Westmead Centre for Oral Health

Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics

The Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics is the largest of its type in Australia treating children from birth to 18 years requiring specialist paediatric dental care and specialist orthodontic treatment for children and adults with severe malocculsions or craniofacial malformations.  The Department hosts a large range of specialist multi-disciplinary clinics and provides outreach clinics to rural NSW.  Treatment under local anaesthesia, relative analgesia (nitrous oxide sedation), and general anaesthesia is available.

The department is the centre for specialist trainees in Paediatric Dentistry through the University of Sydney program and also provides teaching to undergraduate students in Dentistry and Oral Health Therapy of Sydney, Newcastle and Charles Sturt Universities. 

Who this service is provided to?

Paediatric Dentistry

All children of school age and below who are NSW residents are eligible for referral to the Department and who meet one or more of the following criteria to be eligible for treatment:

• Emergency care
• Complex medical condition
• Severe chronic medical condition
• Intellectual, or physical disability or special needs
• Congenital or acquired malformations of the jaws, face or teeth
• Orofacial pathology
• Young children at high caries risk
• Children over 6 years of age with extreme dental anxiety requiring management under general anaesthesia or sedation

Orthodontics

Strict referral guidelines apply to Orthodontics that is provided only to those children and adults with severe malocclusions or craniofacial anomalies. 

Method of referral

Referrals should be sent to the Department either by fax or post.  All referrals are prioritised according to clinical need.  Please include the patient’s Medicare number, date of birth, address, telephone number and medical and dental history in any referral to the Unit.  An appointment will be sent to the patient.

Emergency Treatment

Children who require Emergency care, including trauma, facial infection, haemorrhage or any pathology may contact:

• The Western Sydney LHD Oral Health Call Centre (02 8890 6766) or
• In person at the Triage Desk, Level 1 Westmead Centre for Oral Health or
• The Department directly (02 8890 7450)

After-hours paediatric dental emergency treatment is provided at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead Hospital Emergency Department (02) 8890 0000

Transport, parking, access

Westmead Centre for Oral Health is situated at Westmead Hospital on Darcy Road, Westmead. Cityrail provides rail services to Westmead station and Westbus runs several bus services to and from Westmead Hospital. Direct taxi telephones are provided at the entrance of Westmead Centre for Oral Health. Limited car parking is available for a fee. Wheelchair access is available through the Westmead Centre for Oral Health entrance and the hospital main entrance and via lifts to all levels within the Westmead Centre for Oral Health.

Staffing 

Specialist Clinics

Rural Specialist Clinics