Dentists challenge Scottish political parties: future proof service or lose it
One in five adults in Scotland say they have been unable to access NHS dental care.
One in five adults in Scotland say they have been unable to access NHS dental care, according to a survey commissioned by the British Dental Association (BDA).
Data collated by YouGov involving 1,075 adults aged 16 and over found that 12% of adults said they had been unable to secure an NHS dental appointment in the past two years, while a further 7% said they had not attempted to book because they assumed they would be unable to get one.
The BDA said that voters are looking to the next Scottish Government to “go further and faster to guarantee the future of NHS dentistry.”
Taking into account all the different priorities facing the country, 65% of Scots say the Scottish Government should be doing more on dentistry. Only 20% believe they are doing all they reasonably can.
Dentistry is now a major doorstep issue in Scotland, with 15% ranking it as the most important issue in their local area, on a par with crime (16%).
The BDA has published its own manifesto stressing a new administration must act to future proof the service. While the current Scottish Government took forward payment reform of NHS dentistry in 2023, the professional body say this cannot be viewed as ‘mission accomplished’. The BDA said that concerted action is required to improve access and reduce inequalities that are already widening and create the dental workforce Scotland needs via a fully funded workforce plan.
It is encouraging parties to double down on prevention, expand the pioneering Childsmile programme, and adopt policies to encourage families to make healthier choices. It says practices need to be protected from surging costs, including rises in National Insurance from the UK Government which have already been mitigated in Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland.
Albert Yeung, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council, said: “If we want NHS dentistry in Scotland to remain a going concern in the 21st century, it will require a sustained plan of action.
“It means closing an oral health gap between rich and poor that’s already widening. To call time on postcode lotteries of care that remain the norm. It requires the next government to ensure we have the dental team members we need on the frontline. And it means doubling down on prevention. This country can’t rest on its laurels when decay remains the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children.
“The public are clear the next Scottish Government needs to go further, and faster. We must future-proof dentistry in Scotland, because failure to do so will come at a steep financial, human and ultimately a political cost. This is already an issue on the doorstep. It will remain one until voters see real change.”
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