To find a dentist in Grand Cayman, you can use the Health Services Authority (HSA) dental clinics at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Hospital Road in George Town, or choose a private practice and check the dentist's name on the Health Practice Commission's published list of licensed practitioners. For a dental emergency, HSA says its on-call dentist provides 24-hour emergency care, and the main dental clinic takes walk-in emergencies on Saturday mornings.
This guide explains where to get dental care, an eye exam and physiotherapy in Grand Cayman, how to check that any provider is properly registered, what we know about insurance cover, and what to ask before your first appointment.
How do I find a dentist in Grand Cayman?
You have two broad routes: the public dental service run by the HSA, or a private dental practice. Whichever you choose, it is worth taking two minutes to check the dentist's registration (we explain how further down).
HSA dental clinics in George Town
The HSA's main dental clinic is the George Town Dental Clinic at the Anthony S. Eden Hospital (formerly George Town Hospital, still widely called the Cayman Islands Hospital), 95 Hospital Rd, George Town. HSA lists a dentist and hygienist available daily, along with fillings, cleaning, root canal treatment, bridges, crowns and dental implants. Book on (345) 244-2741 or (345) 244-2742. Listed hours are Monday to Friday 8 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday 8 AM to 11 AM for walk-in emergencies.
Merren Dental Clinic, also on Hospital Road, is a second HSA dental site. It lists daily dentist and hygienist services, fillings, cleaning, root canals, bridges, crowns, implants and a visiting specialist endodontist. It is listed as open Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4 PM and closed on Saturday and Sunday. HSA's own pages give two different phone numbers for Merren: (345) 949-2554 on the location page and (345) 244-7541 on the Dental Care page. If one does not connect, try the other or the HSA main switchboard on (345) 949-8600.
Across its sites, the HSA dental care service lists exams, emergency care, preventive care, fillings, crowns, bridges and veneers, root canal treatment, extractions and wisdom teeth removal, gum treatment, implants, dentures, children's dentistry, digital X-rays and 3D cone beam CT scans (the scans are done at Merren). The team includes dentists, dental therapists, dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental surgical assistants and dental clinical administrators.
Orthodontics through the HSA
According to government broadcaster Radio Cayman, HSA offers orthodontic treatment at the Anthony S. Eden Hospital dental clinic, led by orthodontist Dr Shankar Alla. Appointments are booked through the dental clinic on (345) 244-2741 or (345) 244-2742.
Dental care at school
HSA runs dental clinics at Clifton Hunter High, John Gray High, Sir John A Cumber Primary, Sharon Martin Primary, Red Bay Primary and Prospect Primary. Its Dental Mobile Unit visits Joanna Clarke, Theoline McCoy, East End and Edna Moyle primary schools. If your child is at one of these schools, ask the school office how the dental programme works and how parents are kept informed.
Private dentists
Many residents also use private practices. ListCayman does not rank dental practices. To build a shortlist, you can browse the Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Society directory, which lists physicians and dental practitioners in Grand Cayman. Bear in mind it is a professional society directory, not the official register, so always confirm a dentist's licence on the government list as well. Our directory of local services in the Cayman Islands can also help you find businesses near you.
Is there an emergency dentist in Grand Cayman?
Yes. HSA says its on-call dentist provides 24-hour emergency dental care for urgent needs. Its emergency dental care covers:
- severe tooth pain
- abscesses or infections
- pain prescriptions
- denture repairs
- dental trauma, including broken, dislodged or knocked-out teeth
For emergency dental care, HSA asks patients to come to the main dental clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital and put their name on the waiting list.
Is an emergency dentist open at weekends?
The George Town Dental Clinic takes walk-in emergencies on Saturday mornings. Its location page lists Saturday as 8 AM to 11 AM. The HSA Dental Care page shows '8 AM to 11 PM', which looks like a typo, so do not rely on Saturday evening hours. Merren Dental Clinic is closed on Saturday and Sunday, and HSA says emergency care for that site is through the Accident and Emergency Department.
What should I do about a toothache or knocked-out tooth at night?
HSA describes its on-call dentist service as 24-hour. Outside clinic hours, call the HSA switchboard on (345) 949-8600 and ask how to reach the on-call dentist, or go to the HSA Accident and Emergency Department. If someone has a serious injury or you think a situation is life-threatening, call 911 straight away.
Where can I get an eye exam in Grand Cayman?
The public option is the HSA Lions Eye Clinic, next to the Dental Clinic on the Cayman Islands Hospital site in George Town. It provides general eye services by appointment only. It treats cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and children's eyes, offers laser surgery and eyeglasses prescriptions, and has diagnostic equipment including visual field testing, fundus photography and ocular ultrasound.
Minor procedures such as chalazion removal are done as outpatient care. Cataract, glaucoma and pterygium surgery take place in the hospital's main operating theatre under local or general anaesthetic.
To book an eye exam in the Cayman Islands through the public service, call the Eye Clinic on (345) 244-2818 or 2819, or see the HSA eye care page. HSA's pages disagree on opening hours (one says Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, another says 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM), so confirm current hours when you call.
Lions Eye Clinic special sessions
The clinic runs dedicated sessions for particular groups of patients:
Optometrist or ophthalmologist: how are they registered in Cayman?
