Local health leaders are urging people who need urgent dental care to contact NHS111 rather than visit emergency departments, as local services continue to experience high levels of demand following an early spike in flu cases.
More urgent dental appointments are now available locally as part of the 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments being rolled out across the country. People in mid and south Essex who need urgent or unscheduled dental care can access these appointments by calling NHS111.
The appointments are for urgent conditions like severe toothache, abscesses or swellings, severe bleeding from the gums, and broken or knocked out teeth.
In mid and south Essex, a dedicated service is available where NHS111 call handlers are able to book urgent dental appointments directly into dental practice systems. This makes it quicker and easier for people to get urgent care without having to call around dental practices themselves to request an appointment or visit emergency departments.
We know how important it is to local people to access urgent dental care when they need it most. We’ve made it even easier for people to get urgent dental care – by calling NHS111 and explaining your symptoms, they will be able to book you directly into a local dental practice for an urgent dental appointment.
Our local hospitals remain very busy, so it’s important that residents that need urgent dental care use the NHS111 service. You’ll be able to get the care you need quickly without having to visit A&E.
Please check our website for a list of eligible conditions.
William Guy, Director of Primary Care at NHS Mid and South Essex
Patients can access urgent dental appointments at dental practices across mid and south Essex. These extra appointments are available as part of the 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments that are being rolled out across the country.
Details on when to contact NHS 111 for an urgent dental appointment can be found on the NHS Mid and South website:
Dental services