"Emergency treatment and tooth extraction"

On Monday (1/9/14), I woke with severe toothache, jaw and face pain. I took painkillers and (amazingly) managed to secure an emergency consultation with a local dentist that morning, who prescribed antibiotics and told me to take painkillers whilst awaiting an hour long appointment to have the root canal treatment he said I needed - but not until I'd taken 3 days of the penicillin to reduce the infection. During the next 3 days I phoned 16 dental practices for this hour appointment and hit a brick wall! No-one was taking new patients, let alone had a whole hour to schedule for me... I was even laughed at for 'expecting emergency root canal treatment with the NHS!'. Exasperated, I walked in to the Bristol Dental Hospital on the Thursday (3/9/14) at 0800, had a consultation with a supervised student at 0900, x-ray shortly after that and back for further consultation by 0945. It was decided that my infected 10year old root filled molar had had it's day and I was scheduled to have my tooth extracted that very morning. I am an extremely nervous patient but the two supervised students who extracted my tooth put me at ease immediately and were wonderfully professional and caring. I walked out of the door a little after Midday, feeling a lot happier than when I walked in. Brilliant service!!