Dentistry

The dental department of KEMH is the only provider of dental care for the general population of the Falkland Islands. Staffed by up to three clinicians, four dental nurses and a dental department facilitator, the department is equipped to provide a wide range of routine and emergency dental care.

If you are a Falkland Islands resident, or on a long-term work contract, you may be eligible for routine dental care with KEMH. Those on short-term work contracts, and those visiting the Islands, may only be eligible for emergency dental care here – the regulations on this are updated annually and published in the Falkland Islands Gazette. For non-British passport holders, this may involve an emergency care charge which will be outlined in the latest Gazette (currently this charge is £155 in 2024/25).

KEMH Dental is equipped to provide a full range of routine dentistry including check-ups, cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, crowns and bridges. Treatment will only be provided for those who need it to improve their dental health – we cannot provide cosmetic treatments. Any work that requires a dental laboratory (dentures, crowns, bridges, veneers and similar) will also have an associated fee to cover the costs of construction in a UK-based dental laboratory.

We recognise that many patients are now receiving complex items of care, including long-span bridge work (up to a full arch), build-ups as part of the management of moderate to severe tooth wear cases, orthodontic treatment (braces) and implants. We have a departmental policy on complex items of care which outlines what treatments we are able to provide in respect to these: because there are no dental specialists working on the Falklands, we cannot provide these treatments and the opportunities for the repair of complex items of care is limited.

The only exception to the above is the local orthodontic service. Eligibility for this service is strict, and limited to those under the age of 18, with a severe enough need for orthodontic treatment but not a need so severe that a specialist or consultant would be required to carry out the treatment.

Dental appointments are daily during weekdays, between 8:30am and noon, and between 1:30pm and 3:30pm. You can book an appointment by calling 28029.

Outside of these hours, emergency dentistry is undertaken by two dental teams on a weekly rotation. Call outs are triaged by the ward team.