Paediatric public dental service

Services available

Contact Us:

Dental Referral Service
Teach & Treat Dental Centre North West Area Centre Western Road
Kilmarnock KA3 1NQ

E-mail: Clinical_Specialty_DentalServices_A&A@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

Any questions or concerns regarding the referral criteria and guidance should be directed to the PDS. We are also happy to provide advice with regards to the management of complex patient cases and this may negate the need for referral.

Intro/background

This pathway is for children under the age of 16.

“AA Paediatric PDS” is for referrals for caries management, where despite the referrer’s best efforts, the patient’s treatment is unable to be completed in practice. This includes referral of patients who may require general anaesthetic (GA) or sedation. This pathway can also be used for paediatric patients who are unable to be managed in practice due to their additional support needs (e.g. a child with autism who is un-cooperative for treatment)

Assessment

All patients referred to the service will have a clinical assessment and be treatment planned by the PDS Dental Team prior to determining their definitive treatment plan. The plan may include GA or sedation, and in some instances neither. The patient will be discharged to the referrer post-treatment, except in exceptional circumstances.

Please advise patients that no treatment will be carried out at the initial assessment visit.

It is the responsibility of the referring GDP to provide any emergency management of acute pain/infection.

Who to refer

We accept referrals for children under the age of 16 who have been unable to manage dental treatment in general practice, or who require further support with their oral health due to their additional support needs.

We regret that we are unable to accept referrals for:

Routine or emergency dental care for healthy, co-operative children (for example caries in cooperative children, endodontic treatment in permanent teeth with closed apex).
Root canal treatment in permanent molars unless there is good clinical indication for retention of the compromised tooth i.e. severe hypodontia.
Routine orthodontic extractions.
Any patient aged 16 or over.

When & how to refer

Urgent referrals can be made in the following situations:

If the patient is experiencing facial swelling.
The patient is experiencing significant pain which is unresolved by repeated analgesics.

N.B. The referrer is responsible for providing acute management of pain/swelling.

Advice can be sought via a phone call to Northwest Kilmarnock Teach & Treat Centre 01563 578663. It is advised to make a telephone call when referring an urgent patient.

Emergency referral

Indicators for emergency referral for extraction of carious teeth under general anaesthesia. These children should be referred via on-call Maxillofacial team via switchboard at Crosshouse:

When there is a swelling extending to the eye, which is closing.
Airway is compromised by swelling.
Swelling increasing in size despite 24 hours of antibiotic therapy.
Child has been unable to take fluids for 24 hours.

If considered a life threatening emergency, the patient should present directly to the Emergency Department.

General referral

Necessary inclusions:

If the child has previously had an orthodontic consultation, it is essential to attach all correspondence to the referral, including OPT’s taken.
If radiographs have been taken in the past 12 months, please attach these to the referral.
As with all referrals, provide full patient details including medical history and history of dental treatment carried out thus far.
Please ensure that all aspects of caries prevention care for children of enhanced caries risk have been followed (as per relevant SDCEP guidelines) and state this on the referral.
Please provide as much information as possible to allow effective prioritisation of cases including history of symptoms, courses of antibiotic if required etc.

How to refer using SCI Gateway

Log on to SCI Gateway site

Choose New Message >

Referral

Under "Send to" select the following from the drop down boxes:

Ayrshire and Arran
Ayrshire and Arran Dental Services
Public Dental Service
Dental Referral Service.

Under “Protocol” choose the relevant referral form from the drop down box:

AA Paediatric PDS.

Once you have chosen the referral form click “Create” to take you to the relevant referral form. Please complete all categories on the referral form as fully as possible in order to ensure correct processing of the referral and the most appropriate patient management.

Wherever possible, digital copies of radiographs should be attached electronically

While the child is awaiting assessment within the Public Dental Service, please continue to provide evidence based enhanced prevention and advice (Please see most recent version of Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme Guidance on Prevention and Management of Dental Caries in Children, 2025)

Resources and links

Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme. Prevention and management of dental caries in children. Dental clinical guidance. 3rd edition. 2025. Available from: https://www.sdcep.org.uk/published-guidance/caries-in-children/