Perthshire Dental Group Opens Half of it’s Practices to NHS Patients

Award winning firm’s bold step will ease NHS dentistry crisis and help families

One of Scotland’s fastest growing independent dental groups is to open half of its practices to new NHS patients in a step which will help thousands of families.

Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic has opted to open lists for new patients in 6 of its 12 practices; a move which will be widely welcomed nationally.

The award winning firm, founded in Perthshire by a Scottish Young Dentist of the Year, Chris Barrowman, is also pre-registering new NHS patients in advance of the opening of its flagship 5 surgery practice in Perth, in 2025.

The failings in NHS dentistry in Scotland have been well documented, making this decision a milestone within the sector and an indication that access to subsidised dental treatments may not be completely out of reach.

BBC Investigation highlights NHS Dental Crisis in Scotland

A BBC investigation in late 2022 found that 4 out of 5 Scottish dental firms were no longer accepting new NHS adult patients, with nearly 80 percent rejecting new child patients.

At Holyrood in February Willie Rennie MSP led a debate on the ‘crisis in NHS dentistry’, with several local authorities reporting year-long waiting lists for patients or no local services at all.

MSPs heard that the situation was so bad in some places that people were resorting to DIY dentistry.

However, by creating greater flexibility and capacity across its expanding practice network, Infinityblu has opted to cement its commitment to NHS dental services by opening new patient lists for both adults and children.

The decision will apply for adults and kids in the group’s practices in Dunkeld, Auchterarder and Killin in Perthshire, and in Peebles and Duns in the Scottish Borders.

New patients under the age of 26 will also be offered NHS registration in its Callander practice.

Owner Chris Barrowman said the decision was about the group’s commitment to providing access for all budgets and ensuring standards of care for all, whether NHS, private or plan patients.

“We have talked about this for some time now,” he said. “We wanted to ensure we had the capacity and flexibility to be able to make this move, which is currently against the grain of most Scottish dental practices, and provide NHS dental care across the business. We also wanted to ensure our dentists and teams were fully supportive of the move.

“Our Infinityblu practices already offer NHS services to existing patients. The difference now is that we will be opening the lists at these practices for newly registering NHS patients.

“For us, it has always been about patient care. While we have always been committed to providing NHS dental services where possible, there was no advantage having people sitting on long waiting lists not getting the care they deserve, or having to wait considerable time for treatment that then develops into a larger and more costly problem. There have been some improvements in what we can provide as an NHS dentist, and much more clarity in what was an out-of-date system.

“Thankfully we now have that capacity to open up for new patients, knowing they will get the standard of service we want to deliver. I also want Infinityblu to play a part in bringing NHS Dentistry to thousands more Scottish patients.”

Unlike health, NHS dentistry is not free at the point of care but certain treatments are subsidised.

Last November, following sector campaigning, Scottish Government decided to streamline payments for NHS services, a move largely supported.

A national survey published in Dentistry magazine last month found that 66% of Scottish dentists viewed the changes as positive but with the vast majority seeking further improvements.

New NHS patients wishing to register for these practices are being asked to contact 01796 475 380 or to email enquiries@infinitybludental.co.uk