Dental helpline and emergency dental treatment
On this page
Contact phone numbers for the dental helpline and out-of-hours emergency dental services.
Read about getting help with a dental problem.
Important: Dental helpline
The dental helpline provides information about:
- dental practice registration in the Highland HSCP and Argyll and Bute HSCP areas
- emergency care for unregistered patients at various clinics according to clinical need - for example, if you are visiting the NHS Highland area and cannot wait until you see your local dentist elsewhere
Helpline operators triage calls all day. However, it is recommended to call as early as possible. Appointments are allocated depending on clinical need.
Highland
- phone 0800 141 2362
- email nhshighland.dentalhelpline@nhs.scot
- availability Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 5.00pm
Argyll and Bute
- phone 0300 131 8760
- email nhsh.dental@nhs.scot
- availability
- Monday to Thursday, 8.45am to 4.30pm
- Friday 8.45am to 4.00pm
Important: Out-of-hours dental emergency service
Outwith the dental helpline hours shown, phone 111. The NHS24 111 service provides urgent care and advice when your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed - Know Who To Turn To.
Your symptoms will be assessed to ensure you get appropriate date care but only if it's an emergency, for example, if you have:
- severe pain that cannot be controlled with over-the-counter painkillers
- swelling that is affecting your mouth, face or neck making it difficult for you to breathe or swallow
- bleeding that won't stop after one of your teeth has been taken out
- an injury to your mouth
By appointment only - we do not provide a drop-in service. Patients are prioritized according to clinical need.
Appointments are available on Saturday and Sunday for relief of dental pain, providing emergency dental care only. The out-of-hours service also operates on some public holidays - Christmas, New Year and Easter.
Services are located in:
- Argyll and Bute
- Caithness
- Inverness Dental Centre, UHI House
- Lochaber
- Skye and Kyle of Lochalsh
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Getting help with a dental problem
Are you worried about persistent mouth, tooth or gum problems?
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Registering with a dental practice
Register with a dentist for NHS services in the NHS Highland area.
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Deregistered NHS dental patients
Frequently asked questions for deregistered NHS dental patients.
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More information about dental care and treatment
More useful guidance from the NHS, Mygov.scot and dental organisations.