CAV 24/7 provides a 24-hour, 7 days a week telephone dental advice line for patients in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Patients experiencing severe dental pain, swelling, trauma or excessive bleeding can contact the service by calling 0300 10 20 247.
A call handler will take basic information from you, and a brief outline for the reason for the call, ruling out any life-threatening concerns. Once this has been done, a clinician will contact you and complete a thorough triage. The clinician may provide self-care advice, including pain relief advice, offer an appointment (if appropriate), or refer you to the Maxillofacial team. Please remember, not all dental concerns will require a face-to-face appointment.
If required, urgent appointments are available between 08:00 and 17:00, 7 days a week. Outside of this time you will be offered self-care advice whilst waiting for the next available appointment. This is an urgent service, and the next available appointment will be offered within a 24 hour period. There are no dental appointments available overnight.
During the weekdays, there are a fixed number of appointments available via primary care providers within the community and secondary care training facilities (University Dental Hospital). These are primarily for patients who do not attend a regular dental practice who describe symptoms that are deemed appropriate and need to receive active treatment / medical intervention. Patients who attend a dental practice regularly are directed back to their General Dental Practitioner to seek emergency treatment in the first instance.
During weekends and bank holidays, urgent appointments are available at St David’s Hospital. The service operates between 08:30 - 17:00. All appointments are pre-booked and all patients must contact CAV 24/7 and undergo a triage consultation. The service does not provide a walk-in facility.
Patients attending an appointment will pay a standalone charge which is set by Welsh Government and was uplifted to £30.00 on the 1st April 2024. This includes an assessment, diagnosis and preventive care. If necessary, X-rays, treatments to stop significant worsening or treatments to address severe pain will be provided.
All patients are required to pay the charge unless they are exempt or are entitled to help with part of the cost of treatment. Patients are entitled to free NHS (emergency) dental services if on the first day of treatment:
Patients are also entitled to free dental treatment if, when the treatment starts or when the charge is made:
Patients are entitled to free NHS dental services if named on a valid HC2 certificate. Patients may also be entitled to reduced cost NHS dental services if named on a HC3 certificate that is valid during the course of treatment.
Further information regarding dental charges and exemptions can be found by following this link.
For further dental support and advice can be access on the NHS 111 Wales website.