If you are registered with a dentist:
If you experience an emergency or urgent dental condition on a weekday, you should contact your own dentist in the first instance, preferably in the morning.
At weekends and bank holidays, you should contact your own dental practice, which will outline what out-of-hours arrangements they have in place and how to access an appointment at an Emergency Dental Clinic, if appropriate.
A pilot scheme is being run by the Department of Health’s Strategic and Performance Planning Group (SPPG) to improve access to care for un-registered patients and asylum seekers who are experiencing an emergency or urgent dental issue during weekdays. If an unregistered patient has an urgent dental condition and cannot access dental care having tried dental practices in their locality, then they should contact their local SPPG office at the number below:
- Northern Office: 028 9536 2812
- Belfast / South Eastern Office: 028 9536 3926
- Western Office: 028 9536 1010
- Southern Office: 028 9536 2104
Emergency Dental Clinics
Northern/Southern/Belfast/South-Eastern LCG areas only.
Patients can only contact EDCs on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.
Tel: 028 2566 3510
Telephone lines are open from 8am to 12 noon on these days
Telephone calls will be directed to a dentist for triage and if deemed clinically necessary, advice or treatment at an EDC will be provided for the following dental conditions:
- Dental swelling (spreading infection)
- Trauma to teeth arising from an external force
- Uncontrolled bleeding following extraction
- Severe dental pain not controlled by over the counter medications
- Please note – as there is high demand for out-of-hours appointments patients may have to travel outside their area for treatment slots
- Patients should not attend any site without an arranged appointment
Fees: Normal General Dental service charges will be payable.
Patients should attend their local Emergency Department in the event of a severe dental swelling affecting their airway.