[The organization of (primary) emergency care in the Netherlands]

Emergency care in the Netherlands is efficiently organized through collaboration between general practitioner out-of-hours services, emergency departments, and ambulance services. In contrast, emergency dental care remains fragmented, lacking uniform triage, offering possibilities to opt out of service provision, or lacking quality assurance. The structure of general practitioner emergency care can serve as a model for emergency dental services. Integration into emergency care centres, the implementation of standardized triage systems, and the active involvement of the dental professional association can contribute to better coordination and quality of care. National oversight and a clear long-term vision are necessary for making emergency dental care more sustainable and better aligned with the broader emergency care network.