The number of NHS dental examinations being carried out in Dumfries and Galloway has been described as “shocking”.
New figures show there were more than 12,000 carried out in the region in the first three months of the year.
Although up on the previous quarter, it’s still well below pre-pandemic levels of around 20,000.
The figures come against an increasing number of the region’s dental practices either closing or de-registering NHS patients.
South Scotland Labour MSP, Colin Smyth, said: “These shocking figures show once again that NHS dentistry in our region is in complete crisis.
“More and more dentists are de-registering NHS patients in Dumfries and Galloway and the very future of NHS dental care in the region is now hanging by a thread.
“The double whammy of the UK Government’s Brexit, which has meant there are almost no EU dentists coming to the UK, and the Scottish Government’s failure to properly fund dentists means I fully expect more dental practices to follow and de-register more patients.
“Both governments have been warned this would happen but have failed to take adequate action. Unless they wake up to the crisis, I fear no adult in our area will have an NHS dentist.
Figures from Public Health Scotland show there were 727,751 NHS dental examinations across the country between January and March, with 12,278 of those in Dumfries and Galloway.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto has said Holyrood is working on solutions to the problem.
