Withdrawal of NHS dental services in Dumfries and Galloway will affect 10,000 adult patients
A dental practice in Thornhill is notifying adult patients that they will no longer be provided with NHS services as of 24 December.
The decision to withdraw provision to all 3,800 adult NHS patients will add to the worsening situation around access to NHS dental services within Dumfries and Galloway.
The move by the practice is in response to the anticipated departure of one of its two dentists at a time when practices are finding it extremely difficult to fill vacancies.
The practice will continue to provide NHS services for children, and private dental care for adults.
The decision follows the news that Gretna dental practice will no longer provide NHS dental services to adults from today, Thursday 10 November, affecting 2,400 people.
Gardenhill dental clinic in Castle Douglas also announced in October the withdrawal of NHS services for its 4,400 patients from January 2023.
This brings the total number of people affected by the withdrawal of NHS dental services in the Scottish Borders to more than 10,000.
Alison Milne, director of dentistry at Thornhill, said: “This is obviously very bad news for all the adult NHS patients registered with Thornhill dental practice.
“We continue to work as a health board to encourage and support dentists to provide NHS general dental services, but lack of dentists coming to work in the region is a key issue. Challenges in dental workforce is being seen across the UK.
“However, as has been noted before, this is a situation which is likely to worsen before there is the prospect of any improvement.”
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “My worst fears that recent closures of dental practices to adult NHS patients in Gretna and Castle Douglas would trigger a domino effect have been realised with the practice in Thornhill now adding to the dental crisis in Dumfries and Galloway.
“This will be a huge blow to patients in Mid-Nithsdale who will either have to pay for private care or try to find another dentist that provides NHS care. That is becoming more and more difficult as practice after practice ends NHS care.
“It makes me angry that the Scottish government have failed to wake up to the growing dental crisis.
“The health board needs to provide as much assistance to support patients finding alternative NHS provision but unless both governments face up to the dental crisis in our area, I believe the very existence of NHS dental care is under threat in Dumfries and Galloway.”
Adult patients losing their registration at Thornhill will now need to seek alternative provision.
At present, there are no dentists within the region accepting new NHS registrations, meaning that the alternatives are to secure registration outside the region or access dental care privately.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway said it continues to support dental practices in the recruitment and retention of dentists, and is working closely with the Scottish government on these matters.
Anyone who is not registered with a dentist and requires emergency dental care can contact the Dental Helpline on 0845 602 6417.
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