You must contact the dentist to see if there are any appointments available.
You do not need to register with a dentist in the same way as a General Practitioner (GP) because you're not bound to a catchment area.
Dental surgeries will not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients.
You may have to:
- join a waiting list
- look for a different dentist who is taking on new NHS patients
- be seen privately
How you find an NHS dentist in your area depends on which UK country you live in.
England
Search for an NHS dentist near you on NHS.UK.
For dental emergency and out-of-hours care, contact your usual dentist. Some surgeries offer emergency dental slots and will provide care if necessary.
If you're not registered or your surgery does not offer emergency slots, you can contact NHS 111 who can put you in touch with an urgent dental service.
Scotland
Search for an NHS dentist near you by visiting the NHS inform website.
If you’re not registered with a dentist and you have an emergency, follow the local advice emergency contact details.
If it’s out-of-hours, you must phone the NHS 111 service.
Wales
You can search for an NHS dentist near you by visiting NHS 111 Wales Services near you.
If the dental practice you contact is full or does not provide NHS care, contact the dental helpline in your Health Board area.
If you need urgent care, contact your usual dentist as some surgeries offer emergency slots.
If you’re not registered or your surgery does not offer emergency slots, you must contact the NHS 111 service.
Northern Ireland
Visit the Health and Social Care (HSC) website.
Check what help you could get to pay for NHS costs and apply online.