You've got a tooth that's making its feelings known, the NHS slots near you seem to have evaporated, and you're wondering about going private. Then comes the second worry: how much? You've probably opened four practice websites in four tabs, found four different numbers, and ended up more confused than when you started. It's one of the most common questions I hear, and there's a reason nobody gives you a straight figure.
The short answer: there's no single price for a private emergency dentist in the UK. Every practice sets its own fees, and the total depends on when you're seen and what treatment you need once the tooth has been examined. Which? notes you may pay more for urgent care, especially outside normal opening hours. Whatever the practice, you should be told the fee before you book and the cost of any treatment before it starts. At Minti, the fee is confirmed when you call. Ring my emergency dentist team in Harlow or Enfield, or NHS 111 if we're closed or you're not local. Not sure it's urgent? Read what counts as a dental emergency.
Want to know the fee before you commit? Call your nearest Minti practice, tell reception it's urgent, and ask. They'll confirm it on the phone. I keep same-day appointments for pain and swelling wherever I can.
- Nuffield Dental Practice, Harlow: 01279 424 038
- Church Langley Dental, Harlow: 01279 306 690
- Enfield Smiles, Enfield: 020 8804 4320
Evening, weekend, or nowhere near us? Call NHS 111. If you're struggling to breathe or swallow, or swelling is spreading to your eye or neck, that's 999 or A&E.
Is there a standard price for a private emergency dentist?
No, and I'd be wary of anyone who tells you there is. Private fees aren't set nationally the way NHS charges are. Each practice decides its own, so I'm not going to invent a typical figure.
What Which? says is useful. Private prices are usually listed as "from" a figure, because the exact amount depends on your specific needs and how long the treatment takes. That "from" is doing a lot of work. It's the starting price on the menu, not the bill.
I also don't put our own figures in blog posts, because they go out of date and a blog lives for years. Our fees and finance page explains how payment works, and reception will confirm the fee when you ring.
What affects the cost of a private emergency appointment?
Three things, mostly.
- When you're seen. Which? says you may have to pay more if you need a dentist urgently, especially if you need help outside the usual opening hours.
- What's wrong. The appointment fee usually covers the examination and working out what's going on. Treatment on top, such as a temporary filling, an extraction or starting root canal treatment, depends on what the tooth needs.
- Where you go. Fees vary between practices and parts of the country.
Here's how I think about it. The emergency appointment is the diagnosis plus getting you comfortable. Anything bigger is a separate conversation, with its own price, and you're allowed to say "let me think about it" once the pain's under control. Being in pain is not the moment anyone should be rushing you into a big decision.
Will I know the cost before treatment starts?
You should, every time. The NHS says the dental professional should tell you how much it will cost before they start any treatment. Which? goes further for private care: after your first assessment, you should get a detailed written cost for your exact treatment, and you should always confirm the total before committing.
That's how we work too. The emergency fee is confirmed when you call, and once I've examined the tooth I'll talk you through the options and what each one costs before we go ahead. If you'd rather settle the pain today and plan the rest later, that's completely fine.
A few questions worth asking on the phone, wherever you ring:
- What's the fee for the emergency appointment itself?
- Does that include X-rays if I need them?
- If I need treatment on the day, will you tell me the cost first?
Should I choose a private or NHS emergency dentist?
It depends on what's available and what matters most to you right now. An urgent NHS appointment in England is a fixed charge, and some people get it free. I cover that in how much is an emergency NHS dental appointment? The catch is finding a slot, which can be hard in some areas.
At Minti, our emergency page says we offer both: urgent NHS treatment for existing patients to relieve pain, infection or trauma, and private emergency appointments. So ask when you ring, and reception will tell you what's available.
Out of hours, the NHS route is NHS 111, which can direct you to an urgent dental service where one is available in your area. If you're away from home, dental emergency while away from home explains why you don't need to drive back, and if you're abroad, check whether travel insurance covers a dental emergency before you pay.
Can a private emergency dentist fix the problem on the day?
Often they can get you out of pain on the day, and sometimes fix the problem outright. It depends on the tooth. A lost filling might be sorted in one visit. A badly infected tooth might need the pressure relieved now and the rest done at a second appointment. I go into this properly in can an emergency dentist fix the problem the same day?, and if you think the tooth needs to come out, see emergency tooth extraction.
The honest bit about cost is this: a problem caught early is usually simpler, and simpler usually costs less. Waiting a week to "see if it settles" rarely saves money.
When should you book an emergency dentist?
The NHS says to see a dentist if toothache lasts more than 2 days or doesn't settle with painkillers.
Call us today if:
- toothache is keeping you awake or painkillers aren't touching it
- your gum or face is swollen
- you've knocked out, cracked or broken a tooth
- a crown, bridge or filling has come out and the tooth hurts
- you're bleeding after an extraction and it won't settle with pressure
Call 999 or go to A&E, not a dentist, if you:
- are finding it hard to breathe, speak or swallow
- have swelling spreading towards your eye or down into your neck, or a lot of swelling in your mouth
- have a swollen or painful eye, or sudden problems with your eyesight
- have heavy bleeding from your mouth that will not stop
- have a serious injury to your face or jaw, or a head injury that made you pass out, vomit or see double
Cost doesn't come into it for these. The NHS says don't drive yourself: ask someone to take you, or call 999 for an ambulance.
While you wait, the NHS suggests paracetamol or ibuprofen, taken as the packet says.
If you're near Harlow or Enfield and it's getting worse rather than better, I'd much rather take a look than have you spend another night comparing prices across tabs. Ring your nearest Minti practice, ask for the fee, and we'll take it from there. Anywhere else, or out of hours, call NHS 111.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Tooth pain needs examining in person to find the cause.
