We know that many people are finding it hard to get routine NHS dental care right now. This is a national problem. We are looking for ways to make this better.
How can I find an NHS dentist?
You can look for an NHS dentist at nhs.uk. The list will show which practices have appointments available for new patients.
Here are some important things to know about making an appointment for routine dental care:
What kind of treatment can I get?
The NHS provides dental treatment that you need to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy and free of pain.
There is more information about the treatments this includes here.
How often do I need a check-up?
Adults should ideally have a check-up at least once every two years and children at least once a year.
Do I have to pay for treatment?
Some people can get free NHS dental treatment. Some people may only have to pay part of the cost.
There is more information about who can get free treatment or help with costs here.
How should I manage toothache?
Over-the-counter medicines should be used to ease toothache until you can make an appointment with a dentist. A pharmacist can give you advice on the best pain relief for your needs.
You should not visit your GP for toothache as they will not be able to give you dental care.
What can I do if my regular dentist won't give me an appointment?
Patients are not registered with a dentist in the same way they are with a GP.
Dentists are only responsible for patients during a course of treatment. They do not have to see patients for ongoing routine treatment, including check-ups.
Dentists can only take on new NHS patients for routine care if they have appointments and staff available.
Dental practices manage their own NHS appointments and waiting lists. The ICB has no say in this. We cannot ask them to see you or make appointments for you.
If your regular dentist is not able to give you an appointment, you can look for other dentists at nhs.uk.
Can the ICB help me to get a dental appointment?
Dental practices manage their own NHS appointments and waiting lists. The ICB has no say in this. We cannot ask them to see you or make appointments for you.
Our role is to plan and look after dental services for people living in the North East and North Cumbria. That includes:
NHS dental services are provided by a network of individual practices. Each practice has a contract to deliver a specific amount of NHS dental care.
Practices can end this contract at any time. If they do that, we will try to find other practices to deliver NHS dental care in the area.
What should I do if I have an urgent dental problem?
You should make an urgent dental appointment if you have:
Lost fillings, crowns or bridges are not urgent dental problems so you will need to book a routine appointment with a dentist to treat those.
The first place to try is an NHS dentist. They provide urgent care appointments during their normal working hours.
You should contact your regular dentist if you have one or you can find an NHS dentist at nhs.uk.
The dental practices listed below have additional appointments to care for people with the most serious problems, including looked after children and vulnerable adults.
You can contact any of the practices listed to ask for an appointment. The number of urgent appointments available at each practice will vary across the days and weeks, so we cannot guarantee an appointment will always be available.
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Pelton Lane End Dental Practice Partnership | Roseberry School House, Pelton Lane Ends, Pelton, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH2 1NP | 0191 370 3845 |
| Honour Health Partnership | Dental Surgery, 13 Front Street, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 0JE | 01207 232 725 |
| Mr D Chopra | Murton Dental Practice, 12 Wood's Terrace. East Murton, SR7 9AA | 0191 526 0562 |
| Smile In Durham | Dental Surgery, 3 New Durham Road, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 7UQ | 01207 234 228 |
| Dental Avenue | Dental Surgery, 5 Clyde Terrace, Spennymoor, County Durham, DL16 7SE | 07388 814 223 |
| Shildon Smile Care | 23-27 Main Street, Shildon, DL4 1AL | 01388 775104 |
| Mydentist - Framwellgate Bridge | Bridge House Dental Surgery, 1st floor, Bridge House, Framwellgate Bridge, Durham, DH1 4SJ | 0191 384 7605 |
| Mydentist - Yoden Way Peterlee | 30 Yoden Way, Peterlee, SR8 1AL | 0191 586 2918 |
| Front Street Dental Practice Partnership | 6 Front Street, Consett, County Durham, DH8 5AQ | 01207 503 020 |
| Mr Hs Basra | Woodham Dental Surgery, 1 St Elizabeth's Close, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 4UE | 01325 300 468 |
| Princess Road Dental Practice | 8 Princess Road, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7SP | 0191 513 0301 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Southend Avenue Dental Practice | 12 Southend Avenue, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 7HL | 01325 380 367 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Mr KS Bamrah | 27A Jackson Street, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 1EE | 0191 490 0818 |
| Mr Ya Noib & Mr J Robinson | Greencroft Lodge Dental Practice, Strathmore Road, Rowlands Gill, Tyne & Wear, NE39 1HX | 01207 542 283 |
