Our services
Community Dental
About the service
Our Community Dental Service works with children, young people and adults in Bradford and Airedale who are unable to access dental treatment by a ‘high street’ NHS dentist due to their additional needs. Our staff have expertise in the care, management and understanding of people with learning disabilities, challenging medical conditions and people who are housebound.
We provide general dental treatment such as fillings, x-rays, cleaning and extractions. For those patients with additional needs, if required, we can also offer treatment with sedation or in hospital under general anaesthetic.
We have specialist equipment such as adapted dental chairs, hoists and transfer aids to support people who have mobility issues.
How to access
If you think you might need support from our community dental care team you can ask your dentist, doctor or other healthcare professional to refer you using the form in the ‘for professionals’ tab below.
If you do not have additional needs but need to find an NHS dentist, please visit the NHS Choices website or, if you need urgent or emergency dental care, please contact NHS 111.
How to find us
We have a number of clinics within the community and a mobile dental unit and can support you in your home, if you are housebound. Our clinics are at:
Barkerend Health Centre – Barkerend Road, Bradford, BD3 8QH
Horton Park Centre – 99 Horton Park Ave, Bradford, BD7 3EG
Keighley Health Centre – Oakworth Road, Keighley, BD21 1SA
Kensington Street Health Centre – Whitefield Place, Bradford, BD8 9LB
Shipley Health Centre – Alexandra Road, Shipley, BD18 3EG
Waddiloves – 44 Queens Road, Bradford, BD8 7BT
Westbourne Green – 50 Heaton Road, Bradford, BD8 8RA
Contact
The Community Dental service is open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm and on Friday from 8.30am to 4pm. If you need to contact one of our clinics, please use the numbers below. If you need to cancel an appointment, please contact us as soon as possible on 01275 259259.
Barkerend – 01274 259256
Horton Park – 01274 259250
Keighley – 01535 674280
Kensington Street – 01274 259254
Shipley – 01274 259251
Waddiloves – 01274 259252
Westbourne Green – 01274 259253
Use the tabs below to explore this section further.
What to expect
Referral
The Community Dental Service is by referral only. Professionals wishing to refer are asked to use the electronic referral form found under the ‘for professionals’ tab.
Charges
NHS charges apply to all our dental services including urgent dental care. Visit NHS Choices for further information. Some exemptions apply; please bring evidence of exemption with you to your appointment.
Waiting list
Once your referral has been accepted you will be placed on a waiting list for an assessment.
Your assessment/appointment
At your initial assessment you will be asked to share information about your medical history and any previous dental history. This will help us to plan our care around you.
You can find out more about our service by watching these videos:
Adams’s story
Patient information video
Toothbrushing
See our toothbrushing advice page for information on how to brush, how much toothpaste to use, what to do if brushing is difficult and specially adapted toothbrushes.
![toothbrushing advice](http://<img class="size-medium wp-image-20656 alignleft" src="https://www.bdct.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Child-burshing-teeth-224x300.png" alt="Child brushing teeth" width="224" height="300" />Toothbrushing should start as soon as the first tooth appears using a baby toothbrush. Teeth should be brushed twice a day and the most important time is before bedtime. Remember to encourage your child or young person to spit out the excess toothpaste but not to rinse their mouth. Toothbrushing should be supervised up to the age of 7 years, but for children and young people with additional needs or disabilities they may require support into adult life. The best way to brush your child's teeth is to either stand or sit behind them, so you can see where you are brushing and support your child's head. <ul> <li>Children aged 0-three should use a smear of fluoride toothpaste. The toothpaste should contain no less than 1,000ppm fluoride.</li> <li>Children three-six should use a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1350-1500ppm fluoride.</li> </ul> If your child does not like the taste and texture of toothpaste, there are flavourless or low foaming options available. If your child has sensory seeking behaviours, then a powered toothbrush may help if brushing with a manual toothbrush is difficult. <h4><strong>W</strong><strong>hen</strong><strong> toothbrushing is difficult</strong></h4> Sometimes you may find it difficult to carry out toothbrushing with your child or young person. It is important to keep trying and not give up, below are some tips to help you from parents, carers and dentists: <ul> <li>If your child gags or retches when you try to carry out toothbrushing, start brushing from the front of the mouth. Frequent breaks may help.</li> <li>For tight lips, try massaging the lips and cheeks before brushing.</li> <li>A parent or carer can brush their teeth at the same time</li> <li>Place your hand over the child’s hand to help guide toothbrushing.</li> <li>Two toothbrush technique: let your child hold or bite a toothbrush whilst you clean with the other one.</li> <li>Use distractions, like toys, music, videos, or another object to hold.</li> <li>Communication is important, explain what you are going to do clearly, provide reassurance and be positive giving</li> </ul> Remember you can always try brushing at a different time in the day. <h4><strong>Specialised toothbrushes</strong></h4> Using a specialised toothbrush can make toothbrushing easier and quicker for a child or young person. The three-headed toothbrush is suitable for those who may struggle to open their mouth for long periods of time. This brush is useful for carers who need to support with toothbrushing. Three-headed toothbrushes can be purchased online and are available from a variety of different brands. <ul> <li><strong>Collis Curve toothbrush </strong>has a triple head that helps clean all three sides of the tooth in one action.</li> <li><strong>Dr Barman’s super brush</strong> has a triple head that helps clean all three sides of the tooth in one action.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Adapting toothbrushes</strong></h4> Adapting a toothbrush can help people struggling to grip the toothbrush. This will help with brushing and reaching all parts of the mouth easier, promoting independence when toothbrushing. Below are some examples of how brushes can be adapted using household items that are easy to find. <img class="size-medium wp-image-20657 aligncenter" src="https://www.bdct.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/toothrbushes-300x212.png" alt="Adapted toothbrushes" width="300" height="212" /> You can ask for further advice from a dental health professional. For more information email: dentalservice@bdct.nhs.uk){kind=link}
See our toothbrushing positions page for information on how to brush for people with special needs.
You said
“I like the way the dentist spoke, he made everything clear.”
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“Respectful, extremely happy with the service.”
“Really pleased with the service, the building is lovely and there is plenty of car parking.”
“The service I received was excellent and I just wanted to share that with you.”
For professionals
The Community Dental Service electronic referral form is for use by healthcare professionals only.