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What to do if you need urgent dental treatment
A network of centres has been created across the South West for people who need help for urgent and emergency dental conditions, including severe pain and infection.
The urgent dental centres, commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement, are fully staffed and equipped to provide treatment while high-street surgeries have their doors closed due to covid-19 (coronavirus).
To get access, people should phone their own dentist to be assessed; there is no drop-in access.
All NHS dental surgeries should be contactable, even while their doors are closed.
Out of usual surgery hours, people should call NHS111.
Those without a dentist or who cannot get through to their usual surgery, should call their local helpline (see below).
The initial phone assessment will help the dentist decide whether someone needs to be seen immediately or within 24 hours, or can be booked in later for an appointment.
Conditions needing immediate treatment might include:
- Dental infection/fever/swelling, especially if it might affect the airway
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Injury
In some cases, treatment might be needed in hospital.
The locations have been chosen to cover the South West as best as possible, within limitations posed by staffing, premises and equipment. This means that some patients will need to travel, though further centres are being added to reduce journey time.
The hubs are in:
- Cheltenham
- Chippenham
- Swindon
- Bath
- Bristol
- Weston super Mare
- Taunton
- Bridgwater
- Dorchester
- Bournemouth
- Exeter
- Plymouth
- Torquay
- Barnstaple
- Bodmin
The table below shows the contact details for patients without a dentist:
Devon
Call 03330 063300 |
Cornwall
Call 0333 405 0290 |
Somerset
Call 0300 123 7691 Email dentist4u@sompar.nhs.uk |
Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire
Call 111 |
Dorset
Call 111 |
Gloucestershire
Call NHS 111 |
Bath & North East Somerset
Call NHS 111 |
Swindon & Wiltshire
0900 -1700 Monday – Friday Call 0345 758 1926 OOH (Evenings and Weekends) Call NHS 111 |