Call to join NHS dental waiting list after phones jam

There are about 5,800 people on the waiting list for an NHS dentist

People who do not have an NHS dentist have been urged to register for one via the government website after a dental surgery was inundated with calls.

It follows confirmation by the chief minister last month that the entire waiting list of about 5,800 patients would be allocated to the Hillside Dental in future.

Alfred Cannan said steps were being taken to create a fourth surgery room and recruit another dentist at the Douglas based clinic.

Manx Care said Hillside had since received a “high volume of calls” relating to joining the practice but could not take them on directly.

A spokeswoman for the healthcare provider said when ready the practice would only take on new patients from the government’s dental allocation list.

Anyone already on the waiting list would be contacted by Primary Care Services in due course, she said.

“Please do not contact Hillside Dental Practice directly regarding this,” she added.

Mr Cannan told the House of Keys last month it was hoped the practice would begin treating the backlog of patients without an NHS dentist within six months.