NHS DG are hoping students can help tackle the dental crisis
The trainee dentists are providing dental care to deregistered patients.
Dental students will see deregistered patients in Dumfries and Galloway to tackle the dental care challenges.
Over 30 students have come down from Glasgow University as part of the latest expansion of a dental outreach programme.
NHS D&G hopes this record number of students will also alleviate some pressure off the current working staff after many practices in the region closed leaving thousands of patients without a dentist.
Potential warnings of people possibly needing to travel outside of the Dumfries and Galloway catchment for treatment were issued.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway Director of Dentistry Alison Milne said: “Accessing an NHS dentist for routine dental care has become incredibly difficult for many of our local population over the last few years and unfortunately this position is highly likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
“However, working closely together with Glasgow University and NHS Education Scotland, for the second year running, we have managed to increase the number of final year dental student numbers training in Dumfries again – from nine places last year to 12 this year.
“These students will provide single courses of dental care without charge to some members of the public who are not registered with an NHS dental practice in order to render them dentally fit. The students are supported and supervised by a team of experienced dental tutors and support staff.
“As you might expect, demand for the service is high and there is already a waiting list of unregistered patients. But with the increased student numbers we hope to be able to advertise for new unregistered patients for single courses of dental care in the coming weeks.”
Eli Kirkpatrick is a University of Glasgow dental student from Annan and was also deregistered from her practice, so she is already aware of how close the region is to a dental crisis.
“I’ve been able to see firsthand just how many people have been affected and how much it has affected them not having their regular checkups or any dental work that needs to be done. So, having a centre like this, it’s really given us the best experience of it all and helping people who have no other access to a dentist.”
Mirin McKinley is from the southside of Glasgow studying dental care at the same university as Eli Kirkpatrick.
She says she wasn’t aware how bad the issues were but since starting her placement, it has become more apparent how vital the clinic services are.
“I’ve noticed a huge difference in terms of it’s been a lot longer on average people haven’t seen a dentist down here compared to people who haven’t been seen by a dentist in a couple of years in Glasgow, they still had the opportunity to register with an NHS dentist.
“It’s shocking just in the sense that it’s usually pushed that you should be seeing a dentist every six months for a checkup or dental work and make sure that everything is fine. For people to have maybe not been to the dentist in so long, it makes you wonder if things have slipped under the net a wee bit.”
She adds: “It’s really rewarding to be able to help people who haven’t been able to see a dentist for a long time.”
Alison Milne hopes these student placements will entice them to work full-time after the programme has finished.
“We are also hoping that the students enjoy their time in Dumfries both clinically and socially. We have invited all members of local dental teams to come and meet them in their clinics here, and also to attend a regional event in early September.
“If we can continue to provide a really positive training experience, including meeting local dental teams, we aim to attract more of these young professionals of the future back to Dumfries and Galloway after graduation.”