What do you do when it comes to medical and dental emergencies in the Netherlands? If you are in a life-threatening situation, it is best to call the emergency number 112 immediately. When it comes to less urgent situations, you can call your doctor (GP), Huisartsenpost or the Central Doctor’s Service for medical emergencies and your (emergency) dentist for dental emergencies.
What to do in case of dental emergency
If you are having a dental emergency, the first thing you should do is call your dentist. Your dentist will be able to assess the situation and give you emergency care. However, if you don’t have a dentist or if you can’t reach your own, you can call an emergency dentist (spoed tandarts). There are dental emergency clinics in every major city in the Netherlands that are open 24/7 and accessible to expats and tourists.
Emergency dental care
When do you need emergency dental care? You may need emergency dental care when you have a knocked-out tooth, a loose or out-of-alignment tooth, a cracked or fractured tooth, severe dental pain, ongoing tissue bleeding and / or a severe infection.
What to do in case of a medical emergency
What you should do in a medical situation in the Netherlands depends on the nature of your medical emergency. If you are in a life-threatening situation and / or need an ambulance, call the emergency number 112. At the hospital, accident and emergency is SEH (Spoedeisende Hulp), or you can go to first aid EHBO (Eerste Hulp Bij Ongelukken).
If your medical emergency is less urgent and not life-threatening, contact your GP before going to the emergency room at the hospital, as they can alert the hospital that you are coming and what treatment you may need. If your GP is not available, you can call the Huisartsenpost (family doctor post) or the Central Doctor’s Service.
Huisartsenpost
If your GP is closed, you can call the Huisartsenpost. They will tell you if you should come by or if you should make an appointment with your own GP within working hours. They can also refer you to the emergency department of the hospital. Contact details vary in each region. To check yours, internet search "huisartsenpost" with your city name.
Please note that care at the Huisartsenpost is generally fully reimbursed by your health insurance, however, when it comes to emergency care at the hospital, the compulsory deductible (eigen risico) applies.
Central Doctor’s Service
You can call the Central Doctors’ Service on +31 (0) 20 592 34 34 if you do not need an ambulance, but are in urgent need of medical advice and:
- You are not registered with a GP
- You cannot reach your GP, or
- It is out of hours
The helpline is open on evenings, weekends and public holidays.
