Current status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 1 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what specific steps are being taken to improve NHS dentistry in the south west of Scotland, including in Dumfriesshire.
The Scottish Government recognises the challenges faced for patients accessing NHS dentistry in rural and island areas, which is why we have provided an additional £437k of recurring funding from 2025-26 to support access to dental services in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
This funding has been used to recruit two Senior Dental Officers and a dental therapist to resource both Gardenhill Dental Surgery in Castle Douglas and ongoing provision of evening clinics in the wider Board area. These initiatives are both intended to provide emergency and urgent dental care to unregistered patients.