Nearly 3,000 people on dental waiting lists

It's emerged that 2,756 people on the Isle of Man are on NHS dental waiting lists.

Manx Care says 12 people, on average, were added to the list every day in February for various reasons.

This included patients moving dental surgeries, wanting to move to NHS from private care, or because they were de-registered due to lack of attendance.

It comes at a time when less than two per cent of Manx Care's total budget goes towards dental and orthodontic care.

Manx Radio's Christian Jones took the data to NHS dentists to get their take:

Manx Radio asked Health and Social Care Minister Lawrie Hooper about these issues.

He said he shares some concerns but is baffled by the idea of bonuses being given:

So-called 'Units of Dental Activity' is the system by which NHS dental practices are paid.

What we now know is the way these are allocated may not be entirely fair.

However according to Dr Tracey Bell NHS contracts, that have already been handed out, are perpetual meaning they can never be ended:

Minister Hooper says his knowledge of this contract law isn't perhaps as up to scratch as it should be, but he believes contracts between government or Manx Care and third parties can always be terminated.

But what's Mr Hooper's reaction to the claim that contracts are being flipped and sold like 'taxi plates'?

Dr Tracey Bell suggests young people wanting to set up practices here would never be given the same opportunities she had when she moved to the Island as a newly qualified dentist.

We know government is planning to expand the Isle of Man's population and that there are issues with encouraging young people to stay over here.

With that being said would newly qualified dentists, or even experienced dentists moving to the Island, be able to set up a practice and carry out NHS work?

According to data, retrieved via a Freedom of Information request, more than three per cent of the Island's population are on NHS dental waiting lists.

NHS dentists don't believe this is a wholly accurate figure though:

So what does Mr Hooper say to the claim that if a full survey was carried out, the waiting lists would be significantly higher?

Manx Radio invited Manx Care to respond to the issues raised by Dr Tracey Bell and Dr James Garritt, but the health body declined.