Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Afrikaans — Afrikaans
  • Albanian — Shqip
  • Amharic — አማርኛ
  • Arabic — العربية
  • Armenian — Հայերեն
  • Assamese — অসমীয়া
  • Aymara — Aymar aru
  • Azerbaijani — Azərbaycan dili
  • Bambara — Bamanankan
  • Basque — Euskara
  • Belarusian — Беларуская
  • Bengali — বাংলা
  • Bhojpuri — भोजपुरी
  • Bosnian — Bosanski
  • Bulgarian — Български
  • Cantonese — 廣州話
  • Catalan — Català
  • Cebuano — Sinugbuanong Binisayâ
  • Chichewa — Chichewa
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 简体中文
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 繁體中文
  • Corsican — Corsu
  • Croatian — Hrvatski
  • Czech — Čeština
  • Danish — Dansk
  • Dhivehi — ދިވެހި
  • Dogri — डोगरी
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • English — English
  • Esperanto — Esperanto
  • Estonian — Eesti
  • Ewe — Eʋegbe
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • Finnish — Suomi
  • French — Français
  • Frisian — Frysk
  • Galician — Galego
  • Georgian — ქართული
  • German — Deutsch
  • Greek — Ελληνικά
  • Guarani — Avañe’ẽ
  • Gujarati — ગુજરાતી
  • Haitian Creole — Kreyòl ayisyen
  • Hausa — Hausa
  • Hawaiian — ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
  • Hebrew — עברית
  • Hindi — हिन्दी
  • Hmong — Hmoob
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Icelandic — Íslenska
  • Igbo — Asụsụ Igbo
  • Ilocano — Ilokano
  • Indonesian — Bahasa Indonesia
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Japanese — 日本語
  • Javanese — Basa Jawa
  • Kannada — ಕನ್ನಡ
  • Kazakh — Қазақ тілі
  • Khmer — ភាសាខ្មែរ
  • Kinyarwanda — Ikinyarwanda
  • Konkani — कोंकणी
  • Korean — 한국어
  • Krio — Krio
  • Kurdish (Kurmanji) — Kurdî
  • Kurdish (Sorani) — کوردی
  • Kyrgyz — Кыргызча
  • Lao — ລາວ
  • Latin — Latina
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lingala — Lingála
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių
  • Luganda — Luganda
  • Luxembourgish — Lëtzebuergesch
  • Macedonian — Македонски
  • Maithili — मैथिली
  • Malagasy — Malagasy
  • Malay — Bahasa Melayu
  • Malayalam — മലയാളം
  • Maltese — Malti
  • Maori — Māori
  • Marathi — मराठी
  • Meiteilon (Manipuri) — ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ
  • Mizo — Mizo ṭawng
  • Mongolian — Монгол хэл
  • Myanmar (Burmese) — မြန်မာစာ
  • Nepali — नेपाली
  • Norwegian — Norsk
  • Odia (Oriya) — ଓଡ଼ିଆ
  • Oromo — Afaan Oromoo
  • Pashto — پښتو
  • Persian — فارسی
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Punjabi — ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
  • Quechua — Runa Simi
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Samoan — Gagana Samoa
  • Sanskrit — संस्कृतम्
  • Scots Gaelic — Gàidhlig
  • Sepedi — Sepedi
  • Serbian — Српски
  • Sesotho — Sesotho
  • Shona — Shona
  • Sindhi — سنڌي
  • Sinhala — සිංහල
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Slovenian — Slovenščina
  • Somali — Soomaali
  • Spanish — Español
  • Sundanese — Basa Sunda
  • Swahili — Kiswahili
  • Swedish — Svenska
  • Tajik — Тоҷикӣ
  • Tamil — தமிழ்
  • Tatar — Татар теле
  • Telugu — తెలుగు
  • Thai — ไทย
  • Tigrinya — ትግርኛ
  • Tsonga — Xitsonga
  • Turkish — Türkçe
  • Turkmen — Türkmençe
  • Twi — Twi
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • Urdu — اردو
  • Uyghur — ئۇيغۇرچە
  • Uzbek — Oʻzbekcha
  • Vietnamese — Tiếng Việt
  • Welsh — Cymraeg
  • Xhosa — IsiXhosa
  • Yiddish — ייִדיש
  • Yoruba — Yorùbá
  • Zulu — IsiZulu
  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Health and wellbeing
    3. Health services
    4. Dentists and dental care

    Seeing a dentist

    It is important to have regular dental check-ups to detect any dental problems. You can use a Health Service dentist with a set scale of charges, or pay for a private dentist depending on the type of dental care and treatment you want.

    Registering with a Health Service dentist

    If you wish to register with a dental practice as a health service patient, you should contact practices in your area directly.

    Not all practices have the capacity to take on new patients, so you may have to join a waiting list, or look for practices outside your area.

