Greenlane hospital dental clinic: the $40 relief-of-pain service
Who can use it, what $40 buys, how to book, what to bring, and where to go when it is full.
Updated 10 October 2026
The “$40 dentist” at Greenlane is Health New Zealand’s emergency relief-of-pain clinic. It is for adults aged 18 and over with a Community Services Card who have a toothache, and it costs $40, paid on the day, for a consultation, an x-ray if needed and a simple extraction of one tooth. You cannot walk in: ring (09) 630 9809 from 8:30am, Monday to Friday, for an appointment the next working day.
Details read from the service’s Healthpoint listing on 28 October 2026. Auckland Dentists is an information site, not a dental practice, and is not connected with Health New Zealand. Last updated 28 October 2026.
Who can use the Greenlane relief-of-pain clinic?
Adults aged 18 and over who hold a current Community Services Card. You must show the card on arrival, with photo ID and proof of residency; non-residents pay extra charges before they are seen. It is for acute toothache only: the hospital dental service states that it does not provide routine dentistry to the public, so check-ups, fillings, cleans, root canals, crowns and dentures all need a private dentist.
What does the $40 cover?
| Item | At the relief-of-pain clinic |
|---|---|
| Consultation | Included in $40 |
| X-ray, if needed | Included in $40; ask for a copy to take to a private dentist |
| Simple extraction of one tooth | Included in $40 |
| Surgical or wisdom tooth extraction | Not done; you are referred to a private provider |
| Fillings, root canals, cleans, crowns, dentures | Not provided |
| Other treatment | Some treatments carry extra charges; the dentist tells you first |
| Non-residents | Extra charges, paid before you are seen |
Payment is cash or EFTPOS only. If you come back for more treatment, or go private afterwards, the $40 consultation is still charged.
How do I book the $40 dentist at Greenlane?
By phone only. Ring (09) 630 9809 when the line opens at 8:30am on a weekday. Appointments are for the next working day, there are a limited number each day, and once they are gone the line closes with a message. There is no clinic on public holidays, so a toothache on a Friday night means ringing on Monday.
- Check you qualify: 18 or over, a current Community Services Card, and a toothache or dental pain rather than a routine problem.
- Ring (09) 630 9809. The line opens at 8:30am, Monday to Friday. Ring early: there are a limited number of appointments each day.
- You are booked for the next working day, at Greenlane Clinical Centre or the Buckland Road clinic in Māngere East.
- Arrive with your card, ID and proof of residency, fill in the registration and medical history forms, and pay $40 on the day.
- The dentist examines you, x-rays the tooth if needed and, if it is a simple extraction of one tooth, takes it out.
What should I bring?
- Your Community Services Card. You will be asked for it at reception.
- Photo ID: a driver licence or passport.
- Proof of residency.
- A list of any medicines you take, and any private x-rays or test results you already have.
- Cash or an EFTPOS card for the $40. Those are the only ways to pay.
There is a parking charge at Greenlane Clinical Centre.
Where is it?
Two sites take relief-of-pain appointments, Monday to Friday: Greenlane Clinical Centre, 214 Green Lane West, Epsom, in central Auckland, and the Buckland Road community dental clinic in Māngere East for South Auckland. You are told which one when you book. The same hospital dental service also runs specialist clinics at Middlemore, Auckland City, Starship and Waitakere hospitals, but those take referrals, not toothache bookings.
What if the clinic is full or I don’t have a Community Services Card?
Ring again at 8:30am the next working day, or use one of the private practices that Health NZ lists as alternative relief-of-pain providers for card holders (a PDF on the Healthpoint page). Without a card, the route is a private practice, where a consultation for a specific problem had an Auckland median of $80 in the NZDA 2025 fee survey.
| Option | Who for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Health NZ relief-of-pain clinic (Greenlane, Buckland Road) | 18+, Community Services Card, toothache | $40 |
| Niho Ora ki Manukau (AUT oral health clinic) | Routine care by supervised students; no same-day relief of pain for adults | $60 course of care, $40 with a card (10 October 2026) |
| Private practice, consultation | Anyone | Median $80, middle half $65–$99 |
| Private practice, simple extraction | Anyone | Median $300, middle half $254–$350 |
| Child in pain | Under 18 | Free; ring 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) |
Private figures are Auckland medians from the NZDA 2025 Fees and Dental Workforce Survey, fee tables (all respondents), read 10 October 2026. On a low income, Work and Income can help with emergency dental costs. More on what a tooth extraction costs in Auckland.
When should I go to the emergency department instead?
When there is swelling of the face, jaw or neck, bleeding that will not stop, or trauma to the face. The relief-of-pain clinic is booked a day ahead and is not the place for a spreading infection. If breathing or swallowing is affected, call 111. For advice at any hour, Healthline is free on 0800 611 116.
Dental emergencies in Auckland: what to do and where to go.
Common questions
What is the $40 dental clinic at Greenlane Hospital?
It is Health New Zealand's emergency relief-of-pain clinic, run by the Hospital and Specialist Dentistry service at Greenlane Clinical Centre and the Buckland Road clinic in Māngere East. It treats acute toothache for adults aged 18 and over who hold a Community Services Card. The fee is $40, paid on the day.
What does the $40 cover?
A consultation plus an x-ray and, if needed, a simple extraction of one tooth. If the extraction turns out not to be simple, for example a wisdom tooth or a surgical extraction, you will be told to get it done privately. Fillings, root canals, cleans and dentures are not provided. You can ask for copies of any x-rays to take to a private dentist.
Can I walk in to Greenlane for a toothache?
No. You must phone (09) 630 9809 and book. The line opens at 8:30am Monday to Friday, appointments are for the next working day, and there is no clinic on public holidays. When the next day is full, the line closes with a recorded message listing other options.
Can I use the Greenlane dental clinic without a Community Services Card?
Not the relief-of-pain clinic: it is for Community Services Card holders only and you will be asked to show the card. Without one, the route is a private dental practice. In the NZDA 2025 fee survey, a consultation for a specific problem had an Auckland median of $80 and a simple extraction $300. Work and Income may help with the cost of emergency treatment on a low income.
What if the clinic is full?
Ring again at 8:30am the next working day, or use one of the private practices Health NZ lists as alternative relief-of-pain providers for Community Services Card holders (the list is a PDF on the Healthpoint page). Or see a private dentist. If your face or jaw is swelling, do not wait: contact a dentist, doctor or hospital emergency department straight away.
Does the Greenlane hospital dental clinic see children?
Not through the relief-of-pain clinic, which is for adults. If a child is in dental pain, ring the Auckland Regional Dental Service first on 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583). They assess the child and, where needed, refer them to the hospital dental service. Basic dental care is free in New Zealand up to the eighteenth birthday.
Is Greenlane Dental the same as the Greenlane hospital clinic?
No. Several private practices in the Greenlane and Epsom area have similar names. The $40 relief-of-pain service is run by Health New Zealand at Greenlane Clinical Centre on Green Lane West, and you book it on (09) 630 9809, not through a private practice's website.
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