Specialist children's dental care referral

Referral criteria

The service accepts patients under 16 who:

Patient eligibility:

Moderate/severe and profound multiple learning disabilities/ behavioural problems.
Moderate/severe physical and/or communication impairment.
Moderate/severe chronic mental health conditions.
Children with complex medical conditions.
Children with severe dental anxiety or dental phobias who have proven unable to cooperate with routine dental treatment.
Children with cleft lip and palate and other cranio-facial anomalies.
Children who have sustained complex dental trauma.
Children with abnormalities of dental development and tooth morphology.
Children with soft or hard tissue pathology, such as ulceration, swellings, and cysts.
Children with extensive non-carious tooth surface loss.
Children with periodontal conditions.
Children in need/children in care who have an identified dental issue that requires treatment or have additional behavioural, medical or other complex needs that is beyond the remit of a general dental practitioner (GDP).

Routine or emergency dental care for healthy, cooperative children (for example, caries in cooperative children, endodontic treatment in permanent teeth with closed apex).
Root canal treatment in permanent molars, unless there is good clinical indication for retention of the compromised tooth.
Orthodontic extractions due to behavioural/compliance reasons.
Children with caries who are asymptomatic and can be managed in line with SDCEP prevention guidance by a GDP.
Any patient aged 16 years or older, or who will be 16 years of age by the time they are seen.
Children in need/subject to a child protection plan/looked after children with NO additional behavioural, medical or other complex needs that is beyond the remit of a general dental practitioner.