How do you get emergency dental treatment?

[Peaceplants]

DP hasn't had a dentist since his NHS closed to NHS patients, mainly because he hasn't managed to find one.

He's had tooth ache on and off for months and has gone on the waiting list for all the dentists that treat NHS patients in the area, but has heard nothing.

He's now in a lot of pain. Not really able to function in daily life, pain killlers having a limited effect.

111 have said it's not their role to find him an appointment, only to signpost him to practices which take NHS patients when they have spaces (which seems contarary to their website). He's tried all of them.

So is that it? We're a third world country and you just live in agony unless you can pay, or is he approaching it all wrong/asking the wrong people?

He'll have to pay even if he gets NHS treatment

It sounds like he can afford to pay and is just refusing on some weird kind of principle.

I always thought if it was an emergency.

If you rang 111 they would book you an emergency appointment.

Hypothetically, yes, but many practises are so oversubscribed that they don't have space to take on anyone else.

My dentist has a recorded out of hours emergency phone number.

https://www.mydentist.co.uk/

competitively priced dentist chain from £10.50 pm

I rang 15 dentists til I found one with a space (south London). People call every morning for emergency care and then they let 2-3 people come and sit all day in the waiting room should a space come up. Then the waiting emergency can have that slot if no one turns up

If you try out of hours, then you may get an appointment for an NHS out of hours one, but they may only do a temporary fix until you can get to a dentist.

Dd struggles with toothache and dental phobia. She gets stressed with toothache, and stress brings on toothache... you see the problem.

Anyway, one time it flared up when she was at uni. Her and her flatmates phoned every single dentist they could possibly get to. The best offer she had was an "emergency appointment" 6 weeks away.
So she ended up calling 111 at the weekend, and they gave her an appointment for that day out of hours, where they drained the abscess and gave her antibiotics.
On Monday I called our dentist, who said he'd see her whenever she could get to him, so she took a 6 hour train journey for him to deal with it.
Tbf I have a suspicion that the dentist has some sort of marker by her name to say that she needs to be seen asap because of the dental phobia, because if ever I have had to phone up and ask for even a check-up as soon as I say her name there they'll offer same day. Did I mention that I love my dentist? <except when he is doing my teeth, I'm not quite so keen on him at that point...>

In south London you can turn up,at King's dental hospital in Denmark hill

A private dental appointment covers more than an NHS one anyway. It’s only when you are getting significant work done that the NHS is cheaper but often you won’t as good cosmetic treatment for crowns unless front teeth etc.

So is that it? We're a third world country and you just live in agony unless you can pay, or is he approaching it all wrong/asking the wrong people?

Urgh don't be ridiculous. Britain is nothing like a third world country.

Unless your DH has dental phobia, I do not get why any adult would put up with dental pain just because no NHS dentist is apparently available. Assuming the worst a private extraction would be within the means of any employed adult. It's not that expensive. He will be able to see a private dentist tomorrow. No need to suffer.

Well, then hes not in that much pain.

Toothache is horrible and can be unbearable for some

No you can’t anymore , you have to be triaged by 111 first https://www.kch.nhs.uk/services/services-a-to-z/acute-dental-care/

It's always best to get dental problems treated ASAP rather than leaving them to get worse on the basis that you feel you should be able to get an NHS appointment. There's a difference between genuinely not being able to pay, and technically being able to pay but not feeling that you should have to, otherwise where does it end? I believe on principle that we should all get a universal basic income, but we don't, and I still have to go to work.

Thanks for the info

No, but they will take you in an emergency (if you’re in pain, basically). NHS dentists will also see you if you’re in pain and do enough to stop the pain.

I pay £120 every six months just to see the hygenist. It’s a damn site cheaper than losing teeth.

Yes

if they have capacity and time they might but in the average NHS practice that is unlikely they will be able to offer emergency appointments except to regular patients of the practice and there is no compunction to do so.

absolutely

and as i said previously you will NEVER get teeth back if they are lost , i dont think people realise how precious they are

Me and my H do not have a dentist so when he had excruciating tooth pain a few weeks ago he called 111 and they booked him an emergency dentist appointment. He had to pay £70 and got antibiotics for an abscess.

I would ring 111 back and see if they can do this?

Not all dentists charge the earth and some have flexible payment schemes, mine does. He charges £55 for a consultation and £10 for an X-ray. The he works out what you need doing, doesn't try to push you into anything unnecessary, explains everything all the way. He also doesn't hurt which is quite something.

Your husband must get an appointment, it will only get worse and he could end up with an infection. Dentists will always fit people in who have toothache.

I’m talking about out of hours with 111.

When we moved the first thing we did was register with an NHS dentist, they took DC straight away but we both waited 18 months for our first appointments! We also have to go every 6 months otherwise they strike you off. Sounds like the dentist situation is even worse where you are and that your DH needs to pay to be seen. 111 referrals all end up at (the private arm) of my dentist in our area anyway