From a handful of clients to the UK’s largest orthodontic laboratory

This is our story.

A New Kind of Business

Sean Thompson founded Ashford Orthodontics in 2001, after spotting the opportunity to open a specialised lab to meet the increasing demand of NHS contracts and private practices around the local area.

Starting life as a small self-built workshop at his home, it quickly grew into its first high-spec facility following the appointment of directors Craig Stevens and Graeme Winyard. Since then, it has seen a significant investment to develop an advanced lab that can deliver on large-scale projects.

We’re still based in the North East today but serve practices up and down the country. Unique by nature, we maintain a premium quality of appliance no matter the rate of production, and are totally transparent in offering value for money.

Our core values have remained the same since day one: loyalty, adaptability, innovation and teamwork.

Why Ashford?

The name Ashford has roots in founder Sean’s family who had links to Ashford Castle in Ireland when he was growing up. In later life, Sean visited the heritage site turned award-winning five-star hotel and was immediately inspired by the impeccable presentation of the property, paired with the down-to-earth nature of the staff there. It was this feel and style of service that he decided to set about recreating in his own, albeit very different, customer-led business.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

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“I have bounced around trying various ortho labs over the last 10 years trying to get the level of service I need to run a busy mixed ortho practice. So it has been a relief to have found Ashford – a dedicated Ortho specialist Lab who are always two steps ahead of the field, and genuinely good folk too. I would recommend them to all my colleagues.”

Rhu McKelvey

Beam Orthodontics

We wouldn’t go anywhere else…

"We’ve worked with Ashford for many years now. We wouldn’t go anywhere else. Their service, products and the team there are exceptional."

Gavin Bennett

Queensway Orthodontics