Management of Acute Dental Problems
Published March 2026 (2nd Edition)
The second edition of the SDCEP Management of Acute Dental Problems guidance provides decision support for healthcare professionals to identify any immediate attention or advice to give a patient presenting with an acute dental problem, and to determine the appropriate provider of subsequent care. The guidance is intended for use by a range of healthcare staff including non-dental professionals, such as general medical practice, emergency department and pharmacy staff, as well as members of the dental team.
The guidance was developed using SDCEP's established methodology and is endorsed as a source of reliable, high quality, professional advice, with UK-wide relevance, that promotes the provision of safe and effective oral health care for patients.
The guidance is presented within a dedicated website (www.acutedentalproblems.sdcep.org.uk) to aid accessibility, navigation and updating.
- About this guidance includes the introduction, how the guidance has been developed and the main changes in the second edition.
- Guidance sets out overarching principles and presents decision support flowcharts to illustrate pathways to providers of care for patients with pain, swelling, bleeding, trauma, ulceration, altered sensation or abnormal appearance in the head and neck. More detailed advice on the initial management and subsequent care for a range of oral conditions is provided.
- Supporting tools includes information to support implementation of the guidance.
- The Search function can be used to find specific information of interest.
An online decision support tool to aid users of the guidance is in development.
