New urgent dental centres open in Devon and Cornwall
A network of urgent dental centres has opened in Devon and Cornwall.
The chain of 15 clinics will provide emergency dental care across the South West for patients who need treatment while practices are closed. The majority of dental surgeries have been closed for the last 2-4 weeks to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Recently, dentists raised concerns about being unable to provide treatment for patients who need urgent assistance, but health chiefs in the South West have confirmed that emergency dental centres are now up and running.
In Devon, there are hubs operating in Plymouth, Exmouth and Torquay. Bodmin is currently Cornwall’s only centre, but there are plans to open more clinics in the county in the near future.
The emergency dental centres were commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement and they have been established to treat patients with severe, acute dental problems while high street practices are closed.
News of the new clinics will be welcomed by both dentists and patients. One patient, a pregnant lady from Exeter, was forced to make a journey to Birmingham to see a dentist before the South West network was set up.
To access the urgent care hubs, patients who need emergency treatment are advised to contact their local dentist for a telephone assessment. If an appointment is required within 24 hours, the patient will be advised to visit their nearest hub. Dentists are manning phone lines for patients as normal and will be available to offer advice and prescribe medication online. Patients who are not registered with a dentist are advised to call NHS 111. The 111 service can also be used outside of working practice hours.
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