Community Dental Service

The Community Dental Service looks after those who, because of their special care needs, are unable to attend a family dentist, this includes:

• People with learning disabilities
• People with physical disabilities
• Elderly care home residents who are unable to attend a general dental practice
• People who have severe mental illness
• People with significant anxiety, phobias or behavioral difficulties
• People who are housebound
• People with a significant medical condition

The Community Dental Service also provides specialist care for:

• Special Care Adults requiring dental care under general anaesthetic
• General anaesthetic extraction service for children referred from dental practices.

The Community Dental Service places a strong emphasis on the prevention of dental disease and work with colleagues throughout healthcare to improve the oral health of the population.

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• Out of Hours Times & Information

  Please contact the clinic where an answerphone message will give you further information.

  A Dental emergency includes the following conditions:

  • Dental swelling (spreading infection).
  • Trauma to teeth arising from an external force.
  • Uncontrolled bleeding following extraction.
  • Severe dental pain not controlled by over the counter medications.
  • Please note – as there is high demand for out-of-hours appointments patients may have to travel outside their area for treatment slots.
  • Patients should not attend any site without an arranged appointment

  Changes to dental practices during the current COVID-19 pandemic

  • Dental practices were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are currently working through the backlog of treatment that had been postponed.
  • Dental practices are prioritising patients based on their clinical need and access to some routine care, including check-ups, may continue to be restricted.

  If you are registered with a dentist

  • If you experience an emergency or urgent dental condition on a weekday, you should contact your own dentist in the first instance, preferably in the morning.
  • At weekends and bank holidays, you should contact your own dental practice, which will outline what out-of-hours arrangements they have in place and how to access an appointment at an Emergency Dental Clinic, if appropriate.

  Patients having difficulties accessing a health service dentist

  • Please visit the HSC Service finder to search for a dentist in Northern Ireland (in the search box add ‘dental’).
  • The HSC service finder can be used to search for dental practices in your area, sorted by those closest to your address and then extending further afield.  A contact number for each dental practice is available and will hopefully help patients find a practice to register with.  Patients might have to check with a high number of dental practices and/or be prepared to travel outside of their local area, in order to find a practice that is currently registering health service patients.

  Patients having difficulties accessing a health service dentist

  • Please visit the HSC Service finder to search for a dentist in Northern Ireland (in the search box add ‘dental’).
  • The HSC service finder can be used to search for dental practices in your area, sorted by those closest to your address and then extending further afield.  A contact number for each dental practice is available and will hopefully help patients find a practice to register with.  Patients might have to check with a high number of dental practices and/or be prepared to travel outside of their local area, in order to find a practice that is currently registering health service patients.

  Not registered with a dentist and require emergency dental care

  A pilot scheme is currently running to provide appointments to unregistered patients who require emergency dental treatment during the working week.  If you are not registered with a dentist, require emergency dental treatment, and have been unable to access an appointment, you should contact your local SPPG office for advice:

  Southeastern Trust: 028 9536 3926

  Fees: Normal General Dental service charges will be payable

• Referrals

  The Community Dental Service accepts referrals from General Dental Practices, General Medical Practitioners and other Health professionals.  We do not accept self-referrals.