consistently high standards.
Built on vision, expertise and growth
Clarendon Dental Spa was founded in November 2007 by Dr Ahmed Al-Ani, who opened the doors to the public in a beautiful Grade II listed Georgian building in the heart of Leeds. From the beginning, the vision was clear: to create a leading cosmetic dental practice and specialist referral centre that offered patients the highest standards of care in an exceptional environment.
That original vision has grown far beyond its early footprint. Starting with four surgeries spread across the basement and ground floors, the practice has expanded into a major dental centre serving patients from across Leeds and the wider region. Alongside that physical growth has come the development of a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, bringing together specialists, dentists, management, nurses and support staff who all play a vital role in the patient experience.
What makes Clarendon Dental Spa stand out is the breadth of expertise under one roof. Their dentists work across multiple disciplines, allowing them to provide comprehensive care tailored to individual patient needs. The practice has also successfully recruited and retained highly trained specialists and a strong, dedicated support team, creating a level of continuity and collaboration that patients clearly value.
A long list of achievements
Over the past 18 years, Clarendon Dental Spa has built an impressive record of milestones and recognition. In 2010, the practice entered the Private Dentistry Awards and the Dentistry Awards, winning Best New Practice 2010, Best Young Dentist, and also finishing as runner up for Best Specialist Referral Practice. In 2011, they went on to win Practice of the Year (North) at the Private Dentistry Awards and were also runner up for Most Attractive Practice UK.
The same period also saw the practice win the Leeds Health Stars Award for Transforming a Health Service, awarded by Leeds PCT. More recently, in February 2024, Clarendon Dental Spa was rated by the Yorkshire Evening Post as one of the highest-rated dentists in Leeds according to Google reviews, with a score of 4.8 out of 5 from 922 reviews at the time. That figure has since grown to more than 3,700 Google reviews, while on FreeIndex they are ranked 1st out of 173 businesses.
Their success continued in June 2024, when they were finalists in seven categories at The Dentistry Awards, winning Practice Manager of the Year and receiving Highly Commended for their Hygiene Therapist. Later that year, they were also finalists in five categories at the Private Dentistry Awards, including Best Team and Best Practice for Treatment of Nervous Patients. It is an outstanding record, but what makes it more impressive is how much has happened behind the scenes as well.
Resilience through the toughest times
Clarendon Dental Spa’s story is not just one of success, but of extraordinary resilience. In March 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the practice opened as an NHS emergency dental centre, helping hundreds of patients at a time when services were under huge pressure. Their team worked in high-risk conditions with courage and professionalism, helping to relieve pressure on the Leeds Dental Institute and Accident and Emergency services while continuing to prioritise safety.
Then, after navigating the long road back to normal care, the practice was hit by another devastating blow. In June 2022, a fire almost entirely destroyed the building. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but it was a huge challenge that could have ended many businesses. Instead, the team pulled together and achieved something remarkable, operating from eight different locations across the Leeds area so they could continue caring for patients.
That commitment says everything about Clarendon Dental Spa. They did not give up. They adapted, kept serving patients and even continued to grow. After nearly two years of rebuilding, the practice finally returned home in October 2023, reopening a beautifully restored and reimagined Clarendon Dental Spa. It is no surprise that this stands as one of their proudest moments.
Patient care at the heart of everything
While awards and milestones matter, what really defines Clarendon Dental Spa is the experience they create for patients. With thousands of reviews and countless stories to draw from, one recurring theme stands out: patients who were once nervous or phobic now feel calm, confident and able to attend appointments because of the kindness and patience shown by the team.
That is such an important achievement. Dentistry can be daunting for many people, and creating an environment where patients feel listened to, supported and never rushed can make all the difference. For some, it means finally going ahead with treatment they have postponed for years. For others, it means overcoming fear and developing a completely new relationship with dental care.
That level of trust does not happen by accident. It comes from consistency, empathy and attention to detail across every part of the practice, from reception to treatment room. Clarendon Dental Spa understands that patients value not only the clinical outcome, but also how they are made to feel throughout the journey.
A practice rooted in its community
Clarendon Dental Spa has been proudly serving Leeds and West Yorkshire since 2007, and that long-standing local connection is central to who they are. Many of their patients have been with them since the early days, and caring for local families over so many years is something the team is incredibly proud of.
Their commitment to the community goes far beyond treatment alone. Some of their nurses volunteer with Dentaid, helping provide mobile dental services for people experiencing homelessness, refugees and other underserved groups. The team also supports local and national causes through charity fundraising, while their oral health practitioners visit local schools to give talks on oral hygiene and prevention.
In January, the practice donated over 6,000 toothbrushes to local schools and offered free NHS appointments, helping make dental care more accessible for families. Those efforts show that Clarendon Dental Spa sees itself as more than just a dental practice. It sees itself as part of the community, with a responsibility to support and give back to the area that has supported them for nearly two decades.
Congratulations to Clarendon Dental Spa
At My Local Awards 2026 Yorkshire, we are proud to celebrate businesses that combine expertise, compassion and real commitment to the people they serve. Clarendon Dental Spa is a fantastic example of that.
From its specialist-led care and impressive growth to its resilience in the face of enormous challenges, this is a practice that has earned the trust and loyalty of patients across Yorkshire. Its win reflects clinical excellence, but also the warmth, dedication and teamwork that shape every patient experience.
Congratulations to Clarendon Dental Spa, a highly deserving winner of Dental Practice of the Year 2026.
And finally, a message from the team: “Thank you to all our valued patients, staff members and supporters who continue to place their trust in us, support our journey and be part of the Clarendon Dental Spa family — we truly couldn’t have achieved this without you and we’re excited to keep looking after you for many years to come.”
