A vital urgent dental care service in Hertfordshire and west Essex will remain in place until March 2026, the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has announced.
Launched in December 2023, the service operates seven days a week, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. It offers same-day or next-day appointments to patients who contact NHS 111 with severe dental pain or emergency dental issues and are assessed as needing urgent care.
The ICB has partnered with three dental practices — in Hemel Hempstead, Watford, and Waltham Abbey — to deliver additional urgent dental appointments. These appointments are available to all patients, whether or not they are registered with a dentist. The initiative also expands out-of-hours dental services at sites in Stevenage and Rickmansworth.
Waltham Abbey’s practice is offering Saturday slots as part of the extended care options.
In total, the urgent care program is expected to provide nearly 10,800 appointments in the 2025–2026 financial year. Since its inception, the service has already delivered over 13,000 urgent and follow-up appointments across the region.
When NHS 111 determines a patient requires urgent dental attention, they are booked into the nearest available slot at one of the participating dental practices or out-of-hours clinics. Most appointments are scheduled the same day, though some may take place the next day depending on availability.
Dentists are also able to arrange follow-up visits if additional treatment is needed. This helps stabilise the patient’s dental health and prevents further complications.
Avni Shah, Director of Primary Care Transformation at the ICB, said the extension is part of a broader NHS goal to expand access to dental services.
“No patient should have to endure severe tooth pain,” said Shah. “This service ensures that those in urgent need receive timely care to restore their oral health.”
Shah highlighted the role of the service in addressing health inequalities, noting that individuals facing disadvantage are often less likely to have a regular dentist and more likely to experience serious dental problems.
“This new service is already increasing access for patients who might otherwise struggle to get care,” she said. “It’s a vital step toward tackling longstanding gaps in dental health provision.”
She also noted that easing dental emergencies in the community can reduce pressure on emergency departments, GP surgeries, and urgent treatment centres.
The extension of the service to March 2026 will support the ICB in meeting its care delivery targets while continuing to fill an urgent need in the region.
