Department Overview:
Special Care dentistry supports oral health interventions may be complicated by physical, sensory, intellectual, mental, medical, emotional or social impairments or disability or a combination of these factors, for patients aged 16 and above.
We are a Tier 3 service, supporting those in the Greater Manchester area and offering advisory and treatment services for appropriate patients beyond the Manchester Region where needed. The hospital service does not provide longer-term ongoing care and patients should remain under the care of a general or community dental team long-term. The majority of patients treated are discharged to the referring dentist when treatment is completed.
This hospital does not provide routine restorative dental care, for adult patients, under sedation or general anaesthetia. A very small number of patients are treated under conscious sedation (see below) when staff training is required. This only applies in exceptional situations
Assessment and treatment locations:
Treatment is offered a range of locations depending on each patient’s needs. Initial patient assessments may be in person, by telephone or virtually (video call). In-person assessments typically take place at University Dental Hospital of Manchester, Higher Cambridge St, Manchester M15 6FH. Unless exceptional circumstances apply, patients are not treated at their assessment visit. The treatment proposed by a referring dentist may not be deemed appropriate or possible once you are assessed.
If patients are accepted for treatment, treatment may take place at University Dental Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital or Trafford General Hospital.
Special Care and Sedation Consultants:
Dr. Petrina Wood – Consultant in Special Care Dentistry
Dr. Andrew Geddis-Regan – Consultant and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Special Care Dentistry
The consultant team is supported by a specialty dentist (Dr Shilpa Shah) and a range of Specialty Training Registrars and Dental Core Trainees.
Sedation information:
Sedation Referral Criteria (2025)
Sedation is sometimes used to help patients feel more relaxed during dental treatment. Conscious sedation does not mean you are ‘asleep’ during treatment: we do not offer routine dental care under general anaesthesia for anxious adults.
The sedation service at UDHM aims to provide care for specific groups with complex needs that cannot be met in primary dental care. Patients who are anxious, in the absence of other complex needs would not normally be accepted for treatment. In some situations, anxious patients without complex needs may be accepted to support training of certain dental staff groups.
There are strict criteria for who can and cannot be treated with sedation. If you are unsuitable for sedation, a referral from you dentist will not be accepted.
If sedation is deemed appropriate, only some treatment is possible:
What treatment can be done under sedation?
We can offer basic dental treatments under sedation, including:
Fillings (restorative care)
Routine tooth extractions
However, some treatments are not routinely available under sedation, such as:
Complex tooth extractions (these need a referral to oral surgery)
Crowns, bridges, or other advanced treatments
Gum treatment (periodontal care)
Root canal (endodontic) treatment
Dentures to replace missing teeth would normally have to be made by your general dentist.
Contact details:
For general queries telephone on 0161 393 7734/7735. This is staffed Monday to Friday 9 – 5pm
To make changes to your existing appointments please email us on dental.appointmentbooking@mft.nhs.uk