How to access urgent dental care
Need urgent dental care and not sure where to go? We’ve listed your options below:
Contact an NHS dentist
You should contact your regular dentist if you have one or you can search for a dentist near you. The dentist will tell you how they can help or how soon you can get an urgent care appointment.
If you have an urgent care issue and cannot get an appointment with an NHS dentist, try one of the options below.
Book an appointment at an urgent dental access centre
Urgent dental access centres offer appointments to diagnose and treat urgent dental problems.
You can use an urgent dental access centre if you are not currently getting ongoing treatment from an NHS dentist or you cannot get an urgent appointment at an NHS dentist.
There are several centres across the North East and North Cumbria, including one in North Shields.
This is not a walk-in service so appointments must be booked in advance.
Ask for an appointment with a student or junior dentist at Newcastle Dental Hospital
Undergraduate dental students and qualified junior dentists provide free urgent dental care appointments at Newcastle Dental Hospital.
Student and junior dentists are supervised by qualified and experienced dentists.
To request an urgent dental appointment for an adult, send an email to nuth.dentaldec@nhs.net with your name, date of birth, address, phone number and NHS number if you know it. If there is an appointment available that day you will get a phone call. For a child’s appointment email nuth.paeddenttriage@nhs.net and include a summary of the issue and a photo if possible.
Contact NHS 111 for urgent care
Visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 if you cannot find an urgent appointment with any of the NHS dental services above and have any of the following issues:
- Severe toothache that causes pain that does not stop or cannot be eased by over-the-counter painkillers.
- Dental abscess infections that cause swelling, pain and possibly fever.
- Broken or knocked-out teeth.
- Bleeding in the mouth following a dental procedure or an injury that does not stop by itself but can be controlled. If bleeding cannot be controlled in any way, emergency care may be needed.
- Swelling in the mouth or face that could be a sign of infection.
- Fractured, loose or displaced fillings causing pain.
- Severe bleeding from gums or conditions affecting other soft areas of the mouth (such as cheeks or tongue).
The NHS 111 health advisor will discuss your needs and if needed, may be able to find you an appointment at an urgent dental access centre or an out-of hours treatment service.
Patients should only go to A&E or call 999 if they have:
- Serious injuries to the face, mouth, jaw or teeth
- Heavy bleeding from the mouth that will not stop
- Severe swelling of the mouth, lips, throat or neck, and difficulty breathing or opening one or both eyes
- Any injury to the head or face that has caused them to lose consciousness, vomit, or have double vision.
If you would like to tell us about your experience of NHS dental care or would like further information, please get in touch.