Emergency Services

Accident and Emergency Services

Our Emergency Department’s is a limited service and Patients should contact their own dentist in the first instance.  

A triage system is used in our Accident and Emergency Department to ensure that the patients with the most urgent needs are accepted.  There is no guarantee of acceptance or treatment.  The dentist on duty, will determine whether your presenting dental problem is appropriate for treatment by our Accident and Emergency team. 

Acceptance for this service is at the discretion of the screening dentist on duty in line with our acceptance criteria.  If treatment  is provided it may be just temporary – sufficient to relieve the pain and prevent serious damage until you can attend your own Dentist. 

As our Accident and Emergency service is restricted on the numbers of patients which we can accept on each clinic, we do on occasion reach our full patient capacity in either a morning or afternoon session. Unfortunately such an occurrence is unpredictable as this service is walk-in. If this occurs during the morning session you may be asked to return that afternoon or alternatively if it occurs in the afternoon you may be asked to return the following day. Please be understanding to our staff that this is outside their control and this event occurs due to high demand on our Accident and Emergency services. 

This clinical decision will be based on whether you have been accepted for emergency care as set out above and your presenting complaint. 
 
Waiting time for this service can be approx. 2 hours or more.  Waiting times are determined by the number of patients presenting for this service.  

Times for Accident and Emergency Services:

Monday to Friday


•    Screening for morning clinics begins promptly at 8.45 am.

or

•    Screening for afternoon clinics begins promptly at 1.30 pm.


Attendance at these times is important as we cannot guarantee that our Accident and Emergency team will be able to assess your presenting complaint if you arrive outside of these times due to the demand for the service.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Criteria for Acceptance at our Accident and Emergency Department 
•    Bleeding / Haemorrhage
•    Serious infection
•    Visible swelling in or around the mouth
•    Severe pain
•    Injuries as a result of a recent trauma / accident

Fees
If you are accepted for the Accident and Emergency service, there is a minimum charge of €70.00 which is payable in advance.  If you hold a HSE medical card you will not be charged for treatment provided on this visit only via the Accident and Emergency department only.  

On arrival to the Emergency Department, please bring the following: 
-    List of medications patient is taking
-    Your dentist’s and doctor’s name and details 
-    Medical card if patient has
 

Out of Hours Emergency services

We also provide an out-of-hours emergency service from 5pm to 10pm Monday to Friday and on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 9am to 10pm for severe dental emergencies only.

This service is managed by telephoning 01 6127200. You will need to provide a contact number for the dentist on duty to contact you via our answering service.  It can take up to 2 hours for your call to be returned. 

Please do not present to the Hospital facility as this service is managed by appointment only.  This service may also be limited to advice by telephone only. 

Please read the information below on how to access this service as an appointment is required.  If you have a severe dental emergency outside these hours, you should contact your nearest general hospital.

How do I contact the  Emergency Out of Hours Service?

As above, to access this service you must telephone in advance.  Do not turn up as this service is managed by appointment only or advice by telephone only.

Phone (01) 612 7200

When you dial this number please listen carefully and follow the instructions to be connected to our answering service. After the message you will hear a beep (tone), state clearly your name and the telephone number where you can be reached for the next 2 hours

A dentist will telephone you and advise you as to what to do next. This can be up to 2 hours from the time of your call.  Please ensure you are available to take the return call.

Do I have to pay for  Accident and Emergency service?

  • The Accident & Emergency fee €70 is payable at your visit.  It covers your initial visit to the Accident and Emergency Department only, and any return visits to Accident & Emergency with the same problem, within three months of your first visit.
  • The Accident and Emergency on-call charge is €100. We will send you an invoice for this charge, which you must pay within five working days. It covers your initial visit to the Accident and Emergency Department only, and any return visits to the department with the same problem, within three months of your first visit.
  • If you hold a current Health Services Executive Eastern Region (HSE) Medical Card and live in Dublin, Wicklow or Kildare you will not be billed for Accident and Emergency treatment.
  • If you hold a current E111 Government Scheme for Foreign Visitors or an E128 Government Scheme for Foreign Visitors, you will not be billed for Accident and Emergency services.
  • If you require copies of your x-rays or treatment records, charges will apply.