Home / Health / Stranraer Dental Crisis: 3,000 Face NHS Care Loss
Stranraer Dental Crisis: 3,000 Face NHS Care Loss
28 Jan
Summary
- Over 3,100 patients in Stranraer will lose NHS dental access.
- A dentist's upcoming retirement led to the practice's decision.
- New services are available for under-25s, but adult access is limited.
Over 3,000 residents in Stranraer are facing the loss of their NHS dental care. The South West Smile practice has announced it will deregister 3,119 patients due to the impending retirement of a key dentist at the end of March. Despite efforts to find a replacement, recruitment has been unsuccessful, leading to this difficult decision.
Patients affected by the deregistration have been given three months' notice to secure alternative dental provisions. Dumfries and Galloway's Health and Social Care Partnership acknowledges the limited availability of national health dentistry in the area. Efforts are underway to support dentists providing NHS services, with ongoing discussions with the Scottish government.
Coinciding with this news, a new service has been introduced for individuals aged 25 and under in the region who lack NHS dental access. This service will offer single courses of treatment at Galloway Community Hospital one day per week. Emergency treatment for unregistered patients over 25 is available in Castle Douglas, located approximately 55 miles away.
