If you live in Putney or Hunters Hill and are looking for a dentist, Lumi Dental at Melrose Central in Melrose Park is a drive west along Victoria Road, through Gladesville, Ryde and West Ryde to Wharf Road, with on-site parking when you arrive. Both suburbs sit on the northern side of the Parramatta River, Hunters Hill 9 kilometres and Putney 11 kilometres north-west of the Sydney CBD, according to Wikipedia. A search for a dentist near Putney or Hunters Hill mostly returns directory listings, so this guide covers the routes by car, bus and ferry, the first visit, children and the CDBS, Saturdays and emergencies.
Written by Dr James Tran, BDent (University of Sydney), MICOI, GradDip (Oral Implants), general dentist at Lumi Dental in Melrose Park.
The short version
- Putney (about 4,100 residents, postcode 2112) is in the City of Ryde; Hunters Hill (about 9,000 residents, postcode 2110) is the administrative centre of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill, according to Wikipedia.
- By car, both suburbs reach Melrose Park along Victoria Road, which often takes around 10 to 20 minutes depending on traffic, with on-site parking at Melrose Central.
- Without a car, bus route 52 runs along Victoria Road from Gladesville through Ryde and West Ryde and stops at Victoria Road and Wharf Road, Melrose Park.
- A first visit is an examination by a dentist, X-rays where needed, a clean and a written quote; our guide on how to choose a dentist in Ryde and Melrose Park sets out what to compare.
- Eligible children can use the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, and the practice keeps time for emergencies and opens on Saturdays.
The single rule: choose the dentist whose trip still works at the fourth visit
The first appointment is easy to make. In my experience the dentist who helps most is the one you keep seeing, and from Putney or Hunters Hill that comes down to one road. Victoria Road links both suburbs to Melrose Park, so the question is whether the drive or the bus fits around school pick-up, work and the peak. If it does, keeping up with check-ups and cleans is far easier.
Where the suburbs sit
Putney is a riverside suburb on the northern bank of the Parramatta River in the City of Ryde. Wikipedia records that the area was first known as Eastern Farms and then Kissing Point, and that it takes its name from Putney on the River Thames in London. The river was once a world championship sculling course, and Putney was the midpoint for spectators. It is also where the Mortlake punt crosses to Mortlake, which Wikipedia describes as the last surviving punt in the Sydney metropolitan area. The most recent census counted 4,097 residents. Kissing Point ferry wharf sits in Kissing Point Park, and Meadowbank railway station lies just beyond the suburb's north-western boundary.
Hunters Hill sits on a small peninsula between the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers. It is named after John Hunter, the second Governor of New South Wales, and many of its early houses were built from local sandstone; Wikipedia notes that the Frenchman Didier Numa Joubert built a number of them with stonemasons from Italy, and the suburb became known as the "French Village". It covers 5.75 square kilometres, including some 650,000 square metres of parks and reserves, and has many heritage-listed buildings. The most recent census counted 9,014 residents, 69 per cent of them born in Australia. Huntleys Point and Woolwich are its neighbours.
Melrose Park lies further west on the same side of the river. Our companion guides to a dentist near Concord and Gladesville and a dentist near Meadowbank and West Ryde cover the suburbs in between.
Getting to Melrose Central
By car
From Hunters Hill, join Victoria Road at Gladesville and head west. From Putney, head north to Victoria Road at Ryde. Either way, Victoria Road carries on through Ryde and West Ryde to Wharf Road, which turns into Melrose Park and on to Melrose Central, where there is on-site parking. Outside peak the drive often takes around 10 to 20 minutes, but allow more at school and commuter times.
By bus
Transport for NSW lists route 52 as Parramatta to City Hyde Park via West Ryde. Its timetable shows stops on Victoria Road at Gladesville, at Ryde and at West Ryde Station, then Victoria Road at Wharf Road, Melrose Park, on weekdays and Saturdays. From Hunters Hill and Huntleys Point, the Gladesville stops on Victoria Road are the usual starting point. From Putney, the nearest route 52 stops are on Victoria Road in Ryde, or you can travel to West Ryde Station and catch it there; route 524, West Ryde to Parramatta, also stops in Melrose Park on Cobham Avenue.
By ferry
Both suburbs have a wharf on the F3 Parramatta River ferry: Huntleys Point wharf on Huntleys Point Road, and Kissing Point wharf in Putney. Wikipedia's list of F3 wharves has none in Melrose Park and notes that most services end at Sydney Olympic Park, so the ferry is a pleasant river trip rather than the quickest way to an appointment.
| Where you start | Usual way to Lumi Dental | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hunters Hill | Car to Victoria Road at Gladesville, then west to Wharf Road | On-site parking at Melrose Central |
| Huntleys Point and Woolwich | Car or route 52 from Victoria Road, Gladesville | Allow extra time in peak |
| Putney | Car north to Victoria Road at Ryde, then west | Often around 10 to 20 minutes |
| Without a car | Route 52 along Victoria Road to Wharf Road, Melrose Park | Check the trip planner |
These are planning notes, not timetable facts.
