If you have an urgent dental problem, please contact your family dentist. If you do not have a dentist, please contact NHS Fife’s Dental Advice Line on 01592 226555.
It is extremely important to seek advice for dental pain promptly to avoid worsening of the pain and to allow us to try and deal with any pain within normal working hours.
If you have a dental emergency out-with normal hours (Monday – Friday 8.30am-5pm), or at the weekend, please contact NHS24 on 111.
Our Public Dental Service also offers services for anxious patients; including sedation and general anaesthetics. We also assist patients who are restricted to their homes or are hospitalised. We work in partnership with both the General Dental and Hospital Dental Services.
Role of the Public Dental Service (PDS)
The role of the Public Dental Service (PDS) falls into six main categories:
Referrals
Patients are referred to the PDS from family Dental Practices for treatment that requires expertise, equipment, accommodation or services not readily available or economical in traditional High Street Practices.
This includes referrals for Paediatric, Surgical Specialist, Anxious Adult and Bariatric services.
In addition the PDS has fully accessible premises supplemented with specialised equipment to assist those with additional needs.
Special Care
The PDS provides access to dental care for patients with special care needs and/or where learning difficulties, mental health or physical disability may preclude treatment within General Dental Services. We can provide domiciliary care where appropriate to housebound patients.
Older People
The PDS provides Older People's dental services to care homes throughout Fife and in our accessible clinics if further treatment is required. There is a focus on the Caring for Smiles national programme and this is enhanced by a fluoride varnish programme for the dentate elderly in supported care.
Routine Dental Care
The PDS ensures that routine general dental care is available in areas of Fife where there may be an insufficient number of family dentists to meet the needs of the local population.
Emergency Dental Services
The PDS plays a crucial role in the management of Fife Emergency Dental Service. This includes the provision of a weekday Dental Advice Line, facilitating access to urgent dental care for unregistered patients.
The PDS works in partnership with NHS24, Primary Care and local dental practices/practitioners to provide access at the weekends to emergency dental care for registered and unregistered patients.
How to contact us
Referral to the Public Dental Service is usually made by your Dentist or another Health Professional. If you need to be referred, speak to your family dentist in the first instance.
If you do not have a family dentist please contact NHS Fife Dental Advice Line on 01592 226555 or by email at: fife.dentaladviceline@nhs.scot
National Programmes
Fife’s PDS manages and delivers national programmes, including:
- National Epidemiology
- Oral Health Promotion
- Childsmile
- Dental Outreach
To find a Public Dental Service Clinic near you click on the box below