During the day - Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian
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, or are unable to contact your dentist, an emergency service for the relief of pain only is available:
Adult patients aged 16 years and over
Chalmers Dental Centre
3 Chalmers Street
Edinburgh
Monday - Thursday, 9am - 4.45pm and on Friday, 9am to 4.15pm
Chalmers Dental Centre tries to minimise waiting times to see a dentist by operating a system of triage. If you arrive at the department in need of urgent dental treatment you will first be seen by a triage nurse who will assess your symptoms and either provide you with advice or arrange for you to be seen by a dentist as soon as possible. At busy times, there may be a delay between the time you are seen by the triage nurse and the first available time that you can see a dentist. As the Centre is usually very busy you are advised to attend early in the day to allow time for this assessment and to arrange for any treatment to be carried out, if necessary.
Child patients aged under 16 years
Children's Department
Edinburgh Dental Institute
Level 3, Lauriston Building
Lauriston Place
Edinburgh
Monday to Friday 9.00-11am and 2-3.00pm
Patients from West Lothian who are able to travel, may also attend Chalmers Dental Centre.
Evening & Weekends - Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian
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.
Registered patients of the Lothian Community Dental Service/Salaried Primary Care Dental Service
If you are a patient of the Lothian Community Dental Service or Salaried Primary Care Dental Service, you should contact the dental clinic which you would normally attend to arrange urgent dental care. Similarly, all Community Dental Clinics will have a telephone answering service explaining arrangements for accessing care when the clinic is closed.
Unregistered patients
If you are unregistered please telephone the Lothian Dental Advice Line: Tel 0131 536 4800
Lothian 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 in a similar way to the triage nursing system at Chalmers Dental Centre (above).
The emergency service does not treat minor problems, e.g. lost crowns, lost or broken fillings where there is no pain.
During the day - West Lothian
Registered Patients
Contact own practice for advice
Unregistered Patients
If you are not registered with a dentist you should approach one of the dental practices in the area or if you are able to travel, attend Chalmers Dental Centre as above.
Evening & Weekends - West Lothian
All patients
Telephone NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24
Mon-Fri 6.00pm - 8.00am, and Friday 6.00pm to Monday 8.00am
The emergency service does not treat minor problems, e.g. lost crowns, lost or broken fillings where there is no pain.