Extra NHS dental appointments are now open to residents in the West Midlands who need urgent or unscheduled treatment. These slots are part of a nationwide plan to provide 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments.
Appointments are available for serious dental issues, including severe toothache, dental abscesses, broken or knocked-out teeth, oral bleeding, swelling, and heavy gum bleeding. Pain caused by fractured, loose, or displaced fillings is also considered urgent.
Other treatments may be offered at the dentist’s discretion. However, these could require multiple visits or additional charges. Patients unsure about the care they need can visit the NHS 111 website
or call 111 to arrange an urgent dental appointment. Registration with a dental practice is not required.
Adam Morby, regional chief dental officer at NHS England Midlands, said:
“We know how important it is for people in the West Midlands to access urgent dental care when they need it, so we are pleased to offer these extra appointments.
“These appointments are for urgent dental care only. Please check our website for a full list of eligible conditions.
“Through this initiative and other efforts to expand NHS dental services, we are helping patients get the care they need. Nationally, we are also working to improve recruitment, retention, and training in the dental workforce.”
Local dentist Mohammad Shaikh, based in Dudley, added:
“Our practice regularly provides urgent dental appointments. Patients can call us directly if they are registered, or use 111 to be referred to us or another nearby dentist if they are not.
“Last week, I treated a patient who needed a same-day tooth extraction due to severe pain. They mentioned that although waits were long last year, emergency dental services have improved significantly. It is now much easier to get an appointment when needed.”