Service Evaluation of Patients Attending the Paediatric Dentistry Emergency Clinics at Bristol Dental Hospital

Background: Bristol Dental hospital (BDH) has paediatric emergency dental clinics (EDCs) for those aged 0-16 years. It accepts walk-in and pre-booked appointments for those presenting with complex dental trauma, facial swelling and uncontrolled bleeding following dental extractions, that cannot be managed in primary care. The service evaluation compares the emergency service provision between 2022 and 2024, following the implementation of changes after the first cycle, to assess effectiveness. Method: A retrospective review of appointments on the EDC’s was conducted for December 2022 and December 2024. Results: 36 patients (17 walk-ins and 19 booked appointments) were seen on the EDCs in December 2022, and 35 patients (8 walk-ins and 27 booked appointments) in December 2024. Fewer walk-ins were rejected through not meeting the criteria, suggesting improved triage and awareness of such. Overall, walk-in attendance declined from 47% (n=17) to 23% (n=8) while trauma-related appointments increased from 47% (n=17) in 2022 to 51% (n=18) in 2024 despite the implementation of dedicated trauma clinics. Conclusion: The walk-in attendance numbers for the EDC have decreased likely due to more robust triage processes and increased visibility of acceptance criteria. The rise in trauma-related appointments may relate to a discrepancy between demand and capacity on the trauma clinics. These findings support the ongoing development and optimisation of emergency/urgent paediatric dental services in specialist settings.