Important notes
You have been issued a password to access the Dental Referral for an Afghan Evacuee or Asylum Seeker and would now like to refer a client with an urgent dental care need to an NHS dentist.
Please complete the form as thoroughly as possible. The information you share will be used to assess the client’s needs and direct them to appropriate dental care. Incorrectly or incompletely filled referral forms may delay treatment.
You may refer a child or an adult if they have an urgent dental care need. The need for urgent dental care may be identified as part of a general health assessment if a client reports that they have dental pain or swelling that is stopping them from sleeping.
If the client has uncontrollable dental bleeding, increasing swelling around the throat or eye; or trauma or you feel that the client is in need of emergency dental care then you may wish to follow the emergency advice available here.
Information on what treatment is available and what happens after referral is available within the Patient Information Leaflet available here.
You should give every referred client a copy of this Patient Information Leaflet after referral in an appropriate language format. You should complete the details in the table including the URN (Unique reference number) that you will receive by email once a referral has been made. This can be used to track the status of a referral at Track a referral | Dental Referrals (dental-referrals.org).
What happens next?
The dental practice will contact the client directly by telephone within 24-hours (Monday-Friday) to triage and book an appointment if appropriate. Please indicate on the referral form if an alternative method of contact should be used.
This dental practice may not be the closest dental practice but will be the one that can see the client as quickly as possible as they have an urgent dental need.
If the dental practice identifies that the client should be seen in an alternative service, the client will be advised. This may include an onward referral to community dental services, specialist dental services within a hospital setting or emergency care.
Find out more…
The NHS website has more information about dental services
www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/dentist
Dental health: migrant health guide – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Oral healthcare: model for asylum seekers and refugees – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Correct at time of writing