In Cayman's registration system the two sit on different lists. Optometrists and opticians are regulated as Professions Allied with Medicine by the Council of Professions Allied with Medicine (CPAM), and optometrists appear on the CPAM list of licensed practitioners. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors, so they appear on the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) list, where each entry shows a registered specialty. If you choose a private optometrist in Grand Cayman for a routine eye test or new glasses, look up their name on the CPAM list before your appointment.
Eye emergencies
HSA says patients with eye emergencies should go to the Urgent Care Clinic or the Accident and Emergency Department rather than book a routine clinic appointment. For a serious injury, call 911.
How do I get physiotherapy in Grand Cayman?
HSA Therapy Services offers physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy at Bay Town House, 36 West Bay Road, George Town. HSA physiotherapy treats chronic illness affecting balance or mobility, recovery after surgery, age-related mobility problems, and sports and other injuries. It also offers amputee rehabilitation, lymphoedema management (with four certified lymphoedema therapists) and dry needling (with 14 physiotherapists certified).
To book, the HSA physiotherapy page says to call the Physiotherapy Team on 244-7675 or 244-2730. Listed hours are Monday to Thursday 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, Friday 7:30 AM to 4 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM, closed on Sunday and public holidays. The early and evening weekday slots can be handy if you work office hours.
Private physiotherapists also practise in Grand Cayman. As with optometrists, you can check their names on the CPAM list, where physiotherapy registration codes look like CPAM/PL/PHYSIO/ followed by a number.
Do I need a referral for physiotherapy in Cayman?
We could not confirm a referral rule either way. The HSA physiotherapy page simply asks patients to call the team and says nothing about referrals. Insurers may require a doctor's referral before they pay for physiotherapy, so check your policy and ask the clinic when you book.
HSA dental, eye and physiotherapy services at a glance
How do I check a doctor or dentist is registered in the Cayman Islands?
The Health Practice Commission registers health care practitioners in the Cayman Islands. It publishes lists of licensed practitioners as PDFs on gov.ky, organised by council.
Step by step
- Open the latest MDC List of Licensed Practitioners for doctors and the dental team, or the CPAM List of Licensed Practitioners for physiotherapists and optometrists.
- Use the find or search function in your PDF reader to look up the practitioner's surname.
- Check the profession and registered specialty match the care they are offering you.
- Look at the expiry date and make sure it has not passed.
- Check the facility listed beside their name matches where you are being seen.
- Note the list type, such as Principal List or Institutional List.
Keep in mind
These lists are snapshots as of a stated date, not a live search. MDC editions on gov.ky have been dated January 31, 2025, November 30, 2025, March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026, which was the most recent MDC edition we found. The latest CPAM edition we found was dated December 31, 2025. A newer edition may have been published since, so if a name is missing or a registration looks expired, contact the Health Practice Commission at Government Administration Building, Box 132, 133 Elgin Avenue, Grand Cayman KY1-9000.
Does Cayman health insurance cover dental and eye care?
Every resident must have at least minimum health insurance. Employers must provide at least the Standard Health Insurance Contract (SHIC) to workers from the start of employment, and this also covers any unemployed dependent spouse and children living on-island. The Health Insurance Commission monitors and regulates the standard premium rate for the SHIC.
On dental and vision, the Health Insurance Act (2021 Revision) treats dental, vision and alternative medicine benefits as 'supplemental health care benefits', separate from the standard contract. The minimum SHIC, set out in Schedule 1 of the Health Insurance Regulations (2017 Revision), includes one dental examination and cleaning a year as a wellness benefit, and it excludes the supply or fitting of glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids. Fillings, other dental treatment and glasses therefore depend on what extra cover your plan includes.
Before you book, it helps to:
- read your policy's benefit schedule or ask your HR team
- ask whether dental and vision are included or are an optional add-on
- ask about annual limits, co-payments and whether you pay first and claim back
- ask whether you need a referral for physiotherapy or a specialist
Can I use CINICO insurance at a private dentist or clinic?
Cayman News Service reported in October 2026 that the government-owned insurer CINICO is running a limited pilot so its health insurance can be accepted at some private facilities without an HSA referral. The first phase of its Preferred Provider Network started in July 2026 with Health City Cayman Islands and Doctors Hospital, and the report said it had not been extended to civil servants. It said around 100 people, all CINICO employees and their dependants, were in the first phase. A second phase, due to start in October 2026, was set to expand into private dental clinics and pharmacies but still only for CINICO's own employees and their dependants, so confirm with CINICO before booking.
For a wider picture of hospitals and cover, see our guide to Cayman Islands healthcare and insurance for expats.
What should I ask a new dentist, eye care provider or physiotherapist?
A short conversation before your first appointment saves surprises later. Useful questions include:
- Which council are you registered with, and what is your registered specialty?
- Who will I see at each visit: the dentist, a hygienist or a therapist?
- Do you bill my insurer directly, or do I pay and claim back?
- Can I have a written estimate before any treatment starts?
- What should I do if I have an urgent problem outside your opening hours?
- For physiotherapy: do you need a doctor's referral, and will my insurer?
- For eye care: will I receive a copy of my glasses prescription?
- Can you share my records with my GP or another provider if needed?
Choosing a provider close to home
The HSA dental, eye and physiotherapy services in this guide are all based in George Town, apart from the school dental clinics and mobile unit. If you are settling in with children, think about the school run and the drive into town when you pick a dentist or physio. Our guide to family-friendly Cayman neighbourhoods can help you weigh up commutes as you plan.
