King's dental service

From January 2010 self-referring to King’s Dental Services will no longer be automatically offered care within the Dental Service.

All patients can ask to be assessed at the Dental Walk In service. Following assessment patients who are suitable for treatment by student dentists will be offered this as an option. Patients who do not wish to be treated by a student dentist will be given details of high street dentists, and support with the costs of NHS dental care.

Exceptions to this arrangement are:

• Suspected cancers
• Significant dental trauma i.e. uncontrolled bleeding, swelling in the airway, broken teeth and/or serious facial lacerations (cuts)
• Children in acute pain or distress.

If, following a consultation with a high street dentist, the patient’s dentist thinks that there is a specialist treatment need which cannot be met by a high street dentist, a referral to dental services at King’s or Guy’s and St Thomas’ will be made.

If you need further advice please contact NHS Southwark’s Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) Monday to Friday 9.30am 12.30pm and 2 pm - 4 pm on Freephone: 0800 58 77 170.