A salaried dentist is due to begin seeing patients at the temporary dental unit from the week commencing November 2, in a move aimed at improving access to treatment in the north of the island.
The announcement comes as Smile Dental confirms it is working towards resuming services in Ramsey from alternative premises in late 2026.
What is happening to Smile Dental?
Smile Dental had planned to move into the dental unit at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital, but that arrangement will no longer go ahead.
The practice has relinquished its lease for the premises and is instead working towards restarting services from a different location.
Further details are expected shortly.
Patients registered with Smile Dental will be able to continue receiving routine dental care through the practice once services resume.
In the meantime, Manx Care will continue to provide urgent and emergency dental treatment for Smile Dental patients who need it.
Who can access the new service?
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Initially, Manx Care's additional dental service will focus on three groups.
These are patients in the north who are already on the NHS dental waiting list, unregistered patients requiring emergency treatment, and Smile Dental patients needing urgent or emergency care while their usual practice remains unavailable.
Patients already on the northern NHS dental waiting list will be contacted directly by Manx Care and do not need to get in touch separately.
Manx Care is also actively seeking to recruit a second dentist to support the service and increase the number of patients who can be treated.
Will waiting times improve?
Manx Care hopes the additional appointments, alongside Smile Dental's eventual return to Ramsey, will increase the overall availability of dental care and help reduce waiting times.
A spokesperson said: ‘The combination of Smile Dental’s return and the delivery of additional access by Manx Care will increase the overall availability of dental care on the Island and help improve access for patients who have been waiting for treatment.’
The temporary dental unit will be used to provide additional NHS services for the duration of the agreement.
The developments are intended to improve access to treatment for patients in the north, particularly those who have been waiting for an NHS appointment.