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How to find us
Department of Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics
Dental Centre
Ground floor, South Wing
St Thomas’ Hospital
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH
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Download map to the Dental Centre (PDF 47Kb).
This section explains what you can expect when your child comes for their first dental appointment.
All of our new patients are assessed at one of our consultant/specialist led clinics. These are usually held every day, Monday-Friday.
Changing or cancelling your appointment
Call us on the relevant number in the contacts box on this page.
Please tell us as soon as possible so we can offer your appointment to another patient.
Before your appointment
Please complete the children's medical history form (PDF 250Kb).
Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time. If you are more than 20 minutes late for your appointment, we may not be able to see you.
We make every effort to see you on time. For your first visit, please allow up to three hours for your appointment.
At your appointment
Investigations
Our new patient clinics allow you to have a consultation with a specialist or consultant in children's dentistry.
If your child needs further investigations, we will discuss what they involve with you. They may need:
- x-rays, MRIs, CT scans or an ultrasound
- clinical photographs
- blood tests
- a biopsy.
Some of these may take place on the same day as your appointment, while for others you may need an appointment in another department.
We may also ask you to have some tests before coming to the clinic for a review appointment.
After your appointment
Most patients receive a diagnosis on the day of their appointment. If you do, your treatment options will be discussed with you. Your child may be offered treatment in the department, and you will be able to book future appointments at this time.
Other children's dental services
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General anaesthetic treatment
If your child requires treatment to be provided under general anaesthetic this usually take places on a different day to your appointment at:
Dental Day Case Unit
Floor 23, Tower Wing
Guy’s Hospital
Great Maze Pond
London SE1 7EH
An alternative general anaesthetic service for children with medical conditions is also run at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
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Emergency dental service
Our dental department and the dental service at King's College Hospital provide a walk-in emergency service.
This is for children with pain or infection, bleeding from the mouth or those who have suffered dentoalveolar injury and require urgent care.
Opening times
- The Dental Centre, St Thomas' Hospital: 9am-11am, Monday-Friday (except public holidays)
- King's College Hospital: 8.45am-11am and 2pm-3.30pm
How to access the service
If your child has a dental emergency, seek advice from your dentist in the first instance.
Your child may not be seen if it is not deemed to be an emergency. Your child’s dentist must provide you a written referral letter to enable our team to determine if they are eligble for care in our emergency service.