Coronavirus: Isle of Man dentists to reopen by mid-June

Dental practices across the island have been closed since late March

People on the Isle of Man will be able to visit the dentist from mid-June, provided "stringent safety guidelines" are met, the government said.

Strict protocols for hygiene and decontamination will be introduced and dental staff trained in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Each surgery will be assessed before it can reopen, said a spokesman.

All dental practices on the island were closed in March amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus.

On Wednesday, the government confirmed there were no remaining active cases of Covid-19 on the island.

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Since the start of the pandemic, an emergency dental service led by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has been offering advice, pain relief and antibiotics.

That service was extended to include emergency treatments, such as root canal procedures, last month.

Health minister David Ashford said the process of allowing dental practices to reopen had been "extremely challenging".

But routine check-ups will not be offered when dentists finally reopen, he added.

"It has been a painstaking process and we have set the bar high - deliberately so, as we must get this right," he said.

"I am confident the measures will be effective in preventing infection spread should coronavirus reappear."