Residents in Fleet, Hampshire, can access urgent dental appointments via NHS 111 as part of a region‑wide release of around 34,000 additional urgent dental appointments commissioned by NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB). The ICB commissioned the additional appointments in November 2025; the programme remains active as of 4 February 2026 and is expected to run through at least March 2026. The 34,000 figure covers the entire Hampshire and Isle of Wight region; the ICB has not published a breakdown for Fleet specifically. Patients are asked to contact NHS 111 by phone or use 111 online to be directed to an appropriate practice for urgent care.
James Roach, Director of Primary Care and Local Care at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said the programme aims to expand points of access for patients across a seven‑day period by using local practices and dedicated urgent dental hubs. The service is asking people with dental emergencies to use NHS 111 rather than contacting GP surgeries; the appointments are for urgent, stabilising treatment (for example, infections, urgent repairs to lost fillings or crowns, temporary fillings or extractions) rather than routine check‑ups.
The scheme is intended to help communities across the Hart district — including Fleet, Yateley and Hook — where, in recent years, many practices have stopped accepting new NHS patients or moved to private‑only models. That trend has left some people struggling to find affordable care when in immediate pain. The ICB is funding additional sessions and paying existing practices for extra hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate 111 referrals and support urgent care needs.
Local patient watchdogs, including Healthwatch Hampshire and Healthwatch England, have reported widespread difficulty accessing NHS dental care, and the ICB says the 111‑first model is intended to act as a safety net to reduce emergency‑department attendances for dental problems. Officials are urging anyone in dental pain to use NHS 111 (phone or online) as their first point of contact so they can be triaged and directed to the right urgent appointment.
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