Not a single NHS dental practice in Moray currently has capacity for new patients.
Potential dental patients are facing lengthy trips to the Highlands or Aberdeenshire – or going private – to receive care.
NHS Grampian confirmed to Moray MSP Richard Lochhead that work is under way to improve access, but in the meantime none of the practices in the region are open for registrations.
Staff shortages have been blamed.
The issue was first raised after residents shared “serious concerns” about accessing dental care locally, with some being deregistered by their practice.
Although figures in January showed the health board gained eight additional dentists in 2021, the problems with taking on new patients are said to stem from a lack of staff.
And an NHS Grampian letter seen by The Press and Journal has revealed this has affected practices across the whole of the north-east – with Moray taking the most severe blow.
Currently, only 11 out 44 NHS practices in Aberdeen are open for registrations, while eight out of 36 practices in Aberdeenshire would accept new patients.
Dental services in Moray should remain a priority
Mr Lochhead urged NHS Grampian to ensure dental services in Moray remain a priority and added: “It is a serious concern that some patients have been deregistered from their practice and are unable to register with another NHS dentist in Moray. It seems that folk aren’t even able to be added to a waiting list at the moment.
“According to NHS Grampian’s head of dentistry, Covid has had an impact on getting new staff into the system, and he also highlighted the loss of dentists from the EU as another key factor.
“I welcome the fact that funding is being put in place to try to address some of the issues in Moray and that discussions are taking place with existing practices who are interested in opening dental surgeries in Elgin.”
Perfect storm for dental services in the north-east
It is not the first time the north-east has suffered a shortage of dentists.
Aberdeen Dental School opened in 2010, and was heralded for reducing waiting times after the lists peaked at about 35,000 across Grampian.
Then first minister Alex Salmond and his public health minister Shona Robsion opened the £17.7million centre, which trains dental students in oral care, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry and emergency treatment.
And according to the British Dentist Association (BDA), this was only accelerated by the impact of the pandemic, with Covid creating the perfect storm for dental services.
Carly Fraser, chairwoman of BDA North of Scotland, said many dentists are still working through a “significant” backlog of treatment, which in many cases prevents them from taking on new patients.
This is on top of a number of other factors that have imposed further challenges with recruitment of new dentists in the area and contributed to staff shortages.
‘Many are unable to give more to their profession in fear of burnout’
She said: “NHS Grampian have worked very well over the last 10 years to overcome issues with patients struggling to access NHS dental services with the aim of improving their dental health.
“It is really disappointing to hear of the lack of access for new NHS patient registrations in the area.
“Unfortunately, the last two years have been very challenging for dental teams who have been faced with restrictions to the treatments they have been able to carry out, in addition to implementing rigorous cleaning procedures (including surgery fallow times), enhanced PPE, and social distancing measures.
“Due to patient demand, pressures and challenges both mentally and physically over the last couple of years, many current dentists are unable to give more to their profession and in several cases have reduced their current working hours fearing burnout.
“There are dentists reaching retirement and some choosing to leave the profession for other reasons coupled with a delay in dental students graduating in Scotland and a decline in overseas dentists to the region. All of which are likely to impact the recruitment of dentists to the area and the capacity to see new patients.”
NHS Grampian was contacted regarding Mr Lochhead’s meeting.