To expect to be able to get an emergency dentist appointment when dd has broken her tooth

[kslatts]

DD2 (5) has started screaming with toothache, I've looked in her mouth and she has manged to break one of her teeth at the back.

I have just phoned the dentist and have been told that they are full this afternoon so can't offer me an emergency appointment, all they can do is offer me the next avaliable appointment which is in 3 weeks or give me an out of hours number, which I can't phone until 6pm.

I can appreciate that if the dentist physically doesn't have the time to see her there is nothing they can do, but the receptionist said they could fit her in later this afternoon, but it would have to be a private appointment and just to see the dentist is £30 + whatever treatment she needs.

Surely a 5 year old should be seen on the nhs as an emergency, isn't that what dh and I pay our national insurance for.

if you hadn't already called i would have just turned up. they will soon see her. or someone will be free? how big a practice is it?

i did that when pg, was in agony with what turned out to be neuralgia. I phoned and was told no appts, but just turned up. Was seen in about 4 mins!!

Now hang on a cotton picking minute! She has a RIGHT to be seen at an NHS acute centre, you may have to drive to get there but your dentist should have a list of them. Phone him up NOW and state 'she can't wait, I'd like to go to the acute NHS treatment centre'.

You will have a long wait once there - probably two to three hours but you will be seen.

phone NHS direct and get the number of your local centre - you may have to get a tad shirty though

HTH

dont you have an emergency dentist at the local A&E?

phone nhs direct

Turn up and say she couldn't stand the pain.

I broke a bit of a HUGE molar off last week.

They wanted me to come back in JULY.

So I said yeah, yeah, then phoned in a few days later to say it hurts and got right in.

I've just phoned nhs direct and they said my dentist should fit her in as she is a child and it is an emergency, especially as they were able to offer a private appointment.

So, spoke to the receptionist at the dentist's, explained what nhs direct had said, she is going to speak to the dentist and call me back within the next 10 mins.

If I don't hear from her in 10 mins I'm just going to go there anyway.

Good for you! It's profiteering if they claim they can only see her as a private patient.

Did you get an appointment?

The receptionist rang back and said we could go at 5pm as an emergency.

She also said that the dentist was not happy with the information nhs had given me as it was incorrect and he was going to speak to them about it.

Oh yeah - the dentist CLEARLY has more up to date information than NHS direct who get daily updates on services....

Glad you got an appt though - if he's shirty, do feel free to kick off and make a complaint. He sounds like a treasure

Blooming drill happy fiends!

my sister's dentist is called "Dr. Bosch"

Well I'm sure that when he speaks to NHS Direct they will soon put him straight! And if he was in the right... then why would he give you an appointment???!!!