Dr Scott Aaron is a dentist working in NHS urgent care clinics in Croydon and Kingston. He is clinical director for the urgent dental service in south west London and in Hertfordshire. Scott talks about a typical day as an urgent care dentist, with tips about using the service and how to get the most from your appointment.
For Scott Aaron, working as an urgent care dentist in south west London is particularly rewarding: “The good thing about this field is that we’re helping people in pain, easing their discomfort and helping them quickly.”
The good thing about this field is that we’re helping people in pain, easing their discomfort and helping them quickly.”
He explained what a typical day looks like in his Croydon clinic. “Patients are referred to us by NHS 111. We have a small amount of information about them before we start.
“We have half an hour per appointment, and we see patients throughout the day. In that time we need to get to know the person, work out what the problem is and deal with it.
“NHS urgent dental care is an excellent service. We have a dentist, dental nurse, a whole team ready and waiting to see each patient with an urgent need for half an hour.
“Each diagnosis is different, each treatment is different and each patient is very different. However, the most common reason people attend for urgent care is pain.”
Before the pandemic, London’s urgent care dentists were allotted 15 minutes per appointment. As Scott explains: “That has been increased to allow us to treat patients better. It’s enough time to be able to treat most people to a reasonably good level.
NHS urgent dental care is an excellent service. We have a dentist, dental nurse, a whole team ready and waiting to see each patient with an urgent need for half an hour.
“It’s not a ‘sticking plaster’, we’ve moved away from temporary fillings with a maximum life of three days. If we can solve the issue in one appointment, we will.
“Some people will need a filling replaced, others might need to have a tooth out. If it’s not a complex extraction, we can remove the tooth during the appointment.
“More complex work can’t necessarily be completed in the urgent care clinic but it will be started. Root canal treatment, for example usually requires more than one visit. But fundamentally our aim is that each patient has the right treatment to improve their situation.”
How to get the most urgent dental care
Anyone in south west London can access the NHS urgent dental care service by visiting 111.nhs.uk, 24/7. You can call 111 if you can’t go online. You’ll need to answer a series of questions about your problem and will receive a call back from a dental nurse, who will book you a local appointment, if needed.
Scott stresses the importance of taking that call rather than looking at other options – calling round local dentists, for example.
“That call is your gateway to urgent treatment. If you need an appointment, they will try and get you in that day or the next day. If there are no appointments in your own borough, you’ll be offered the option of one nearby.”
Scott urges people to attend their appointment – even if they think the issue has improved. “Please come to your appointment. Even if pain seems to have gone away, there is likely to be an underlying problem that needs to be seen.
Most people we see in the urgent care service are extremely happy with the service. According to our reviews 98% award us five stars, from hundreds of patients.”
“We appreciate that however nice the dentist is, if you had a choice you’d rather be somewhere else. But dental treatment is not as bad as you think and it is better to deal with the problem now than wait until it becomes worse.
“We have lots of experience of dental anxiety and make great efforts to put people at ease. Most people we see in the urgent care service are extremely happy with the service. According to our reviews 98% award us five stars, from hundreds of patients.”
Contact NHS 111 for:
- Severe toothache – that keeps you awake at night and doesn’t feel better with pain killers.
- If you’ve knocked out a tooth, broken or damaged it
- If you’ve recently had a tooth taken out and it won’t stop bleeding
- If you have a painful lump or swelling
- If you think you need urgent help with another dental issue.
Urgent NHS dental care is free if you’re under 18, under 19 and in full time education, pregnant or on certain benefits.