Fresh pain for Dumfries and Galloway NHS dental patients

Nearly 2,000 more NHS patients are facing deregistration by their dental practice in Dumfries and Galloway.

There are already no dentists in the region accepting new NHS registrations.

Now one of the two dentists at Great King Street Dental in Dumfries has decided to end the services for patients aged 18 and above.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway's director of dentistry Alison Milne said it meant they would now have to seek alternative provision.

"Unfortunately, many will be aware that there are no dentists within the region currently accepting new NHS registrations," she said.

"We fully recognise the frustration very likely to be felt by these patients, as experienced by many others who have faced a similar situation in recent years."

Director of public health Valerie White said there had been "some success" with a dental outreach programme for the region.

"The 12 places for dentists in training plus tutors and support makes NHS Dumfries and Galloway the biggest outreach dental training facility in Scotland," she said.

She said the students involved could offer a single course of treatment to patients not registered with an NHS dentist.

"However, while this is a very positive development, we know that this does not address the issue of providing people with regular, ongoing access to an NHS dentist," she 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."