Scotland: one in five unable to access NHS dental care
BDA throws down the mantle to parties ahead of the Scottish elections
One in five people in Scotland are now unable to access NHS dental care, the British Dental Association (BDA) has revealed, as it throws down the mantle to parties ahead of the Scottish elections to go “further and faster” on dentistry.
New polling commissioned by the professional body reveals 12% of adults were unable to secure an appointment in the last two years, and a further 7% had effectively given up trying.
Sixty-five percent of Scots believe the Scottish Government should be doing more. The service 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.
The BDA’s new manifesto stresses there is no room for complacency. While payment reform rolled out in 2023, concerted action is required to improve access and reduce inequalities and create the dental workforce Scotland needs via a fully funded workforce plan.
Albert Yeung, Chair of the BDA’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.”