Special Care Dentistry

Special Care Dentistry for professionals

 

 

Community-based dental services

We are a consultant-led service providing specialist care on referral for adults aged 16 and over who fit our referral criteria. To fit the criteria, the patient must have a severe disability, medical or mental health condition which results in:

• severe difficulty communicating, giving consent and/or co-operating with treatment
• complex medical condition with significant risk of medical emergency, bleeding or healing problems
• inability to weight bear and transfer into the dental chair without use of special equipment
• severe and enduring mental health problems with unusual altered thought, extreme mood and behaviour which restricts the provision of care.

 

We provide dental services for people across the Birmingham, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall areas. Patients outside of these areas should be referred to their local community dental services. Specialist facilities such as sedation, general anaesthetic, wheelchair recliner, transfer equipment, bariatric chair, cognitive behavioural therapy are available at selected sites.

 

Facilities for treatment within hospital setting with medical support are available at Queen Elizabeth, Edgbaston, and Russell’s Hall.

 

 

Domiciliary care

Those who only require dentures to be made in the home should contact NHS 111 to find information for General Dental Practitioners, who offer domiciliary care.

 

Referrals may be accepted for some people who are housebound.

Domiciliary Care Pathway illustration

 

 

Patients with severe anxiety

We offer a service for adults who have extreme dental phobia, which has prevented them from accessing dental care for many years.

 

 

Dental Service for Homeless Adults in Birmingham

More information on Homeless Adults' Service.

 

 

Location of community-based services

More information on location of community-based services.

 

 

Referrals

All referrals are carefully assessed by our triage team to ensure the patient fits our criteria and they have the correct pathway.

We accept referrals from dentists, doctors, allied healthcare professionals and social care professionals.

As of May 2023: All referrals from General Dental Practitioners to Special Care Dental are through the electronic referral management system.

• If you are unable to refer via Rego, please use the Special Care Dentistry Referral Form.
• Special Care Dentistry Referral Information and Guidance
• Out-of area Community Dental Service West Midlands Service Contacts

 

 

Our team

We have an extensive team that includes Consultants, experienced Senior Dental Officers, Dental Officers, Specialty Trainees, Therapists and Nurses holding additional qualifications to support the Special Care team.