| Bensham and Sunniside Dental Practices | Bensham Dental Practice, 24 Saltwell Road, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 4XE | 0191 477 1981 |
| Crescent Dental Practice | 3/4 The Crescent, Dunston, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE11 9SJ | 0191 460 4182 |
| Indental Practice Limited | Dental Surgery, Fewster Square, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 8XQ | 0191 469 2514 |
| Low Fell Dental Practice | 323 Durham Road, Low Fell, NE9 5AH | 0191 491 0660 |
| Mr B Ahmad & Mrs R Ahmas (prev Stobbs) | Ryton Dental Clinic, 29 Dean Terrace, Ryton, Tyne & Wear, NE40 3HQ | 0191 413 5490 |
| Perfect Smile (Acorn) partnership | Gateshead Dental Surgery, 15 Regent Terrace, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 1LU | 0191 477 2007 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Hartlepool Dental Practice Partnership | 34 Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS26 8DD | 01429 861 327 |
| Hartlepool Dental Practice Partnership | 29 Northgate, Hartlepool, TS24 0JT | 01429 222 707 |
| Miss J Mathiesons Dental Surgery | 22 Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS26 8DD | 01429 221353 |
| Lambert Coutts & Associates Dental Practice Partnership | Mydentist Grange Road, 4 Grange Road Hartlepool, TS26 8JA | 01429 864 555 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Genix Healthcare Ltd | Dental Surgery, 222 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3QW | 01642 247 075 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Mrs S Hyder | Angel Dental Care, 6 Frenton Close, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, Ne5 1EH | 0191 267 4647 |
| Rundle Dental Care | Rundle Dental Care, 522 Denton Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE15 7HJ | 0191 228 0018 |
| Honour Health Partnership, Mr OS Dhanoya | 90 Osborne Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE2 2AP | 0191 281 3913 |
| Mr P Brantingham and Mrs Ka Brantingham | Seville Dental Practice, 6 Saville Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 8DQ | 0191 232 0002 |
| Perfect Smile Gateshead Partnership | 44 Acorn Road, Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE2 2DJ | 0191 281 4444 |
| The Grange Dental Centre | 59-61 Great North Road, Grange Park Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE3 2DQ | 0191 213 0188 |
| The Dental Care Clinic | 369 Stamfordham Road, Westerhope Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE5 2LH | 0191 286 9156 |
| Mr AJ Churm | 137 The Dental Practice, 137 Kenton Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE3 4NQ | 0191 285 7268 |
| The Heaton and Blakelaw Partnership | Heaton Road Dental practice, Springfield Road, Blakelaw, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE5 3DS | 0191 271 4959 |
| Newcastle Dental Care Practice Partnership | 3 St Mary's Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 7PG | 0191 232 4233 |
| Mrs KK Amlani | Dental Surgery, 46 South View, West Denton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE5 2BP | 0191 267 4263 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Queen Street Dental Clinic | 128 Queen Street, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 7QF | 01946 590 388 |
| Whitecross Dental Care Limited | Gloucester Yard Dental Centre, Penrith, CA11 7DE | 01768 895 068 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Alistair Bartlett Dental Practice Limited | Unit 5 6 Addington Drive, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28 9UY | 0191 234 4041 |
| Melita Dental Practice Limited | Dental Surgery, 18 llfracombe Gardens, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE26 3SL | 0191 252 1155 |
| Mr LA Nightingale | Verne Road Dental Practice, 33-39 Verne Road, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE29 7LS | 0191 296 1018 |
| Perfect Smile Gateshead Parternship | Laburnum Dental Practice, 96 Laburnum Avenue, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28 8HG | 0191 262 4079 |
| The Killingworth Dental Practice Partnership | Mydentist, Killingworth unit 20-21, The Killingworth Centre, Killingworth, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE12 6YT | 0191 268 6502 |
| Watch Dental Benton | 2 Manor Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE7 7XS | 0191 266 1487 |
| Whitecross Dental Care Limited | 16 Laburnum Avenue, Tyne & Wear, NE28 8HQ | 0191 262 3726 |
| Roseborough Dental Practice | Four Lane Ends, Benton, NE7 7UH | 0191 266 2096 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Alison Brett Dental Care LLP | Alison Brett Dental Care, 32 Woodhorn Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9AE | 01670 855 550 |
| Alistair Bartlett Dental Practice Limited | Aqua Dental Care, 10A Milburn Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 0HD | 01670 815 327 |
| Highgate House Dental Practice Partnership | Highgate House Dental Practice, Highgate House, 7 Front Street West, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 5TZ | 01670 822 100 |
| JRP Jones and Associates Limited | James RP Jones & Associates Limited, 4A Bridge Street, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1NB | 01670 517 515 |
| Mr P Brantingham and Mrs KA Brantingham | Newbiggin Dental Practice, 1 Gibson Street, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, NE64 6PF | 01670 815 549 |
