What Is The Difference Between a Holistic Dentist and a Biological Dentist?
If you’ve been searching online for a more natural, integrative, whole-health approach to dentistry, you’ll probably notice two terms come up over and over again. What is the difference between a holistic dentist and a biological dentist?
A lot of people are confused if these mean the same thing. Some dentists use them interchangeably. Some online forums say they are very different.
Patients deserve clarity before they book in, because this is a style of dental care you choose by philosophy, not just by price, materials, or convenience. This guide explains what both mean, where they overlap, where they differ, and how to choose the right type of dentist for you.
What Is Holistic Dentistry?
Holistic dentistry is a patient-centred, whole-body focused approach to oral health.
It recognises that the mouth doesn’t exist separately from the rest of the body, your oral health affects your systemic health, inflammation, immune system, digestion, sleep, breathing, and long-term wellness.
Holistic dentists in London tend to:
- prioritise prevention over drilling
- focus on lifestyle, nutrition, inflammation and root cause care
- consider emotional stress, your sleep quality, breathing and TMJ (also known as bruxism)
- look at the overall mouth as a health signal, not just looking for teeth to fix
- prefer minimally invasive treatment wherever possible
- use materials that are compatible and less toxic
Holistic dentistry usually includes education, partnership, and empowerment, so the you truly understand why something is happening in the body, not just whether a tooth needs filling.
What Is Biological Dentistry?
Biological dentistry is often considered a more defined, clinical subset of holistic dentistry, with greater focus on biocompatibility, safe materials, and minimising toxic load.
Biological dentists in London usually:
- use strict dental protocols for mercury safe removal (e.g. SMART)
- avoid toxic materials that may disrupt immune and inflammatory response in the body
- aim to choose materials that support long-term biological harmony
- consider heavy metal load, chemical exposure, and biofilms
- use ozone therapy, remineralisation strategies and regenerative techniques
- Biological dentists take a more medically biological viewpoint on dental disease and systemic issues
Biological dentistry is extremely detail oriented, and strongly clinical.Where holistic covers “whole person wellbeing”, biological dentistry tends to prioritise cellular and biochemical compatibility. Luckily, here at Optimal Dental Health in Baker Street, our expert dentists seamlessly blend both for the best care.
Where They Are Similar
Both holistic and biological dentists fundamentally believe:
- preserving natural teeth is a health priority
- inflammation in the mouth affects general health
- the least toxic, least invasive path is better
- the patient is not a set of teeth, they are a whole human
- oral health is linked to systemic wellbeing
- root cause matters more than symptom suppression
So in most cases, if you are looking for a more natural, integrative and health-aligned approach, either is already more aligned with your values than traditional dentistry.
So Which Should You Choose?
It comes down to what matters most for you personally.
| If you care most about… | Choose… |
|---|---|
| Lifestyle health, stress, breathing, nutrition, prevention | Holistic Dentistry |
| Strict biocompatibility, SMART protocol, minimising toxic load | Biological Dentistry |
| Both lifestyle and cellular harmony as well as all of the above | A dentist who practises both |
Optimal Dental Health, now integrate both, because they are not mutually exclusive. They amplify each other and come together in perfect harmony.
Why This Matters Before You Book In
Patients today are more informed, more research-driven, and more aware that the future of dental care is not “drill and fill”, it is prevention, regeneration, immune-aligned dentistry and material safety.
Choosing a dentist is no longer only about technique, it’s about philosophy alignment.
Especially if you have autoimmune conditions, trying to reduce inflammation, react to certain dental materials, value prevention and longevity and are focused on long-term health, not quick fixes.
Understanding this difference helps you make a decision that supports your whole health, not just the next dental appointment. Are you ready to experience dentistry done differently?
Ready to take the next step?
If you’d like to explore a holistic and biological approach to your oral health, book your appointment with our expert team here at Optimal Dental Health.
We’ll help you protect your natural teeth for life, while supporting your long-term wellbeing from the inside out.
Call us on 020 3921 1000 or email hello@optiomaldental.co.uk to arrange your visit. We look forward to meeting you soon.
About the Author
Dr James Goolnik, BDS MSc
Dr Goolnik is a London based dentist with over 30 years clinical experience and is SMART accredited. He is the Clinical Director and Founder of Optimal Dental Health in London.
Beginning his career in 1999 and has since led major advancements in patient centred dentistry, including being one of the earliest adopters of video distraction technology for patient stress reduction.
Dr Goolnik served on the Board of Directors for the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry from 2004 and became President in 2008. He was named the UK’s most influential dentist in both 2011 & 2012 by Dentistry Magazine, was recognised again in the Top 50 dental professionals in 2024, and is the Head Judge for the Private Dentistry Awards in 2025. He was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 2021 for services to dentistry.
He has acted as a dental advisor to Arm & Hammer UK and his career has been featured as a Business of Dentistry magazine cover story.
Website: www.jamesgoolnik.com
