Patients have to leave Dumfries and Galloway to find NHS dentist

No dental practices in Dumfries and Galloway are accepting new NHS registrations

A health board has said thousands of people will have to leave its area to try to find an NHS dentist.

It comes after a dental practice in Dumfries confirmed plans to deregister more than 5,000 patients.

No other dentists in Dumfries and Galloway are accepting new NHS registrations, meaning they will have to go private or go elsewhere.

Director of public health Valerie White said the situation was one of "significant concern".

The decision by the Blue Door dental practice is the latest in a string of similar issues across south-west Scotland.

Last month, a practice in Thornhill wrote to patients telling them it no longer intended to provide NHS services.

Similar steps were announced in Castle Douglas in October.

The health board confirmed that the alternatives facing patients without an NHS dentist were now to "secure registration outwith the region or access dental care privately".

Paul Davies is one of the Blue Door patients affected by the move

Paul Davies is among those affected by the decision of the Blue Door practice in Dumfries to deregister thousands of patients in March next year.

He has been trying to get an appointment since the summer - one was cancelled due to the Queen's funeral and another a week before he was due to be seen.

"In frustration I emailed the practice manager and was told that all NHS appointments were being cancelled as the practice was leaving the NHS for most treatments," he said.

"I have been unable to find a NHS dentist in Dumfries.

"Amazingly the pain I have been experiencing has reduced but I do have a broken tooth and some discomfort."

He said he hoped not to wait until March to be deregistered.

"I intend to speak to Blue Door about leaving and then find a dentist outside of Dumfries and Galloway," he said.

Ms White said: "We continue work to encourage and support dentists to provide NHS general dental services and are working closely with Scottish government colleagues on these matters.

"However, lack of dentists coming to work in the region is a key issue, and challenges in dental workforce are being seen across the UK."

Anyone who is not registered with a dentist and requires emergency dental care can access it by contacting the dental helpline on 0845 602 6417.

A Scottish government statement said: "We understand that in certain remote and rural areas, NHS dental access is challenging - a historical position exacerbated by Brexit controls, as well as the unique difficulties following the pandemic.

"We have put in place additional recruitment and retention incentives to maximise the opportunities for newly qualified dentists to work in areas such as Dumfries and Galloway."

Have you been affected by the lack of dentists in Dumfries and Galloway? If you are happy to share your story contact us on [e-mail].