AN EMERGENCY dental clinic has opened in Salisbury today.

The new centre, of which the location has not been disclosed, is part of a network of hubs for people who need help for urgent and emergency dental conditions, including severe pain and infection.

The news was announced by Salisbury MP John Glen who said in a tweet that he had been "lobbying" NHS England "over the past two weeks" to open a centre in the city.

Urgent dental centres, commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement, are "fully staffed" and equipped to provide treatment while high-street surgeries have their doors closed due to coronavirus.

To get access, people should phone their own dentist to be assessed. All NHS dental surgeries should be contactable, even while their doors are closed.

Out of usual surgery hours, people should call NHS111.

Those without a dentist or who cannot get through to their usual surgery should call Swindon and Wiltshire's helpline on 0345 758 1926 or NHS111.

The initial phone assessment will help the dentist decide whether someone needs to be seen immediately or within 24 hours, or can be booked in later for an appointment.

Conditions needing immediate treatment might include dental infection, fever or swelling, especially if it might affect the airway; uncontrolled bleeding, and injury.

In some cases, treatment would be needed in hospital.

Ian Biggs, Director of Primary Care and Public Health for NHS England and NHS Improvement in the South West, said: “We’re really pleased to get the dental centres up and running, so people have somewhere to turn to for urgent care when their own dentist’s doors are shut.

“These are difficult times for everyone, patients and dentists alike, so I apologise if anyone has been struggling to get treatment in the last couple of weeks. I’m grateful to all those who have worked so hard to build a new service from scratch in such a short time.”