A PETITION has been launched in a bid to safeguard NHS dental services in Ruthin.
Patients have been sent a letter from the business on Market Street.
The practice will move to a private scheme and have introduced a patient membership plan.
Darren Millar, Clwyd West MS, has launched a petition calling on the Welsh Government and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to ensure that affected patients continue to have access to NHS dental services.
Mr Millar, who has been raising concerns regarding access to NHS dentists in the Welsh Parliament in recent months, said: “I was extremely concerned to learn of the withdrawal of NHS dentistry for thousands of constituents served by Ruthin Dental Practice.
“The Welsh Government was warned that unless it acted to address concerns raised by the dentistry profession about its new dental contract many dentists in Wales would withdraw from the provision of NHS services, but it has refused to listen.
“I have therefore launched a petition to call on the Welsh Government and BCUHB to ensure that patients who have been affected by this announcement can continue to have access to NHS dental services. If enough people sign, then we have a chance of securing the services that people need.”
Patient Andy Manktelow said the practice is "abandoning thousands of residents by withdrawing from NHS dentistry."
"I have been with the practice for 17 years, the first 6 years were as a private patient as my family struggled to register as NHS patients," he said.
"I think that this move is a disgrace. Ruthin has grown in population over the past 15 years and very little has been done to accommodate this expanse, no discernible increase in public services, police, medical, dental etc but more residents paying council tax.
"The whole episode is a huge disappointment."
Another patient, who asked not to be named, said: "I have just received a letter from the only dental practice in our town to say that they now only carry out private work and no NHS work is undertaken. They further advise that a typical cost of a filling will be £169.50.
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"Now retired and having paid National Insurance Contributions and Income tax all my working life, I feel that I have paid in advance for a service which will not be provided."
Ruthin Dental Practice was established more than 50 years ago.
A statement from Ruthin Dental Practice said: "Like many NHS practices across the UK, we are having to make crucial decisions to ensure our practice survives and is here to provide your dental care in the long term. As such, we have made the decision to move away from the NHS and will no longer be seeing patients under the NHS from June 30 2023. Instead, we will be here to provide your dental care on a private basis."
Ruthin Dental Practice hope to carry on providing an NHS service for children.
Peter Greensmith, acting assistant director for the North Wales Dental Service at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), said: “Despite regular dialogue with the practice owners, we regret that the Ruthin Dental Practice will cease providing NHS treatment to adult patients on June 30, 2023. We are currently evaluating proposals from the practice to continue to provide NHS dental treatment to children.
“In view of this development, we plan to recommission dental services as early as possible, as part of a tender exercise for the replacement of lost provision across the whole of North Wales
“I want to apologise to patients for the anxiety this news will cause. The practice will be contacting patients directly with further information, including details of how to access alternative dental services.”
Any patients that have an NHS examination which was booked before May 12 2023 will still be seen and any required treatment will be given under the NHS.
Sign the petition here.
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