Wait times for dental care 'expected to worsen'

Dr Natasha Flavell says a number of different factors are affecting recruitment

Industry professionals believe that wait times to see hygienists and dentists in Guernsey will worsen in the coming years if more is not done to try and recruit professionals.

It comes as some practices have five-month waiting times for people to book appointments with hygienists, for teeth polishing and advice.

Chairman of the Guernsey Dentist Association Dr Natasha Flavell believes hygienists retiring or cutting hours and recruitment are among the issues.

Dr Favell said affordable housing and high rents stopped hygienists moving to the island "despite the wonderful lifestyle". She said this could become a problem for dentists in the future too.

Ms Greenslade is working between a number of practices because some companies are struggling to recruit

Ruth Greenslade, a hygienist from St Peter Port, said waiting lists were "three, four months at some practices.

She said: "Patients are very, very grateful to be seen because they are desperate just to try and get appointments."

Some hygienists have been working across more than one practice in order to see as many patients as possible and to try to reduce waiting times.

Ms Greenslade said recruitment was slower in Guernsey than Jersey for similar roles.

Lots of hygienists leave the industry because of health problems rather than because they have reached retirement age, she added.

Ms Greenslade said: "The ones that are still busy working, you know, we will probably get to a point where we're a bit burned-out.

"A lot of hygienists come out of the job not because they've got old and retired, they have problems with their hands, problems with their backs."

Islanders who need a hygienist may be able to get a one-off appointment at another dentist without needing to change dentist permanently, she said.