Local treatment planning
Understand the treatment and the local access route before requesting care. The treating practice assesses suitability and confirms any appointment, fees and follow-up.
Urgent dental safety
Seek urgent dental assessment for severe or persistent pain, increasing swelling, a knocked-out adult tooth or bleeding after an extraction. Call 999 or go to A&E for serious facial injury, heavy bleeding that will not stop, or severe mouth or neck swelling affecting breathing or swallowing. Do not wait for an Odenta response.
Registered patients should contact their own dentist first. For unregistered patients with urgent or pressing dental conditions on weekdays, consult the current Dental Access Scheme information linked by nidirect. At weekends and bank holidays, follow the official Emergency Dental Clinic instructions. These are assessed services, not a promise of a walk-in appointment.
Local patient planning
A patient in Ballymoney awaiting community dentistry should report new pain, swelling or injury through the appropriate urgent route rather than simply waiting for a booking-office response. Tell the assessor what care is already planned and what assistance the patient needs to attend. Check the clinical venue in the appointment confirmation; an administrative office is not a walk-in dental destination. Ask how urgent findings will be passed to the team reviewing the referral and who should arrange any unfinished treatment.
The trust's community service is referral based and checks whether it can meet the patient's needs. Follow the appointment information from the clinical team, including the named venue. If a new urgent problem develops while that process is underway, explain the pending referral when using the appropriate public urgent route; the referral letter alone does not arrange immediate care.
For a Ballymoney referral, ask which team is holding the referral and which team will send the appointment. Share the patient's communication preferences and any help needed to understand treatment. Confirm whether a carer should attend and whether the proposed assessment may lead to another site. Keep a record of the decision after assessment so general and community dentists understand which parts of care each will provide.
Ask dental practices about Health Service registration and use the official nidirect guidance to understand your options. Capacity varies, and a private visit does not necessarily include Health Service registration. Check whether each proposed treatment is under Health Service or private arrangements and request an explanation of costs before care.
Understand dental access in Northern IrelandLocal access sources checked . These independent public services are separate from DAN participation. Follow their current instructions.
A dental professional assesses the problem, your symptoms and relevant medical history.
Prompt assessment can identify whether pain, swelling, trauma or a broken restoration needs urgent treatment.
An online request is not a diagnosis and does not guarantee a same-day appointment.
Ask whether the quoted fee covers assessment only or includes X-rays and immediate treatment.
This is general information. Your clinician assesses the problem, explains alternatives and agrees your individual plan.
Read the complete emergency dentist guide
For dental practices
Apply through DAN, complete onboarding and control your public profile, services and patient requests. Your practice decides whether it can offer an appointment.
Apply to join DAN