DENTAL practices in North Ayrshire have successfully been welcoming back patients for the first time in over four months.

As Scotland continued its lockdown exit in Phase 3, from July 13 dentists across the country were able to start seeing patients again.

Dentists had been allowed to open for emergency treatments during the coronavirus lockdown.

But now, registered patients are now able to be seen for ‘non-aerosol’ procedures, allowing procedures such a check-ups and the fitting of dentures and dental braces, with all the relevant safety precautions in place.

However, no drilling practices are currently allowed to be carried out.

Kilwinning Dental, Three Towns Saltcoats Dental Care and Three Towns Stevenston Dental Care are among the local practices that have reopened.

Dr Jacqui Frederick, Group Clinical Director at Clyde Munro, the owners of the three practices above, said: “As a group, we’ve been able to share knowledge, advice and protocols to enable us to safely open all of our practices to some non-emergency treatment.

“Our respective teams across Scotland have been waiting for this moment for months and are delighted to have patients back through the door.

“Every practice has had extensive procedures put in place throughout.

“Our first priority is to get in touch with all patients whose appointments were cancelled.

“We want to assure all of our patients that we will get to them for their routine check-ups as quickly as possible and that they will be able to get treatments if they have urgent dental problems.”

Those attending the practice will be asked to observe a range of safety procedures including social distancing.