You may be referred into our dental service if you need specialised treatment not provided within your own family dental practice. It is available for adults and children living in Northumberland and North Tyneside who have been referred by a medical or dental practitioner or other health or social care professional.
We may see you for treatment such as:
- Treatment for patients with complex needs
- Dental treatment under general anaesthetic
- Inhalation sedation
- Orthodontics
- Home visits for some elderly patients or patients with additional needs
Typically following treatment with us you will return to your family dentist for regular routine dental treatment. Some patients with on-going and specific additional needs may continue to receive their dental care from us. This allows seamless care for this group of patients who will be able to continue to see the same dental team irrespective of their age.
As well as providing clinical services we also provide other services in the wider local community which include:
- Dental screening in special schools
- National dental surveys
Our clinics
Our dental services are provided in a number of locations across Northumberland and North Tyneside and are listed below:
- Albion Road Resource Centre, North Shields
- Amble Health Centre
- Blyth Health Centre
- Morpeth NHS Centre
- Seaton Park Medical Group, Ashington
- The Oxford Centre, Longbenton
- Wallsend Health Centre
- Wansbeck General Hospital
- Hexham General Hospital
Please note that not all services are available at every clinic location.
Our dental general anaesthetic service is also available for some patients at North Tyneside General Hospital and Wansbeck General Hospital.
Appointments
We will always try to offer you an appointment as soon as possible at a convenient time for you. If you need to check or change an appointment please call the clinic where your appointment is booked. You will find the telephone number on your appointment card. Some clinics are not open every day, but there is an answer machine for you to leave a message and we will return your call when we next return to the clinic.
Some patients who have on-going and special additional needs may continue to receive their regular dental care from us. For this group of patients an appointment will be sent to you when your check-up is due.
Cancellations
If you find you are unable to keep your appointment please let us know as soon as possible so that we can give the appointment to someone else. Missed appointments cost the NHS money and can delay treatment. If you miss more than 2 appointments and give less than 24 hours notice, unfortunately we may not be able to complete your treatment or offer you NHS care in the future.
What happens at the end of your course of treatment?
When your treatment is completed we will advise you when you should see your family dentist again for your ongoing routine dental care and check-ups. We will send them a letter explaining the treatment that has been done.
NHS dentists now follow guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). This means you will be advised to attend as often as needed to keep your teeth and gums healthy. This may be every six months or could be longer or at more frequent intervals depending upon your oral health.
NHS dental charges
Standard NHS dental charges apply to everyone unless you are entitled to receive free dental treatment. Further details about patient charges and who is entitled to free treatment is available on the NHS Choices website.
Urgent and out of hours emergency care
Urgent treatment means treatment that the dentist considers necessary to relieve severe pain or prevent your oral condition getting worse before you can make a normal appointment. We are not an emergency dental service and as such don't see patients who are unable to register with an NHS dental practice
For patients who are under our care we offer a small number of emergency appointments during clinic opening hours for those who need urgent treatment, but do not have an appointment. If you think you need urgent treatment you can contact your local clinic during opening hours 8:45am – 12:30pm, 1:15pm – 5:00pm. If your clinic is closed that day the answer machine message will give details of a telephone number to call for advice.
If you have a dental emergency and need urgent advice after 6:00pm on weekdays or at any time over a weekend or bank holiday please call NHS 111 or go to www.nhs.uk for details of local dental practitioners accepting new and emergency NHS patients.
Your rights and responsibilities
You are entitled to:
- A thorough examination of your mouth, teeth and gums
- A full explanation of your treatment options
- A written treatment plan (including costs)
- Information about NHS charges displayed in the waiting room
- Advice on how to keep your teeth and gums healthy
- Information about our service and what's available
- A care treatment summary if you decide to transfer to another dentist
- Make a complaint if you are not happy with your treatment and care
You are responsible for:
- Giving at least 24 hours notice if you have to cancel or change an appointment. We will not charge you for missed appointments – but if you miss more than 2 appointments we may no longer be able to offer you treatment
- Following your dentist’s advice to prevent tooth decay and gum disease
- Paying your bill promptly
- Bringing proof of entitlement when claiming help with the cost of NHS treatment. If no proof is shown your eligibility will be checked
- Treating our staff with courtesy and respect
Contact us
If you have a question or concern please do not hesitate to contact us at the dental clinic you have been attending. The telephone contact details for your clinic are written on your appointment card.
For general service enquiries for North Tyneside clinics contact:
Dental Clinic Albion Road Resource Centre, Albion Road, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE29 0HG
Tel: 0191 219 6693
For Northumberland clinics contact:
Dental Clinic Morpeth NHS Centre, The Mount, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1JY
Tel: 01670 500967
For all other general queries contact:
Dental Office Room E3/31, East Wing, Wansbeck General Hospital, Woodhorn Lane, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9JJ
Tel: 01670 529039
Video consultations
We can 
Rather than travelling to your appointment, you will receive a text or email before your appointment and simply need to click to join. Find out more here.