MP praises new NHS urgent dental service in Whitehaven

Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, has praised a new dental service in Whitehaven which is helping people in north and west Cumbria to access urgent dental care when they need it most. 

Whitehaven Urgent Dental Access Centre provides appointments to diagnose and treat urgent issues, including severe toothache; dental abscesses; broken or knocked-out teeth; bleeding in the mouth following a dental procedure or injury that does not stop by itself; swelling in the mouth or to the face; fractured, loose or displaced fillings causing pain; and severe bleeding from gums or conditions that affect the soft areas of the mouth. 

The centre will offer a limited number of 30-minute urgent care appointments each day, with priority given to those with the greatest clinical needs. It does not provide routine dental care, like check-ups. 

During a visit to the centre last week, Josh MacAlister MP met with staff and patients to see first-hand what the service offers. Josh said: “The new Urgent Dental Access Centre is already transforming urgent access to NHS dentistry here in West Cumbria. Every day, dozens of people who might otherwise struggle to find an urgent dental care appointment are now being treated by skilled and dedicated professionals.

“This is a really important step forward in addressing the backlog and improving dental health locally, while the government does the longer term work of reforming the NHS dental general and routine access contract to retain and recruit more NHS dentists for areas like ours.”

Whitehaven Urgent Dental Access Centre is part of North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board's (ICB) ambitious Oral Health and Dental Strategy which aims to improve access to routine and urgent dental care, as well as focusing on preventative measures to improve oral health. 

This is the second urgent dental access centre to open in North Cumbria. A centre in Carlisle, which opened in 2024, was part of a pilot scheme to test the new model of urgent care. After its success in treating almost 2,000 patients with urgent care needs, the model will now be extended into a network of centres across the North East and North Cumbria. 

Dave Gallagher, the ICB's chief contracting and procurement officer, said: "Improving access to NHS dentistry is a key priority for us. 

"The new network of urgent dental access centres will help people to manage urgent issues safely, providing a vital lifeline when they cannot access urgent care from a local NHS high street dentist. 

"North Cumbria has been at the forefront of this new model of urgent care, which is an essential part of our long-term plan to strengthen NHS dentistry for the future." 

The Urgent Dental Access Centre is not a walk-in service. Patients with an urgent dental care need can call the North Cumbria Dental Direct Service on 01228 603900 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm or NHS 111 during evenings and weekends. A qualified dental nurse or health advisor will assess their dental issue, offer self-care advice and book an urgent appointment if one is required. Normal NHS dentistry charges and exemptions will apply.