What a first visit involves
At Lumi Dental a dentist does the examination and diagnosis, the hygiene team of oral health therapists looks after the clean, and X-rays and 3D scans are taken in house when needed. You leave with a written quote before any treatment starts. If it has been a while since your last check-up, or you are nervous, say so when you book, because it changes how I pace the visit.
What to bring:
- Your Medicare card and any health fund card.
- A list of your medicines.
- The name of your previous dentist, or recent X-rays.
Children and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule
Hunters Hill has several primary schools and two secondary schools, according to Wikipedia, so family bookings after school are common. The whole practice at Lumi Dental accepts the Child Dental Benefits Schedule for eligible children; read more on the CDBS page, and our guide to a child's first dental visit explains what happens at that first appointment. Where a child needs general anaesthetic, the team refers to a paediatric dentist or hospital service.
What Lumi Dental offers patients from Putney and Hunters Hill
| Service | What it covers | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Check-ups, cleans and fillings | Dentist examination, hygiene team cleans and gum therapy, mercury-free fillings | General dentistry |
| Children's dentistry | CDBS accepted for eligible children | Children's dentist |
| Emergency appointments | Time kept each day; ring first | Emergency dentist |
| Dental implants | Single teeth to full arch, called All-on-X | Dental implants |
| Teeth whitening | In-chair and take-home: Home, Refresh and Radiance | Teeth whitening |
| Clear aligners | Planned by a dentist from a 3D scan | Clear aligners |
| IV sedation | For anxious adults; no general anaesthetic on site | IV sedation |
Crowns and bridges, wisdom teeth removal, dentures and denture relines, composite bonding, veneers and custom sports mouthguards are also done at the practice. Lumi Dental does not provide general anaesthetic itself and refers where it is needed.
Emergencies, Saturdays and busy weeks
A cracked tooth or a swelling does not wait for a convenient day. Lumi Dental keeps time in the day for emergency appointments, so ring first and describe the problem. The practice is open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday by appointment; check current hours on the contact page. For patients who commute along Victoria Road, I usually suggest the first or last appointment of the day, or a Saturday, so the visit fits around work.
How we approach this at Lumi Dental
Lumi Dental is a general and cosmetic dental practice at Melrose Central in Melrose Park, and patients come from Putney, Hunters Hill, Gladesville, Ryde, Parramatta, Ermington, Rydalmere and nearby. A dentist does the examination and diagnosis; the hygiene team of oral health therapists does cleans and gum therapy, and 3D scanning, 3D X-ray and 3D printing are in house. Read more about general dentistry at Lumi Dental.
Questions patients ask
Is there a dentist near Hunters Hill with parking?
Lumi Dental at Melrose Central in Melrose Park has on-site parking and is a drive west along Victoria Road from Gladesville. Ring ahead to book.
How do I get from Hunters Hill to Melrose Park without a car?
Catch route 52 towards Parramatta from Victoria Road at Gladesville and get off at Victoria Road and Wharf Road, Melrose Park. Check the trip planner first.
Can I take the ferry from Putney to Melrose Park?
Not directly. Kissing Point wharf in Putney is on the F3 Parramatta River ferry, but there is no wharf in Melrose Park, so the car or route 52 is quicker.
What should I do if I have a dental emergency in Putney or Hunters Hill?
Ring Lumi Dental first and describe what has happened; the team will tell you whether to come straight in. Our guide on what to do in a dental emergency covers the first steps at home.
Can I see a dentist near Putney on a Saturday?
Yes, with Sunday by appointment; check current hours on the contact page. Saturdays fill first, so book ahead; see our guide to a Saturday dentist near Ryde and Parramatta.
Book a check-up at Lumi Dental, Melrose Park
If you live in Putney, Hunters Hill, Huntleys Point or Woolwich and want a general dentist a drive along Victoria Road, the team at Lumi Dental in Melrose Park can see you for a check-up, a child's CDBS visit or an emergency. See the current offers or read about general dentistry at Lumi Dental to book. Patients also visit from Ryde, Parramatta, Ermington and Rydalmere.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Putney, New South Wales
- Wikipedia: Hunters Hill
- Transport for NSW: Route 52, Parramatta to City Hyde Park via West Ryde
- Wikipedia: Parramatta River ferry service
About the author
Dr James Tran is a general dentist at Lumi Dental in Melrose Park. He holds a BDent from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Diploma in Oral Implants, and is a Member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (MICOI).
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for an examination and individual advice from a registered dental practitioner. Suitability for any treatment varies from person to person.
