Emergency dental treatment FAQs

Emergency dental care is urgent treatment for sudden problems like severe toothache, infection, swelling, or injuries such as broken or knocked-out teeth. Its purpose is to relieve pain, stop bleeding, control infection, and prevent further damage until full treatment can be completed.

What emergency dental care is

Emergency dental care is short-term treatment to:

• Relieve pain
• Treat infection
• Deal with dental trauma
• Stabilise a broken or damaged tooth

It is not a full dental service and does not provide routine care.

Where and how you can access emergency dental treatment

Patients who do not have access to an NHS dentist can access emergency dental treatment by contacting the Community Dental Service on +44 1624 642785 Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 4:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 4pm. Appointments are limited so please call as early as possible.

During weekends and bank holidays all patients can access the emergency dental clinic during the hours of 9am to 11am. The rota to advise which practice is covering is available on the dentists webpages under the downloadable documents section.

What will happen at the dental emergency appointment

You can expect:

• A short examination of the problem area
• Possibly an X-ray if deemed clinically necessary
• Diagnosis of the issue
• Treatment to relieve pain or stop infection

What treatment you can receive

Emergency care may include:

• Pain relief advice or medication
• Temporary or permanent filling
• Tooth extraction (if necessary)
• Dressing or temporary repair
• Treatment for infection

A full list of treatment available is on our webpage under the Band 4 – urgent treatment under Band 1 dental charge.

What will NOT usually be provided

Emergency appointments do NOT included:

• Routine check-ups
• Scale and polish
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Full root canal treatments (may be started/stabilised only)
• Crowns, bridges as full treatment
• Long-term treatment plans

You may be advised to add your details to the NHS dental waiting list in order to be allocated to a dental practice for ongoing care. However, if you only require access to emergency treatment and do not wish to receive routine examinations or ongoing dental care, you do not need to join the waiting list. Emergency treatment can still be accessed as and when required.

How much it will cost

You will be charged as per the Band 4 – urgent treatment under Band 1 dental charge which is currently £18.50 unless you are considered exempt from dental charges. Exemption details are also detailed on our webpage.

You should always be notified of charges before treatment is carried out.

What happens after the emergency dental treatment

Once your urgent problem is treated, you may need to:

• Request to join the NHS dental waiting list to receive ongoing dental care
• Seek further private dental care in the meantime

When to seek urgent dental care at the Hospital

If you experience any of the following, you should attend the Emergency Department at Nobles Hospital as soon as possible:

• Severe swelling of the face or mouth
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Severe trauma to teeth or mouth

Who to contact for more information or to join the NHS dental waiting list

Please contact a member of the Primary Care Services Dental Team on +44 1624 642694 option 2 or email dental@gov.im