Is there a 24-hour dentist in Cape Town?

BRS Dental, in the Cape Town city centre, is not a 24-hour clinic with a dentist on site through the night. A dentist is reachable after hours by phone, and Dr Davies takes after-hours calls on her own mobile, but this is not the same as a staffed clinic you can walk into at any hour. For the most severe symptoms, described below, a hospital emergency unit is the right choice at any time of day or night.

In short

• BRS Dental is not a 24-hour clinic. There is no dentist on site through the night for walk-in patients.
• Outside normal hours, Dr Davies can be reached by phone on her own mobile.
• After-hours contact means a phone call and, where needed, an appointment arranged around it, not an all-night reception desk.
• Swelling that is spreading towards the eye or neck, trouble breathing, swallowing or speaking, bleeding that will not stop, or a head injury, need a hospital emergency unit rather than a dentist, at any hour.
• The practice is closed on Sundays and outside its Monday to Saturday hours.

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

Does BRS Dental have a 24-hour clinic?

No. BRS Dental opens on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00 and on Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 12:00. Outside those hours, there is no dentist on site and no reception desk to walk into. What is available after hours is a phone line: Dr Davies takes calls on her own mobile so that a genuine dental problem can be discussed and, where it is needed, an appointment arranged. Emergency appointments are available at weekends and on public holidays too. This is a common pattern for a small dental practice, and it is worth knowing the difference between this and a hospital emergency unit, which is staffed around the clock.

How do I reach a dentist after hours?

Call Dr Davies on her own mobile at any time outside the practice’s weekday and Saturday morning hours, including on Sundays and public holidays. Is there a dentist open on a Sunday or public holiday in Cape Town? covers those days, and How do I find a dentist after hours in Cape Town? explains how this generally works, including what to have ready when you call and what to do if you do not already see a dentist in Cape Town.

Which problems need same-day or urgent care rather than waiting through the night?

Severe or throbbing pain that ordinary pain relief does not settle, a knocked-out or badly broken tooth, and swelling in the face or gum, all need prompt attention rather than waiting until morning. What counts as a dental emergency? sets out this list in full, including which problems can usually wait for a routine appointment. Pain often feels worse at night, which can make it harder to judge; What can I do about severe toothache at night? covers what you can try while you wait to be seen and when to call rather than wait.

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

Go to a hospital emergency unit, not a dentist, if swelling is spreading towards your eye or your neck, if you are struggling to breathe, swallow or speak, if there is bleeding from the mouth that will not stop, or if there has been an injury to the head. My face is swollen from a tooth. When is that urgent? covers facial swelling specifically, which is one of the more common reasons people search for a 24-hour dentist. In the Western Cape, an ambulance can be reached on 10177, or 112 from a cellphone. These signs are medical emergencies as well as dental ones, and they need urgent attention at any hour, not a same-day or after-hours dental appointment.

What if I do not already see a dentist in Cape Town?

The South African Dental Association keeps a membership directory of dentists, which can help if you do not already have one. 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?

Call Dr Davies directly on her own mobile, which is shown on this page, in practice hours or after them. This page describes how after-hours contact generally works and is not a directory of every dentist or every hospital in Cape Town.