Over twelve hour trip to fix toothache as dentist shortage hits northern Sweden
- A shortage of dentists in public dental care in the Västernorrland region of northern Sweden has meant some adult patients in acute need of treatment travelling 400 kilometres to Stockholm.
- “It sounded like an April Fools joke at first,” says Ulf Nilsson from Timrå who had to travel to the capital to alleviate his toothache.
- Adult emergency patients in public dental care are being referred to private dental providers who also have clinics in Stockholm.
Radio Sweden
For more on the health care challenges of living in the North, listen to Radio Sweden’s full report.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: N.W.T. spent $5.2M last year on agency nurses, who are paid more than local nurses, CBC News
Greenland: Greenland to reduce services amidst staffing shortages in health care system, Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: 100,000 new residents needed to fill jobs in northern Sweden, Radio Sweden
