Dental services finally arrive in Killin
A RAPIDLY expanding Perthshire dental group has opened a brand new £300 000 practice in Killin, finally giving villagers access to local dentistry for the first time.
For years, residents have had to make round trips of up to 100 miles to attend practices in locations such as Crieff, Callander, Oban and even Fort William due to the lack of a service in the Perthshire village.
Now the opening of Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic’s new practice has been welcomed, with new patients forming a queue along Main Street to register.
Infinityblu was founded by a Scottish Young Dentist of the Year, Chris Barrowman, in Pitlochry in 2007 and has undergone steady growth in the region, and beyond, over the last 15 years.
However, the opening of the practice in Killin also ends a long, unexpected wait for the company itself.
Chris Barrowman purchased the village’s former pound shop at auction over 18 months ago, with the intention of having the architect designed 2-surgery practice up and running before now.
Covid restrictions and planning delays required patience, but the Infinityblu team are finally in their new environment near the picturesque Falls of Dochart.
“The Community has been amazing,” said Chris Barrowman, who owns a further 5 Perthshire dental practices in Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Crieff, Alyth and Auchterarder.
“There were queues down the street on day one for new patients registering, which was nice to see. There has never been a dentist in the area, and to bring this to Killin and the community cuts down significantly the distance people need to travel to get their dental care.
“The fact we are opening as an NHS practice in the current NHS crisis, has ticked a lot of boxes too for Infinityblu, and it’s great to see that people have supported us and we can give something back.’’
Some Scottish dental firms are refusing to take on new NHS patients, with Government payments expected to be cut back considerably in April 2023.
Infinityblu’s decision to enlist private and NHS patients looks to have been rewarded, with people also registering from Oban, Fort William, Glencoe and Tyndrum.
Infinityblu recently completed a £2m investment in its portfolio which presently includes 9 practices in four regions of Scotland.
To date, over 50 000 patients are registered on their lists, with further acquisitions planned.
From establishment 15 years ago, Infinityblu now employs 25 dentists, 5 hygienists/therapists and a further 100 staff.
As well as Perthshire, the Infinityblu brand extends to sites in Callander in Stirlingshire, and Duns and Peebles in the Scottish Borders.
