DENTISTS across the Forth Valley can re-open to treat patients in need of urgent care.

In line with national guidance, each dentist can open for their own patients but will be limited to a list of 10 people a day.

Dentists have been risk assessed to offer patients a service where physical distancing of two metres can be applied.

Routine inspections and fillings as well as other restorations will not be carried out.

Dentists will also not be able to carry out any procedures that generate water droplets in the air, meaning they are unable to provide any treatments which require dental drilling.

Since the beginning of lockdown, dentists have only been taking calls from patients and have been arranging for emergency treatment at the Urgent Dental Care Centre (UDCC) in Falkirk where treatment has been restricted to relief of pain and prevention of infection.

Practices will now see patients for pain, infection, trauma or a worrying patch in the mouth and can offer specific treatments or refer patients to the nearest UDCC where special precautions have been put in place.

Jennifer Rodgers, dental director at NHS Forth Valley, said: “There is a risk to patients and dental staff when using dental equipment that generates an aerosol and this includes fillings, crown preparation and surgical or complex extractions.

“These procedures will still not be possible in dental practices in Scotland at this time.

“For patients who have an emergency that urgently requires one of these procedures, your dentist will make arrangements to see you in the nearest UDCC where special precautions have been put in place.”

Dental practices have been allowed to re-open since Monday, June 22, but some may open at a later date.

Ms Rodgers added: “Over the past 10 weeks, many of the Forth Valley dental practice dentists have volunteered to work in the UDCCs of the Public Dental Service as well as in other roles in the health board.

“This was a unique situation and I would like to thank all staff of the Public Dental Service as well as the dental practices, for their willing and dedication to helping the people of Forth Valley and their colleagues during this outbreak.

“These UDCCs in the Public Dental Service will remain open while the dentists are limited in the numbers and treatments they can do and both services will run alongside one another for the next few weeks.”