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Highland dental practice advises patients it has struggled to replace outgoing dentist; MSP Rhoda Grant calls on Government to increase funding





The dental surgery has told patients it has struggled to recruit a replacement for a departing dentist (stock image).
The dental surgery has told patients it has struggled to recruit a replacement for a departing dentist (stock image).

The "very worrying" crisis in dentistry must be resolved urgently an MSP has warned after an Inverness dental surgery struggled to recruit staff.

Highland MSP Rhoda Grant issued her call after patients at the Inshes Dental Centre received letters advising them that they had struggled to replace a departing dentist despite "doing everything we can to replace him" - even offering cash incentives.

The letter, which Highland News and Media has seen, said: "You may or may not be aware that the dentist Dr Wiliam Appelkvist has left our Inshes practice and although we have done everything we can to replace him, at the current time, we have no replacement.

"You will be aware from the press and television that recruiting dentists at the present time is extremely difficult, Clyde Munro [the practice’s parent company] and the health board are doing everything we can to encourage dentists to come to work in Inverness, including cash incentives and other incentive schemes, but still we have been unsuccessful.

"Until this matter is resolved you will remain registered with the practice and although we cannot provide regular dental care for you, if you have a dental emergency, contact the practice we will make arrangements for you to be seen and have your problem addressed. This is a very difficult time for everyone, including our staff, we do appreciate how frustrating this situation is for you; our staff will do their best to accommodate your availability but please do treat them respectfully if a time to suit you is not immediately available.

"We are really very sorry that we cannot offer you a full service at this time; we will continue to recruit; hopefully with the incentives in place we will be successful before too long."

Inshes Dental Centre's recruitment troubles are just the latest in a long line of incidents to befall dentistry in the Highlands in recent months and years.

Many people are struggling to find an NHS dentist, and the high costs of going private are pricing some people out of receiving the care they need.

Back in July, figures revealed that at least 36,818 Scots had left an NHS dentist for private dental care since 2019, including 1034 in the NHS Highland area as the crisis in dentistry accelerated.

The issue also featured in last summer's general election campaign with numerous candidates saying that the north was at risk of leaving patients out of pocket for procedures.

Responding to these and Inshes Dental Centre's recent recruitment woes, Ms Grant said: “The situation in dentistry is very worrying. Dental care is a key component for overall good health and it is simply wrong that patients cannot access routine checks to prevent emergencies from occurring.

“Health boards have been starved of funding for too long.

“The Scottish Government must make use of the additional £789m health funding this year, and the additional £1.72bn next year, to increase dentist numbers and to incentivise newly qualified dentists to practice in rural and island areas.

“This money can’t be wasted. Dental care must be available to all and I will continue to press the Scottish Government to deal with this as a matter of urgency.“

Inshes Dental Centre’s parent company, Clyde Munro, was approached for further comment but had not replied prior to publication.


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