Who are NHS dental services for?
NHS dental services are available to all residents of the UK.
If you require NHS dental services, you can go to a practice that holds an NHS contract, and is accepting new patients.
Specialist services
Some specialist services are only available by referral by an NHS dental practice, such as sedation services, minor oral surgery and complex restorative procedures.
Orthodontic treatment
Orthodontic treatment may be available to patients assessed as reaching a minimum ‘Index of treatment need' (IOTN) score by an orthodontist.
For more information, speak to your dentist.
Where will I be seen?
There are 35 dental practices within Medway performing NHS dental services.
Specialist dental services may only be available at selected practices. Therefore, if you are referred to a specialist service, some travel may be necessary.
Where can I find out more?
The Department of Health’s Guide to NHS dental services in England gives full details of the services available, what to expect from an NHS dentist and the costs that apply for NHS treatment.
Urgent or emergency NHS dental treatment: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
You can access urgent or emergency dental treatment in the following ways:
If you are part-way through a course of treatment or your urgent/emergency need relates to a recently completed course of treatment:
Contact your usual practice in the first instance and if they have appointments available, they should be able to see you; however please note the dentist may not be able to see you if there are not appointments available on the day.
If you have an NHS dentist which you visit regularly:
Contact the practice in the first instance and staff should offer an emergency appointment within 24-48 hours and give you advice in relation to your problem.
If you do not already have an NHS dentist or your current NHS dentist is unable to offer an appointment as above:
Contact the Medway dental helpline on 0800 0141 538 for details of other practices throughout the Medway who can offer daytime emergency appointments (subject to availability). You do not have to be a patient of these practices to have emergency treatment there, if they have availability.
Urgent or emergency NHS dental treatment: Monday to Friday outside of normal hours or at weekends or Bank Holidays
DentaLine provides temporary treatment from a variety of locations across Kent and Medway to help ease your symptoms until you can access day time care. Patients are assessed over the telephone to establish if this is the most appropriate service for their clinical needs and when it is, will be offered an appointment for temporary treatment. Please note that NHS charges will apply and must be paid at the time of treatment.
DentaLine
Telephone: 01634 890 300
The line is open The line is open from 6pm to 10:55pm in the evening and 8.30am to 1:25pm Saturday and Sunday.
All other times
Outside of the above hours, you can:
