When you are in dental pain, the first question is often what it will cost to be seen. In the UK there are three main routes: NHS urgent care, a private emergency appointment, or an online consultation. Each suits a different situation.
NHS urgent dental care. In England, urgent NHS treatment is charged at a single fixed band, whatever is done at that visit. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own charges. You can check the current price on the NHS website for your country. The difficulty is usually getting an appointment: many practices have no urgent slots, and you may be directed through NHS 111, which can take time.
Private emergency appointments. Private practices set their own prices, so the cost of an emergency visit varies widely between practices and areas, and treatment such as an extraction or a temporary filling is usually charged on top. Weekend and evening appointments are often more expensive. Always ask for the full price before you go.
Online consultations. With ToothAid, a secure video consultation with a GDC-registered UK dentist costs £19.99, paid in advance, with no membership. Appointments are usually available the same day. The dentist can tell you what is causing the pain, advise on pain relief, prescribe where clinically appropriate and tell you whether you need to be seen in person.
If you do need hands-on treatment, ToothAid can help you find a participating practice near you. An in-person assessment costs £39.99, the same price at weekends, and you pay the practice directly. Any further treatment is priced by the practice before it goes ahead.
Which should you choose? If you have facial swelling spreading to your eye or neck, or difficulty breathing, swallowing or opening your mouth, don't wait: call 999 or go to A&E. For toothache, a broken tooth, wisdom tooth pain or a suspected infection, starting with an online consultation is often the quickest and cheapest way to find out what you need, before you pay for treatment you may not need.