Inpatient dental referrals - Public Dental Service

For urgent referrals please contact the department: 01292 616990

Email: Clinical_Specialty_DentalServices_AA@aapct.scot.nhs.uk.

There are dental department hubs in Ayr Hospital, North West Kilmarnock Area Centre and Ayrshire Central Hospital. The dental departments are staffed from 8.30am till 4.30pm on weekdays. It is helpful if referrals can be made before 1pm.

All referrals will be triaged and prioritised according to urgency.

Dental services provided for inpatients

• Emergency care for any in-patient who has an acute dental problem during their hospital stay:
  • trauma
  • oro-facial swelling
  • oral bleeding
  • dental and soft tissue infections that have resulted in acute systemic illness
  • severe trismus.
• Urgent care for patients with conditions including:
  • dental and soft tissue infections with no systemic effect
  • severe dental and facial pain not controlled by simple pain relief.
• Pre-procedure/treatment assessment (if unable to attend own dentist) e.g:
  • cardiac valve surgery
  • surgical correction of congenital cardiac anomaly
  • dental pre-assessment is NOT required for CABG alone
  • high dose IV anti-resorptive therapy e.g. for treatment of myeloma
  • chemotherapy or other therapy likely to result in severe immunosuppression.
• Assessment of “at risk” patients
  • endocarditis
  • advanced heart failure
  • sepsis.
• Lost fillings/broken teeth/bleeding gums
  • Patients experiencing dental issues that are not causing pain should contact their registered dentist to discuss this on discharge.
  • If patient is expected to be resident on the ward long-term i.e. >6months, then referral for routine dental assessment will be accepted and placed on our waiting list.
• Lost/broken/ill-fitting dentures
  • Patients requiring new dentures should contact their registered dentist to discuss this on discharge.
  • If patient is expected to be resident on the ward long-term i.e. >6months, then referral for new dentures will be accepted and placed on our waiting list.
  • If ill-fitting/missing dentures are thought to be contributing to pain/significant weight loss/delays in speech and language therapy (SALT) rehabilitation then referral will be accepted for dental assessment. Dentures may be temporarily modified or removed initially with patient placed on waiting list for new dentures if required as outlined above.

All referrals should be made by a doctor or nurse practitioner using the dental department in-patient referral form. This should be e-mailed to Clinical_Specialty_DentalServices_AA@aapct.scot.nhs.uk. Urgent referrals can be made by telephone but must be followed up with a completed referral form, signed by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Medical records should accompany the patient to the dental department.

If the patient cannot come to a dental clinic, this should be made clear on the referral form.

Inpatient referral form