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40 dentists from Poland are to be recruited to work in the NHS in Scotland this year.
Deputy Health Minister Lewis MacDonald has been welcoming the first staff, who the Executive claims will help tackle the massive shortage of NHS dental places north of the Border.
The first intake of Polish dentists were welcomed to a new life in Scotland this morning.
The initial 11 will be joined by nearly 30 more over the coming months.
They will provide treatment for around 80,000 Scots and the Executive hope it will help avoid scenes like these in Inverurie.
Around 1,000 people were forced to queue on the streets of the Aberdeenshire town to re-register after their practice quit the NHS.
The North East of Scotland has one of the most acute shortages of NHS dental places in the country.
But the first 11 Polish staff will operate in the Fife, Forth Valley and Argyll and Clyde Health Board areas.
Dental Leaders have described the recruitment scheme as a short-term fix.
They have also criticised ministers over plans to reward practices which carry out NHS treatment.
Surgeries can receive payments by treating a minimum number of patients for the health service.
But the British Dental Association is warning that more of its members may abandon all NHS patients to focus just on private work.
| Source: Grampian | Feb.28.2006 |
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