Emergency Dentist in the South Hills of Pittsburgh
Poling Family Dental Care offers same-day emergency dental appointments during our office hours, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. New patients are welcome. If you have a bad toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost crown, or swelling, call (412) 882-1320 and tell us it is an emergency.
Dental pain has a way of taking over your whole day. You can’t focus, you can’t eat on that side, and you may not even know whether it can wait. If you don’t have a regular dentist, it can feel like nobody will see you quickly.
We offer same-day visits to new patients. Dr. William Scott Poling has 20 years in practice and is the only dentist in our Whitehall office, so he is the one who sees you. Before dentistry, he served as a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman with the Fleet Marine Force during Operation Desert Storm. Urgent care is familiar ground for him. Dr. Poling is a general dentist.
If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading toward your eye or neck, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room first.
What counts as a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any problem with your teeth, gums, or jaw that needs care within hours or a day, not weeks. That includes severe or throbbing pain, a knocked-out adult tooth, a tooth broken with a sharp edge or exposed nerve, swelling in your face or gums, and bleeding that won’t slow down. When in doubt, call and describe what is happening.
Problems that usually need a same-day visit:
- A toothache that keeps you up at night or doesn’t ease with pain relievers
- A permanent tooth knocked out or pushed out of place
- A cracked or broken tooth, especially if it hurts to bite
- Swelling of the gums, jaw, or face, or a pimple-like bump on the gums
- A lost crown or filling that leaves a sharp or sensitive tooth
Some problems can wait a few days, such as a small chip with no pain. Our team can help you decide when you call. If it turns out you can wait, we will book you at the next available appointment.
Should you go to the ER or the dentist?
Go to a hospital emergency room for a dental problem only if it threatens your breathing, your airway, or your overall health. That means trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading to your eye or neck, a high fever with facial swelling, a broken jaw, or bleeding you can’t control. For nearly everything else, a dentist is the better first call.
Hospital ERs exist to stabilize you, not to repair teeth. They can give you pain medicine or antibiotics, but most can’t do a root canal, place a crown, or pull a tooth. You may leave with a prescription and a note to see a dentist anyway. Antibiotics can calm an infection for a while, but the infected nerve or tooth usually remains until a dentist treats it directly.
If your problem is a toothache, a broken tooth, a lost crown, or a knocked-out tooth, call our office first at (412) 882-1320. A dentist can treat the cause, such as an infected nerve or a broken tooth, instead of only easing the pain.
What to do right now: first aid for common emergencies
These steps help protect your tooth and ease pain until you reach us. None of them replace a visit, so call us as soon as you can. Keep over-the-counter pain relievers on hand, and follow the label. Never put aspirin directly on your gums, because it can burn the tissue.
Toothache
Rinse with warm salt water and floss gently to clear out any trapped food. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed. Hold a cold pack on your cheek for 15 minutes at a time if there is swelling.
Knocked-out adult tooth
Pick the tooth up by the top, not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly with water without scrubbing. Try to slide it back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If you can’t, keep it in a cup of milk. The American Association of Endodontists advises seeing a dentist within 30 minutes. Dentists can sometimes save a tooth kept moist even after an hour.
Broken or chipped tooth
Save any pieces you can find. Rinse your mouth with warm water and hold a cold pack on your face to limit swelling. If the edge is sharp, cover it with sugar-free gum or dental wax so it doesn’t cut your tongue.
Lost crown or filling
Keep the crown in a safe place and bring it with you. You can hold it in place with dental cement from a drugstore until your visit. Avoid chewing on that side. Never use household glue.
Swelling or a gum abscess
Rinse with warm salt water several times a day and call us the same day. Don’t put heat on the swelling. If it spreads to your eye or neck, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the ER.
What happens at your emergency visit, step by step
An emergency visit focuses on finding the cause of the problem and getting you out of pain. Dr. Poling examines the area, takes X-rays, explains what he finds, and gives you your options with their fees before treating anything. In many cases he can begin or complete treatment at the same visit. More involved work may need a second appointment.
When you call
Tell our team what happened, where it hurts, and when it started. We will give you the first available same-day slot during our hours and any first-aid steps to follow on the way.
Exam and X-rays
Dr. Poling looks at the tooth and gums and takes digital X-rays, which use less radiation than film. If he needs a closer look at a root or the bone, he may use 3D imaging.
Relief and repair
Depending on the cause, Dr. Poling may start a root canal, place a filling, remove a tooth, or place a temporary crown. You will know the plan and the fee before he begins.
Your follow-up plan
Some repairs take more than one visit. A crown, for example, usually comes back about a week later so Dr. Poling can confirm the fit before he cements it. He books those steps before you leave.
