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Highland Perthshire Dental Practice Changes

Morag and Ross Anderson both qualified in Dentistry from Glasgow University in 1994 and spent the next nine years in general practice in Oxford. They moved to Keltneyburn in 2003 with their 18month old son, Jay, and began working with Bruce Strickland at Care Dental. Since then they have had another two children - Jesse and Johnny - and Jay is now in Primary 2 at Kenmore School.

They recently concluded negotiations with the Stricklands and are thrilled to have become the new owners of the Aberfeldy Care Dental practice.  “We will strive to provide our existing patients with an ever improving standard of care and are also very happy to welcome new and returning faces to the practice,” the couple told Comment.

“Working alongside us we have a fantastic team of dentists – Deborah Hannigan, Yvonne Bruehmann, and Will McLean – who bring with them a broad range of skills and experience to rival any practice in the country,” added Morag.  “As well as being able to offer specialised treatments, such as cosmetic smile make-overs, we are on hand to provide general dental care to all.”

Ross said: “We believe that every patient should be treated as an individual and any treatment tailored to meet the needs and wants of that patient and not the dentist.

Changes

The dedicated team of hygienists, receptionists and nurses are already keeping their new bosses in check! There are plans for gradual changes to the appearance of the surgery over the next few months and the principals look forward to being able to give a new energy and direction to the practice.

“We are very privileged to be able to work, live, and be a part of such a wonderful community and feel that our purchase of the practice will provide stability not only for ourselves,  but for the community we serve,” the couple concluded.

The practice can be contacted on: 01887 820441 or info@andersondentistry.com

In passing on the ownership and leadership of the practice, Bruce and Christa Strickland observed that dentistry has gone, and is going, through a huge transformation.

“I wrote an article in comment about 4 or 5 years ago saying that NHS dentistry within Scotland would collapse unless the government acted, and I got really slated for saying so, but this has largely happened,” observed Bruce.

“We have, though, been determined to offer an NHS service to our community and - whether or not it is appreciated - Aberfeldy Dental Practice has and continues to be one of the only practices in Tayside with an open access to NHS care for all patients on low income.

“We subsidise this service to bring it up to a standard that we are happy with. Many have criticised us for the lack of a full NHS service for all, but none of my clinicians have been prepared to offer substandard dentistry, and the NHS system is so flawed that its standards are an embarrassment to many dentists (and I would challenge any dentist who is not embarrassed by it).”

“My own area of clinical interest has been within Implantology, and the more I do the more I realise how hard it is to do well. Although I have had no failures so far with about 1000 implants placed, I have realised how easy it would be to really damage someone with Implantology. I felt that I had to make the decision to either focus on it fully or stop altogether and just refer patients on. It was this decision that has meant me moving most of my clinical work to Crieff and studying for a MSC in Implantology, with the Royal Collage of Surgeons in London.

“This led Christa and I to the decision that the practice needed to be owned, managed and directed by those working within it and so we approached Dr Ross and Dr Morag Anderson with whom we have worked for the last 4 years. It has been a real privilege to work with such a nice and gifted bunch of people. This not really good bye though, as both practices will still work side by side with a number of clinicians working between the two to continue the skills network, and I will still work at the Aberfeldy practice providing the Implant dentistry.

To all of our patients Christa and I would like to say a huge thank you for all your friendship, support and loyalty over the last 15 years. We have really tried to get it right as often as we could, but where we have fallen short we need to seek understanding. We wish the Aberfeldy team every success as they strive to offer the best possible service in the future and I know with confidence how good a clinical team they are.

Linda Thomson’s photo of the team at Anderson Dentistry in Aberfeldy shows, from left: Morna Moodie, Lisa Stenhouse, Ross & Morag Anderson, Yvonne Bruehmann, Deborah Hannigan, Will McLean, Laura Wilson