Emergency dental care

A dental emergency could be:

• swelling of the face, especially if it is hard to breathe
• trauma to the face, especially if it is hard to breathe
• bleeding from the mouth that will not stop
• an ulcer or sore in your mouth that has not healed for 2 weeks or more
• severe mouth pain that keeps you awake
• tooth fracture, an opening the tooth’s nerve
• significant dental trauma for example your tooth has been knocked out

Where can I receive Emergency Dental Care?

Emergency dental care is available at your Local community dental clinic It is also available at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.

What happens when I call or turn up for emergency treatment?

We recommend you call your local community dental clinic or the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne before turning up. You will be asked some questions about your condition, pain or injury to determine the priority of your care. This is called triage. Triage helps to attend to patients with the most serious dental problems first. Patients with less serious dental problems may have to wait for treatment.

Please note: Waiting times can increase depending on how busy the clinic or department is.

How long do I need to wait?

How long you wait depends on the seriousness of your dental problem. If you need urgent dental care you will receive care within 24 hours.

• In some instances, you may not receive care on the day but you may be offered an appointment on a following day.
• If your condition is not urgent, it is recommended that you see your local community dental clinic.

Will I be added to a wait list?

You may added to a wait list for an appointment. The wait list helps to manage patients who need dental care.

Contact your local community dental clinic. or the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne to join the wait list or find out how long you will have to wait.

What should I expect during my appointment?

At the emergency appointment, the dentist will aim to reduce or stop the pain experienced. If you have many dental problems, they will treat the most serious dental problem at the emergency appointment.

You may need further treatment for the extra dental problems. This dental treatment can provided at Local Community dental clinic or at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.

What is the cost?

Anyone can receive emergency dental care at the RDHM.  The cost of treatment depends on your circumstances. Please refer to the fees page for information on our fees

If you hold a concession card or healthcare card you pay a co-payment fee. If you don't hold a concession card or healthcare card you will need to pay and upfront fee. You may need to pay more at end of your visit or receive a refund.

If you have private health insurance, your insurer will not accept a claim for these fees.