Front desk and scheduling
Emergency appointment
Also called urgent visit, same-day appointment
A short-notice visit for a dental problem such as severe pain, swelling or a knocked-out tooth.
An emergency appointment is a same-day or very short-notice visit for urgent problems like severe tooth pain, swelling, a broken or knocked-out tooth, bleeding or an abscess. Offices hold a few open slots or work patients in. The front desk asks a few questions to judge how urgent it is, and directs anyone with trouble breathing or swallowing, or heavy bleeding, to emergency medical care.
Example at the front desk
She has a broken tooth and a swollen cheek, so I put her in at 1:30 today.