DentaLine provides a limited range of emergency dental treatment for patients who cannot wait to receive care during normal dental practice hours.

If your practice is closed, call our emergency number, Dentaline on 0300 124 6870.

Treatment provided by DentaLine is temporary. NHS dental charges apply.

Patients should return to their own dentist, or find a dentist who can complete any ongoing treatment.

For help finding a dentist, call NHS 111 or visit www.nhs.uk.

DentaLine assesses patients over the telephone to decide whether emergency treatment is needed that evening or weekend.

DentaLine may offer treatment for patients who are:

• suffering from a traumatic dental injury
• experiencing heavy bleeding
• experiencing severe facial swelling
• experiencing severe dental pain.

DentaLine is an appointment-only service.

Call NHS 111 for an assessment. If appropriate, you may be offered advice over the telephone or a face-to-face appointment.

Opening hours

Daytime dental emergencies

Patients who are receiving care from a dentist and develop a dental emergency during normal daytime hours, excluding weekends and bank holidays, should contact their own dentist for treatment.

DentaLine does not provide routine dental care or emergency treatment for conditions that begin during the daytime.

For daytime emergency dental care or routine dental care, call NHS 111 or visit www.nhs.uk for details of dentists accepting new patients and those providing emergency daytime appointments.

DentaLine cannot provide treatment for

• crowns that need re-cementing unless pain is present. If pain is present, symptoms may be treated but the crown will not be re-cemented
• routine fillings, although temporary dressings may be provided
• denture or bridge repairs
• extractions, unless the dentist believes no other treatment will provide temporary relief of symptoms.

NHS dental charges

NHS charges apply to all treatment provided by DentaLine and are the same as those charged by NHS dental practices.

Emergency treatment costs £27.90, plus any prescription charges if medication is supplied.

Payment must be made at the time of treatment.

The UK Government currently states that the following groups of patients may not need to pay NHS dental charges. Proof of exemption must be provided.

Patients who may be exempt from charges

• children under the age of 18 years
• young people aged 18 years and in full-time education
• people who are pregnant or have had a baby within the previous 12 months
• holders of an HC2 or HC3 certificate
• people entitled to NHS Tax Credit exemption
• prisoners
• people, or their partners, receiving:
  • income support
  • income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Universal Credit.

If antibiotics or pain relief are prescribed by the dentist, these will be supplied at the time of treatment.

An NHS prescription charge applies to each item supplied. This charge is the same as when collecting a prescription from a pharmacy and is in addition to the emergency treatment charge of £27.90.