DIY dentistry and treatment abroad are among drastic measures taken by Fifers amid an NHS dental crisis.
The shocking revelations follow an appeal for information by North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie, who called on locals to share their experiences.
Hundreds of people replied, many of whom have been unable to register with an NHS dentist.
Scores of others say they have gone years without being seen.
Among them is Stephen Kelley, who says he cannot access an NHS dentist in Tayport.
He said: “I have been on a waiting list for four years now.
“I have had to resort to DIY dentistry with dental tools purchased from Amazon to removal calculus.”
Fife couple travel to India for dental treatment amid crisis
No NHS practice in Fife is registering new patients just now.
And several people revealed they now travel outside of Scotland for dental appointments as a result.
Alfie and Maggie Cook have not had an NHS dentist since their Tayport surgery closed 11 months ago.
And they said: “We go to Goa in winter and use Indian dentists.
“The irony of this is the dentist we use trained and qualified at Dundee Dental Hospital.”
Another couple from Dunfermline, who asked to remain anonymous, have been in limbo since their NHS dentist went private and started charging £29 a month.
They now plan to go to Turkey for check-ups and treatment.
‘Appointments harder to get than a lottery win’
Other people are travelling across Scotland.
Among them is Newburgh pensioner Clare Doig, who makes round trips to Edinburgh for appointments.
Meanwhile, one man has been unable to see a dentist since moving to Fife several years ago.
Euan Grant rang round every surgery in Tayside and Fife with no luck.
And he added: “I’ve actually had receptionists laugh down the phone, saying I am one of many phone calls asking to register.”
Many others are reporting similar problems, with Marian Thomas stating: “Appointments with the dentist are harder to get than a lottery win!”
Mum skipped meals to pay for dental treatment
While many people say they are satisfied, others signed up to private contracts reluctantly.
And some have since had to stump up hundreds, and even thousands, of pounds for treatment.
They include a young Newburgh mum, who said: “In one month I spent almost £400 on x-rays, two fillings and cleaning.
“This left me short for food, which meant I skipped meals so my son could eat.”
Fife MSP: ‘NHS dentistry is in a crisis’
Mr Rennie plans to raise the issue during a debate in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.
The Liberal Democrat MSP said: “I was inundated with hundreds of responses when I asked about people’s experiences accessing NHS dentistry.
“The responses put beyond a shadow of a doubt that NHS dentistry is in a crisis.
“The SNP government needs to finally admit that there is a problem. Only then can they engage in the serious debate about how to fix it.”
A shake-up of NHS dentistry in Scotland was carried out in November.
Among the changes was a new fee structure aimed at making NHS treatment more attractive to practitioners.
And a Scottish Government spokesperson said: We are seeking to protect provision of treatment for NHS patients and attract more dentists, while ensuring costs remain significantly below the prices charged by private providers.”
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