Hope for new dental clinic in Caithness
Local people waiting for dental treatment have been given a glimpse of hope after health bosses revealed a new surgery could open in the Caithness area as soon as May.
A new clinic is currently being fitted out at Dunbar Hospital and chiefs are hoping to recruit staff so that the four surgery unit can open in May. There is currently a waiting list of over 4,000 patients and the dental places available at the clinic will be allocated to those on the waiting list before being offered to other patients.
Some patients in the area have struggled to get treatment from a local dentist following the closure of Smile Solutions practice in Bridgend in September; the practice was private so the closure did not have a significant impact on the NHS waiting list, but access to local dental services is a cause of concern for local residents and the opening of a new clinic would make a huge difference.
Alex Fraser, dental development manager at NHS Highland, said that the 1.4 million pound clinic was set to be handed over from the developers at the end of March; this means a tenant could open a dental practice as early as May or June this year. Interviews have already been held and the health trust is hoping that a new tenant will soon move in and open the practice; the practice will be managed by a self-employed contractor and will offer NHS dental care.
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