The aim of the Cayman Islands Dental Service is to ensure that all Caymanians and residents have the opportunity to retain a functional and healthy mouth for life by preventing what is preventable and by containing the remaining disease or deformity by the efficient and effective distribution of treatment resources. As a tourist destination we provide an emergency dental service to visitors as well as residents.

To achieve these aims the service consists of a general dental service, a public health function and specialist referral service.

The main clinic and administrative center are located on the compound of the Cayman Islands Hospital. There are six surgeries, three for dentists, two for dental hygienists and one used for children. This is the administrative center for the service and our dental laboratory service is also located here.

Faith hospital has a dental clinic with two surgeries and there is a dental surgery on Little Cayman. A dentist resides on Cayman Brac and attends Little Cayman monthly. He works on Cayman Brac three days a week. There is a resident dental auxiliary who works primarily on the school children and a dental surgery assistant. The Faith Hospital Dental Clinic telephone number is 948-8618.

General dental care is provided at the main clinics on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. A large part of the service time is spent on dental emergency care and this service is provided weekdays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. (8:00 a.m. on Saturdays) Emergency patients are treated on a first come first serve basis. Our dentists work the daily emergency sessions on a rotation basis. Routine appointments are booked on weekdays. There is a visiting Oral Surgeon and Periodontist and patients are referred to these specialists as required. The main clinic telephone number is 949-8602.

The core of the dental public health service is the school services. The dental treatment of children is administered by the Schools Dental Officer and the Dental Auxiliaries, primarily performed at the school clinics. These are located at John Gray High School, George Hicks High School, West Bay Primary School, Red Bay Primary School and the rotating dental Caravan. Children's treatment is also carried out at the main clinics. The majority of our health education programs, fluoride distribution and other health promotion activities focus on the schools. Some activity also occurs with preschool groups. Other aspects of the dental public health function include treatment of special need patients, the prison service, orthodontic referrals, dental screenings and epidemiology.