Locating a National Health Service (NHS) Dental Practitioner

Unlike with GP registration, you are not limited to a specific geographical area and therefore do not need to register with a dentist in the same way. Instead, you can find a dental surgery that is conveniently located near your home or work and call them to inquire about available appointments.

To find an NHS dentist close to you, you can search on the NHS website using the provided link. However, it is important to note that not all dental practices have the capacity to accept new NHS patients. In such cases, you may need to join a waiting list or search for a different dentist that is currently accepting new NHS patients. Alternatively, you may choose to be seen privately.

If you do find a dental surgery, you may need to fill out a registration form at your first visit to be added to their patient database. Nonetheless, this does not guarantee access to an NHS dental appointment in the future.

If you are struggling to locate a dentist accepting NHS patients even after contacting several dental surgeries, make sure to get in touch with NHS England's Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning dental services in England and thus, is required to ensure that it meets the needs of the local population both in terms of urgent and routine dental care. If you have concerns or desire more information about the dental services in your local area, consider reaching out to your local Healthwatch.

If you are unable to find an NHS dentist and need to raise concerns about this, you can contact NHS England. However, should their response not satisfy you, you have the option of escalating your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Should you require urgent care, consider contacting your usual dentist, as some dental surgeries offer emergency dental slots. Alternatively, you may also contact NHS 111, which can put you in touch with the relevant urgent dental service. Under no circumstances should you contact a GP, as they are unable to provide urgent or emergency dental care.

When circumstances seriously warrant it, such as severe pain, heavy bleeding, or injuries to the face, mouth, or teeth, you may need to go to A&E. If you are unsure whether you should go to A&E, contact NHS 111 for advice.

The emergency dentist will only provide clinically necessary treatment to alleviate any pain. Depending on your situation, you may be charged a standard fee of £23.80 for urgent dental treatment, unless you are eligible for free NHS dental treatment. Any additional treatments will be considered separate courses of non-urgent treatment, with the relevant charges applied as necessary. To avoid any confusion or uncertainty, make sure to discuss the cost of treatment with the dentist and ask for a treatment plan if possible. For more detailed information on NHS dental charges, refer to the NHS website.