How do I find a dentist after hours in Cape Town?

If you already see a dentist, their usual number is the best first call, since arrangements outside normal hours differ from practice to practice. At BRS Dental, you call the practice on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00, and Dr Davies directly on her own mobile at all other times, including Saturdays. If you cannot reach a dentist and you have severe symptoms such as spreading swelling or trouble breathing, go straight to a hospital emergency unit.

In short

• At BRS Dental, you call the practice on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00, and Dr Davies on her own mobile at all other times, including Saturdays.
• If you see a different dentist, their usual number is generally the best first call, since after-hours arrangements differ from practice to practice.
• Whether a call outside normal hours costs more than a routine appointment is not stated on this page. Ask about this when you call.
• Spreading swelling, breathing or swallowing difficulty, bleeding that will not stop, or a head injury need a hospital emergency unit, not an after-hours dentist.
• Have your symptoms, how long they have lasted, and any medical conditions or medicines ready before you call.

This article is part of the dental emergency guidance on this site for patients in Cape Town.

How does after-hours dental care usually work?

After-hours arrangements differ from practice to practice. If you already see a dentist, their usual number is generally a good first call, since it may carry an answering message or connect to an on-call service, and they will have your history on file. At BRS Dental, you call the practice’s number on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00, and Dr Davies on her own mobile at all other times, including Saturdays. This site shows the right number for the time of day, so there is no need to note both down in advance.

Will I have to pay a call-out fee?

Whether an after-hours visit costs more than a routine appointment is not stated on this page. If cost matters to you, ask when you call, before you agree to be seen. Medical aid schemes generally treat emergency or out-of-hours dental care differently from routine care, and the details differ between schemes, so it is worth checking your own scheme’s rules too.

When should I go to a hospital emergency unit instead of calling a dentist?

Even at night or over a weekend, some signs mean you need a hospital emergency unit rather than an after-hours dentist. These are: swelling that is spreading towards your eye or your neck, difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking, bleeding from the mouth that will not stop, or any injury to the head. In an emergency, call an ambulance, for example on 112 from a cellphone or on 10177, or have someone drive you to your nearest hospital emergency unit without delay.

What should I have ready when I call?

Before you call, it helps to have ready: what happened and roughly when it started, your symptoms and how severe the pain is, any medical conditions, allergies or medicines you take, and whether you already see a dentist. If a tooth has been knocked out, mention whether you have found it and how you are keeping it moist, since this affects how quickly you need to be seen. See What should I do if a tooth is knocked out? for more on this.

What if I do not have a regular dentist in Cape Town?

The South African Dental Association keeps a membership directory of dentists. For the red-flag symptoms described above, go straight to a hospital emergency unit rather than spending time searching for a dentist first.

How do I reach Dr Davies after hours?

On weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00, call the practice. At all other times, including Saturday mornings when the practice is open, call Dr Davies directly on her own mobile, which is shown on every page of this site. This page describes how after-hours dental care generally works and is not a directory of services.