    Further advice and a full list of dental practices in Northern Ireland is available at:

    • Registering as a Health Service dental patient

    The dentist shouldn't assess you before they accept you for treatment as assessment is part of your treatment.

    The dentist will decide and agree your treatment with you. They'll give you a treatment plan.

    Once registered, you stay on that dentist's patient list for 24 months. This registration period will be extended if you return for another examination or further treatment during that period.

    • Find a dentist

    Treatments available from a Health Service dentist

    Treatments available from a Health Service dentist include:

    • an examination and assessment
    • radiographs (x-rays)
    • non-surgical treatment like scaling, polishing, periodontal (gum) treatments, small fillings and oral hygiene instruction
    • surgical treatments like wisdom and other tooth removal
    • fillings
    • root canal fillings
    • other treatments such as bridges, crowns, and dentures
    • referral to a dental hospital for specialist treatment

    Private dentistry

    You can receive additional treatments, or treatment using alternative materials, if you choose to pay privately either with your Health Service dentist or another practice.

    As a patient in a private dental practice, you can get some specialist treatment and pay for cosmetic dentistry that is not available under the Health Service. For example, you can have white fillings on your back teeth.

    Orthodontists

    Orthodontists specialise in moving and straightening teeth by using braces (orthodontic appliances). 

    Dental hygienists

    Dental hygienists work in dental practices scaling and polishing teeth, giving periodontal (gum) treatments and oral health promotion advice.

    You should check with your practice whether this is available under Health Service or private arrangements.

    Dental emergencies and out-of-hours care

    If you are registered with a dentist

    If you think you need urgent care, contact your dentist, if you have one, as some surgeries offer emergency dental appointments and will provide care if clinically necessary.

    Information on what to do if you need urgent dental care out-of-hours is available at:

    • Out-of-hours emergency dental treatment

    If you are not registered with a dentist

    Weekdays

    If you are experiencing an emergency, urgent or pressing dental condition, but are not registered with a dental practice or private scheme, you may be able to get an appointment through the dental access scheme.

    To find out more about the scheme, including what dental conditions are included and where appointments are available, visit:

    • Dental access scheme

    Out-of-hours emergency care

    At weekends and bank holidays, you should contact the Emergency Dental Clinics (EDCs) directly. Contact details and further advice is available at:

    • Out-of-hours emergency dental treatment

    Cost of dental treatment

    If you pay for dental treatment, the cost will depend on the treatment you need.

    Private costs are set individually by each dentist and practice and vary from practice to practice.

    You should get a written treatment plan and estimate of costs before starting any private dental treatment.

    Examples of Health Service dental charges is available at:

    • Dental costs

    Eligible for free dental treatment

    You get free dental treatment in Northern Ireland if you are:

    • aged under 18
    • aged 18 and in full-time education
    • pregnant, or have had a child, within the 12 months before treatment starts
    • a hospital inpatient and the treatment is carried out by a hospital dentist
    • getting, or your partner gets Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
    • entitled to, or named on a valid tax credit exemption certificate
    • a war pensioner and need the dental treatment test because of a disability which you get a war pension for
    • a Hospital Dental Service outpatient
    • a Community Dental Service patient

    If you are a Hospital Dental Service outpatient or a Community Dental Service patient, you may have to pay for dentures and bridges. 

    Low Income Scheme

    If you have a low income but aren't entitled to free dental care, you might get help with the costs under the Low Income Scheme. Find out more at:

    • Claim for help with health and travel costs

    Your rights

    Your dentist should:

    • explain the benefits and drawbacks of any treatment they recommend
    • explain alternatives that may be available
    • have your permission before they treat you - you can refuse treatment if you do not want it (although if your dentist considers you need it they may refuse to continue treating you)
    • explain your dental records to you if you have any problems in understanding them

    As a Health Service patient you are:

    • free to get a second opinion - if another dentist charges you for this, the Health Service will not cover this cost
    • entitled to stop the treatment if you are not satisfied
    • able to inspect your records and x-rays at any time (within a maximum of 40 working days of a written request) free of charge - but you may have to pay for copies
    • entitled to receive emergency treatment from your dentist or another dentist
    • entitled to refuse payment for the treatment if it is proved to be unsatisfactory

    If you are a member of a private dental insurance scheme, the rules of the scheme will usually mean that the dentist has to give you a fixed period of notice to end the scheme.

    Your dentist must finish your present course of treatment and provide you with any emergency treatment you need in the meantime.

    More useful links

    • Oral Health Foundation website
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Dentists and dental care

    • Dental amalgam fillings
    • Dental care for people with disabilities
    • Dental costs
    • Dental nurse
    • Dental problems
    • Dentist
    • Oral health
    • Seeing a dentist

    Help improve this page - send your feedback

    What do you want to do?
    Report a problem
    Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

    Messages

    You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

    Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

    What is your question about?

    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

    • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about:

    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

    Related sites

    • gov.uk
    • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

    Links to supporting information

    • Accessibility statement
    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • RSS