title: Out-of-hours emergency dental services--development of one possible local solution.
abstract: This paper describes the development of a local solution to the problem of the provision of out-of-hours dental care in Newcastle and North Tyneside in the north east of England. Focus groups were used to review the current provision of, and problems with, dental out-of-hours emergency provision. A consensus conference involving both general dental and medical practitioners, was subsequently used to develop possible alternative methods for the provision of out-of-hours emergency dental services. A centralised service delivered from a secure location in conjunction with general medical practitioners was developed which was dependent on a nurse-led triage. The linkage with NHS Direct may be an opportunity, in some locations, to integrate dental services more fully with other out-of-hours primary care services. The method described allowed a solution to be generated by practitioners themselves, thus giving ownership and acceptance to the chosen option.
authors.affiliation: Dental Public Health, Newcastle and North Tyneside Health Authority, Newcastle upon Tyne. David.Evans@nant-ha.northy.nhs.uk
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bond
mesh_terms: D003245:Consensus Statements as Topic; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004631:Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004739:England; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006801:Humans; D009551:Night Care; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013218:State Dentistry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014218:Triage