When should I phone?
For an acute problem that cannot wait for a routine appointment.
← All explanationsOut-of-hours dental service
Where can I get urgent dental help outside normal opening hours?
An out-of-hours dental service treats urgent dental problems outside usual opening hours when care should not wait for the next routine appointment. These may include severe pain, swelling, bleeding after treatment or dental injury. Duty practices and times change. For Cologne, use official city or North Rhine dental chamber information; this does not mean SMD provides a 24-hour emergency service.
For training & practice ↓
AI-generated
Choose a view
Describe the urgency
Explain by phone what happened, when symptoms began and whether there is swelling, fever, bleeding or an injury. Do not start by waiting in an online appointment queue.
Find the current service
During opening hours, phone the treating practice. When it is unavailable, use current regional on-call information and contact the designated practice before travelling.
Urgent care, then follow-up
The service assesses the immediate problem and starts necessary care. Extensive definitive treatment may require further appointments.
At a glance
Where outside opening hours?
The current duty dental practice found through official regional information.
What should I have ready?
Symptom history, medication list, allergies and details of injury or previous treatment.
Knowledge in motion
Explained in 36 seconds.
Three steps. No audio.
Each scene can also be selected manually.
Silent educational film with German on-screen text and simplified teaching images. Not a patient case or a promised treatment outcome. The full English explanation is available below.
Read the film text in English
Describe the urgency
Explain by phone what happened, when symptoms began and whether there is swelling, fever, bleeding or an injury. Do not start by waiting in an online appointment queue.
Find the current service
During opening hours, phone the treating practice. When it is unavailable, use current regional on-call information and contact the designated practice before travelling.
Urgent care, then follow-up
The service assesses the immediate problem and starts necessary care. Extensive definitive treatment may require further appointments.
Often confused
Dental on-call service or ambulance service?
The dental on-call service treats urgent tooth problems. Germany’s 112 emergency service handles life-threatening situations and major emergencies.
Quick answers
Does every toothache require 112?
No. Most urgent tooth problems need dental care. Breathing difficulty, swallowing problems from swelling, major injury or heavy bleeding that cannot be stopped require immediate emergency help.
Can I simply go to Cologne University Hospital?
For ordinary dental emergencies, the hospital directs patients to designated on-call dental practices. Life-threatening symptoms still require emergency medical services or immediate hospital care.
Will I automatically receive antibiotics?
No. The cause and necessary care must be assessed. Antibiotics are not appropriate for every toothache and do not replace necessary local treatment.
At the practice
For a personal conversation
An editorially suggested question for a conversation with Dr. med. dent. Niusha Barahmand Pour:
What follow-up will I need after urgent treatment?
Describe acute symptoms directly; when the practice is unavailable, use the official on-call route.
Call the practice about acute symptoms · 0221 669 401 80Telephone contactLearning layer for training & practiceUnderstand terminology and deepen knowledge
- Urgent care
- Assessment and treatment of a time-sensitive problem.
- Triage
- Professional assessment of how urgently and where help is needed.
- Follow-up treatment
- Planned care after the immediate problem has been addressed.
Make the distinction
The dental on-call service treats urgent tooth problems. Germany’s 112 emergency service handles life-threatening situations and major emergencies.
Sources and context
Editorial research: . General information, not an individual diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Teaching illustrations are simplified and do not depict a patient case.