How much does an emergency dental visit cost?
The cost of an emergency visit depends on what Dr. Poling finds and what you need. Your visit starts with an exam and X-rays. If you need treatment, such as a filling, a root canal, or an extraction, Dr. Poling explains the options and their fees before he begins. You decide what to do with the full picture in front of you.
We participate with most PPO plans, and many plans pay toward emergency exams and X-rays. Our team checks your coverage and tells you your share before treatment. If you are uninsured or need to spread out payments, we work with CareCredit, Cherry, and Sunbit. Each lender sets its own terms after you apply.
Waiting rarely saves money with dental pain. An infected tooth that could be saved with a root canal today may need to be removed and replaced later. That usually costs more.
What if your emergency happens when we’re closed?
Our office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you are an established patient, call (412) 882-1320 any time. Our 24/7 answering service takes your call, and they can reach Dr. Poling after hours. If you are a new patient, call us first thing on our next open day for a same-day appointment.
If the problem starts on a Tuesday, Thursday, or weekend and you are not yet our patient, follow the first-aid steps above. Take pain relievers as directed and keep a cold pack nearby. Then call us when we open on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Write down when the problem started and what makes it better or worse, because that information helps Dr. Poling identify the cause quickly.
Some problems can’t wait for the next open day. Go to the ER right away if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, a high fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that won’t stop.
Why patients choose Poling Family Dental Care in an emergency
When you are in pain, you want to know who will see you and how soon. These are the specific ways we handle emergencies in our Whitehall office. Each one is part of how we work every week, whether you are a long-time patient or calling us for the first time.
Same-day appointments for new patients
You do not need to be our patient already. On our open days, we offer same-day emergency visits to new patients too.
Most repairs under one roof
Dr. Poling performs root canals on front and back teeth, extractions, fillings, and crowns. If a tooth can’t be saved, he also places and restores dental implants.
Sedation if you are anxious
Dental pain and dental anxiety often go together. We offer oral and IV sedation, with IV sedation given by our nurse anesthetist.
An after-hours line for established patients
Once you are our patient, our 24/7 answering service can reach Dr. Poling when the office is closed.
A single dentist who knows your history
Dr. Poling is the only dentist here. The person who treats your emergency is the same person who sees you at follow-up.
How can you lower your risk of a dental emergency?
Many dental emergencies start as small problems that grew. A crack, a deep cavity, or early gum disease often gives little warning before it hurts. Regular checkups every 6 months let Dr. Poling spot those changes early. A custom nightguard protects teeth if you grind, and a mouthguard helps during contact sports.
A few habits help too. Don’t chew ice, hard candy, or pen caps, and don’t open packages with your teeth. If an old filling feels rough or a tooth turns sensitive to cold, call us before it breaks. Lingering sensitivity, a bad taste near one tooth, or gums that bleed easily are early warning signs worth an ordinary appointment.
If you have just had an emergency repair, keep your follow-up visit. A temporary crown or a partly finished root canal is not built to last. Finishing the work protects the tooth you just saved.
Emergency dental care in Whitehall and the South Hills
Poling Family Dental Care is at 300 Weyman Rd., Suite 260, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, in Whitehall. We see emergency patients from Baldwin, Bethel Park, Pleasant Hills, Mt. Lebanon, Brentwood, and South Park. Our hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM. Call (412) 882-1320 for a same-day emergency appointment.
The practice has cared for South Hills patients since 1985. Dr. Poling bought it in 2020 and is the only dentist here. Our office is wheelchair accessible. Bring a photo ID, your insurance card if you have one, and a list of any medicines you take. If you have recent dental X-rays from another office, ask them to send copies, which can save time at your visit.
If you are hurting right now, don’t wait to see whether it passes. Call Poling Family Dental Care at (412) 882-1320 to ask for a same-day emergency visit with Dr. Poling.
Frequently asked questions
Do you see new patients for dental emergencies?
Yes. We offer same-day emergency appointments to new patients during our office hours, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (412) 882-1320 and tell our team it is an emergency. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, new patients should call when we open on our next office day.
Can a knocked-out tooth be saved?
Often, if you act fast. Hold the tooth by the top, rinse it briefly with water without scrubbing, and try to place it back in the socket. If you can’t, keep it in milk. The American Association of Endodontists advises seeing a dentist within 30 minutes. Call us right away during office hours.
Will you pull my tooth or try to save it?
Dr. Poling tries to save a tooth when it has a good long-term outlook. A root canal and crown can often save a badly infected or cracked tooth. If a tooth can’t be saved, he explains your options, including an extraction followed by an implant or bridge, and their fees before treatment.