Dental Services
Routine Dental Treatment
How to register with a dentist
If you are unable to register with a dentist
Emergency & Urgent Dental Treatment
Charges for emergency dental treatment
Routine Dental Treatment
The text below gives advice on obtaining registration with a General Dental Practitioner, and what you can do if you are unable to do so.
How to register with a dentist
If you are new to the area or, for any other reason, are not already registered with a dentist, we recommend that you do so. You can obtain details of the NHS dentist nearest your home by telephoning NHS Forth Valley Primary care Administration on 01786 434775 or you can consult the Doctors, Dentists, Opticians, Pharmacies section of this website.
Please note that due to difficulties in access to dentistry in Forth Valley, as elsewhere in the country, this may not be near your home address. If you wish to change your dentist, you should ask the new dentist whether he/she will accept you as an NHS patient. You do not have to give a reason for changing your dentist.
If you are registered with an NHS dentist, and you allow more than 36 months to pass between check ups, you will be removed from that register. You may find if difficult to get your dentist to see you in these circumstances. Regular attendance is needed to stay registered with your dentist.
The most the NHS will charge you for any complete course of treatment is £384 (correct at 01.04.07)
If you are unable to register with a dentist
People who are not registered and who have been unable to obtain registration with a General Dental Practitioner can contact the Telephone Help Line (0844 800 6886) seeking routine dental care. Your name will be added to the waiting list for treatment held by the Salaried Dental Service. You will receive a full course of dental treatment and be charged NHS fees, if not exempt from payment. On discharge you will be advised to continue to seek ongoing registration with a General Dental Practitioner.
Emergency & Urgent Dental Treatment
The text below provides information on access to emergency treatment for different categories of patients at different times in Forth Valley.
- During the day for registered and unregistered patients
- Evenings and weekends for registered and unregistered patients
- During the night
During the day
Registered patients
If you are registered with a dentist, contact your dental practice. If you are not sure about the emergency arrangements at your dental practice, ask about these the next time you visit.
Unregistered patients
If you are not registered with a dentist, a service for the urgent relief of pain only is available. You should call the Telephone Helpline on 0844 800 6886. A Dental Nurse Adviser will take your call and assess the urgency of your symptoms. An urgent dental appointment will be made for you to attend one of the Dental Access Centres in Falkirk & Stirling.
Monday-Friday, 8.30am - 12.30pm and 1.00pm - 4.00pm
As there are a limited number of appointments available each day you are advised to telephone as early as possible. We are unable to book appointments for the following day. At the end of the working day you may be advised to call again the following day or be given details of the Out of Hours Dental Advice Line.
Evening & Weekends
Registered patients
If you are registered with a dentist, phone your dental practice. All NHS dentists have arrangements in place to provide cover for their registered patients.
Unregistered patients
If you are unregistered please telephone the Forth Valley Dental Advice Line: Tel 01324 620888
Forth Valley Dental Advice Line is operational in the evenings and at weekends to offer advice or to arrange for you to receive urgent dental care. A dental nurse adviser will take your call and assess the urgency of your symptoms
Monday - Friday, 6.00pm - 11.00pm
Saturday & Sunday, 12noon - 11.00pm
The service is only available for the urgent relief of pain.
During the night
All Patients
Between 11.00pm and 8.30am you should call NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24. A Call Handler/Nurse Adviser will take your call and offer self-care for non-emergency cases, this may include pain relief advice.
True dental emergencies will be referred to the local Accident & Emergency unit for care. True dental emergencies are conditions including:
- Facial or dental trauma.
- Oral or facial swelling that is significant and worsening.
- Post-extraction bleeding that the patient is not able to control with local pressure.
- Dental infection causing acute illness or raised temperature.
Charges for emergency dental treatment
You will be charged the standard NHS rate for any dental treatment you receive, so please bring a means of payment with you.
You will not have to pay if you are usually exempt from charges, but you will need to bring the correct form of proof with you. People normally exempt include those under 16 (18 and under if in full time education) ,and women who are pregnant or who have given birth in the past 12 months. You may be exempt if you receive certain state benefits. For more information, read "Are you entitled to help with health costs?" a leaflet you can pick up when visiting your GP or dentist.
Emergency treatment for the relief of pain rarely exceeds £30.
