The Paediatric Dentistry Department provides high-quality oral and dental healthcare for children and young people (up to 16 years old) and supports the education of future generations of dentists and specialists.
The Paediatric Dentistry Department is located on the first floor of the University Dental Hospital, Academic Avenue, Heath Hospital, Cardiff CF14 4XY.
Children with complex medical needs are generally seen within the dental unit in Starfish Outpatients on the ground floor of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales.
The Paediatric Dentistry service provides specialist advice and treatment for children under the age of 16 years with a variety of conditions including:
Paediatric Dentistry Consultants participate in multidisciplinary clinics in the following areas:
We provide dental care for children who require treatment supported by inhalation sedation, intravenous sedation and general anaesthesia. Children who require dental care under general anaesthetic are managed within Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales.
Our department is actively involved in teaching and training undergraduate students in Dentistry and Dental Hygiene and Therapy, as well as postgraduate dentists in the form of Core and Speciality Trainees.
Our dedicated team of part-time and full-time clinicians includes:
If a child has a life-threatening dental emergency, such as a dental infection with difficulty breathing, swallowing or talking, please call 999 to attend an Accident and Emergency Department.
For all other urgent dental problems, caregivers should contact their local dentist.
For children in Cardiff, without a local general dentist, who have a facial swelling or dental pain that is not managed with regular analgesia, caregivers should call CAV 24/7 on 0300 10 20 247 for advice and to arrange an emergency dental appointment; this is likely to be with a local dentist initially.
If a child requires urgent or immediate care within the Paediatric Dentistry Department an appointment will be scheduled. Appointments are usually booked during the morning, Monday to Friday, except on Bank Holidays. Although a time slot is allocated, children and caregivers are seen in order of priority. Children and their caregivers may have to wait to be seen and should plan their day accordingly.
If a child receiving care within the Paediatric Dentistry Department experiences a dental emergency, such as pain or swelling:
For children living outside Cardiff and Vale, please visit the NHS Direct Wales website.
Many oral and dental problems can be avoided by giving your child a healthy, low sugar diet and making sure they brush their teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride for two minutes just before bedtime and at one other time every day.
For more information please visit the Designed to Smile website by clicking on the link
If your child is familiar with using widgits to communicate you may find these resources helpful
Videos of what to expect on your first visit to the dentist at University Dental Hospital or Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales:
Referrals from general dental practitioners should be made via the electronic referral system. Referral forms must be completed fully and radiographs should be included where relevant. The referral must:
The expectation is that behaviour management, acclimatisation and an attempt at treatment will have been carried out before a decision to refer is made. If this is not clear the referral may be rejected.
Appropriate written referrals from doctors and other health care professionals are also accepted, although, if appropriate, it should first be established whether the child has a local dentist who could be contacted in the first instance. Any referral made should clearly outline the reason(s) why specialist-level care is required and provide details of the child’s medical history, current medication and any special precautions that should be taken when providing dental treatment.
Referrals are usually only accepted from parents and guardians in the case of an emergency.
Referrals by general dental practitioners for orthodontic extractions must include the details of the Orthodontist, plus a copy of the letter from the Orthodontist specifying the teeth to be extracted. Without these, the referral will be rejected.
In the case of an emergency such as complex trauma, or to discuss a complex case, please contact as follows: