Fourth island dental practice stops NHS treatment

Four out of 10 practices have closed or withdrawn NHS care on Anglesey since 2022

Health chiefs have warned that dental services will "remain very challenging" on Anglesey, with a fourth practice closing or withdrawing NHS care on the island since 2022.

Valley Dental said it had made the "difficult decision to reduce our NHS services due to challenges retaining an NHS dentist".

Patients will still be seen privately by the practice at Boston Terrace as six others continue to provide NHS dental care on Anglesey.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which manages local NHS services, said it had invested £160,000 to boost dentistry capacity on Anglesey in 2024 and was seeking a provider for additional services.

Health board assistant director Peter Greensmith said the withdrawal of Valley Dental's NHS service would "clearly be disappointing to a number of residents... and I am sorry for any anxiety it will cause".

He said despite the health board's efforts "we regret that access to NHS dentistry will remain very challenging on the island, as it is across north Wales and the United Kingdom".

He said patients with an "urgent dental need can be triaged for an appointment" with the health board's emergency dental service by calling NHS Wales on 111.

In a Facebook post, Valley Dental said that "with heavy hearts we have made the decision to terminate our NHS services" from the end of the year.

"Whilst we have proudly operated under the NHS for many years, recent changes to NHS contracts and the way we are required to provide treatment have made it impossible to continue offering the standard of care that we believe our NHS patients deserve.

"Over the next three months we will be completing existing treatments, but will not be opening any new courses of treatment, nor will we be offering any new examination appointments."