| Mr RG Smith | Horizon Dental Clinic, 58 Beaconsfield Street, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 2DS | 01670 352 136 |
| Mr SU Chohan | Northumberland Dental Health, Tweedmouth Clinic, Shielfield Terrace, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 2EQ | 01289 330 073 |
| Northumbria Dental Care Limited (Rothbury and Amble) | 45 High Street, Northumberland, NE65 0LE | 01665 710 678 |
| Princes Street Dental Practice Limited | Hedley House, Princes Street, Corbridge, NE45 5DQ | 01434 632 164 |
| The Linden Cottage Partnership | Dental Surgery, Linden Cottage, High Market, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8NQ | 01670 812 125 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Genix Healthcare Ltd | Genix Healthcare Ltd, 16 The Wynd, Marske-By-The-Sea, Redcar, TS11 7LA | 01642 484 662 |
| Mr B Johnson | Unit 2, Roseberry Shopping Centre, Redcar, TS10 4NY | 01642 490 673 |
| Park Avenue Dental Surgery | 15 Park Avenue, Redcar, TS10 3LA | 01642 477 000 |
| Roseberry Dental Practice | Roseberry Dental Surgery, 118 Westgate, Guisborough, TS14 6AW | 01287 610 410 |
| Whitecross Dental Care Limited | Guisborough Dental Centre, Guisborough, TS14 6AY | 01287 632 699 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Dr I Davies & Dr L Ward | Grange Road West Dental Practice, 6 Grange Road West, Jarrow, NE32 3JA | 0191 430 0207 |
| South Tyneside Smiles Limited | 16-22 Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 4LZ | 0191 456 2567 |
| Hebburn and Pelaw Dental Partnership | Hebburn Dental Practice, 4 Park Road, Hebburn, NE31 2UL | 0191 483 2509 |
| Mrs JD Black & Mr G Cowie | 22 North Road, Boldon Colliery, NE35 9AR | 0191 537 4878 |
| 1A Dental Practice Partnership | 1A The Dental Practice, 64 Fowler Street, South Shields, NE33 1PD | 0191 406 0008 |
| SRDP Limited | Mydentist Sunderland Road, 78 Dean Road, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE33 4AR | 0191 455 4800 |
| Victoria Road Dental Practice | Victoria Road Dental Practice, 88 Victoria Road, Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, NE31 1LR | 0191 483 2605 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| Alpha Dental Fairfield Partnership | Alpha Dental Fairfield, Wellburn Road, Stockton on Tees, TS19 7PP | 01642 587 646 |
| Miss EM Allen | Bishopton Lane Dental Practice, 21 Bishopton Lane, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1PS | 01642 676 521 |
| The Fairfield Dental Practice Partnership (Mydentist Rimswell) | 5A-6A Rimswell Parade, Stockton on Tees, TS19 7LB | 01642 581 688 |
| Whitecross Dental Care Limited | Ingleby Meadow Dental Practice, 19 Greenside, Lowfields, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 0RR | 01642 766444 |
| Whitecross Dental Care Limited | Lysander House, Falcon Court, Preston Farm Business Park, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3TX | 01642 676793 |
| Practice name | Address | Telephone number |
| B Ahmad & R Ahmad | The Fulwell Dental Practice, 162 Fulwell Road, Fulwell, Sunderland, SR6 9QS | 0191 548 8175 |
| Eden Villas Dental Practice Partnership | Eden Villas Dental Practice, 6 Eden Villas, Washington, NE38 7EJ | 0191 417 7112 |
| Mr JL Gamon & Mrs S V Gamon | Hetton Dental Practice, 84 Station Road, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-Spring, DH5 9JB | 0191 526 2589 |
| Mr S Bedi & Mrs S Bedi | The Dental Centre, 14 Front Street, Washington, Tyne & WEar, NE37 2BA | 0191 416 0403 |
| Mr KS Bamrah | Dental Surgery, 21 Chiswick Square, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, SR5 3PZ | 0191 549 3219 |
| Mr Ya Nojib & Mr Nightingale | Chester Road Dental Practice, 217 Chester Road, Sunderland, SR4 7TU | 0191 514 2727 |
| Neha Devalia & Gurvinderpreet Kaur Sidhu | Grangetown Family Dental Health, 41 Windsor Terrace, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, SR2 9QF | 0191 514 1717 |
| Park Lane Dental Group | Fencehouses Dental Practice, 68 Station Avenue North, Fencehouses, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, SH4 6HT | 0191 385 2622 |
| The Mill Dental Practice partnership | The Mill Dental Practice, 154 Newcastle Road, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, SR5 1NA | 0191 548 4501 |
| Mr PJ Knops | Frederick Family Dental Practice, 55 Frederick Street, Sunderland, SR1 1NF | 0191 567 3791 |
| Mydentist Avalon House | Mydentist, Avalon House, St Catherine's Court, Sunderland, SR5 3XJ | 0191 548 5809 |
If you cannot find an urgent appointment at an NHS dentist near you, visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111.
The NHS 111 health advisor will talk to you about your needs.
If you do not need help right away, we may give you advice on how to treat the problem yourself until you can get an appointment.
If you do need urgent help out of hours, we may be able to find an appointment for you at an out-of-hours treatment service where a dentist can fix the main problem you have.
Most general hospitals do not have an on-call dental service so you should visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for emergency dental care.
Taking good care of your teeth and gums can help. This includes:
Click here for advice on keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
