Dental practices can see patients 'in need of urgent care'

Dental practices can once again see patients who are “in need of urgent care”.

The change is only for treatments which do not create any aerosol particles, meaning drills should not be used.

The Scottish Government has said the move should create “an additional 10,000 appointment slots” each day across Scotland.

Chief dental officer Tom Ferris said: “Dental practices will be able to see NHS patients who are in need of urgent care for face-to-face consultation, using procedures which limit the risk of spread of coronavirus such as non-aerosol generating procedures.

“This will mean up to an additional 10,000 appointment slots available per day across Scotland.

“Dentists and dental teams will be aware of the absolute necessity to ensure patient and staff safety as we move to the next phase, as well as public health more generally.

“The Scottish Government will continue to fund the NHS financial sustainability measures during this phase.”

It’s part of a wider NHS remobilisation plan, which will see a gradual scaling up of services in phase two.

There will be an expanded range of GP services provided during the stage of easing lockdown restrictions, as well as an increase in health care provisions for “pent up demand, urgent referrals and triage of routine services”.

Also, from next Monday, the health service will see a reintroduction of some chronic disease management, a phased resumption of some screening services and of essential optometry and ophthalmology services.