Exclusive:SNP accused of two decades of 'decay' over dental figures
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton insisted patients and staff deserve better
Four in ten Scots registered with a dentist have not been to see one in the past two years, figures show, including almost a quarter of children from the most deprived areas.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton accused the SNP of overseeing almost two decades of "decay" in dentistry.
He said he had heard “horror stories” of people purchasing tools online to carry out dental work themselves because they were unable to get an appointment.
The British Dental Association Scotland called for a “fully funded dental workforce plan” to ensure equitable access.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Under the SNP, being registered with a dentist is no guarantee that you will be able to see one. When I’m out speaking to people across the country, I hear horror stories of how they can’t get an appointment and are purchasing tools online to do the job themselves.
“It’s clear the SNP have done virtually nothing to fix this - their neglect is causing agony for patients and staff alike.”
He added: “Patients and staff all deserve better than almost two decades of SNP decay - Scottish Liberal Democrats have a realistic plan to deliver them the change they need with fairness at its heart. That includes ending dental deserts, prioritising workforce planning and boosting the number of dentists taking on NHS patients.”
As of the end of September, 2,006,527 of the 5,237,252 Scots registered with a dentist had not seen one in the past two years, according to figures published by Public Health Scotland.
Children and adults from the most deprived areas who were registered with a dentist were less likely to have seen one within the past two years compared to those from the richest areas (76.3 per cent compared to 87.4 per cent for children and 52.9 per cent compared to 62.4 per cent for adults).
Dentists determine how often someone should receive an NHS examination based on their individual needs, ranging from from less than six months to two years between appointments. Children are advised to see a dentist every six months.
Charlotte Waite, director of the British Dental Association Scotland, said: “If people across Scotland are going to get the care they need, we will need to see a fully funded dental workforce plan in place.”
SNP public health minister Jenni Minto said: “Claims that four in 10 Scots have missed a recent dentist check-up due to a lack of NHS dentistry services capacity are misleading. Many factors influence whether patients choose to attend routine appointments.”
"In Scotland, there are more dental consultants working in our NHS now than when this Government took office. There has been a 5 per cent increase in the number of high street dentists in the last year and over 7 million courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered to patients across Scotland since 2023 – a strong sign of recovery and progress in dental services.
"Our investment and focus on dentistry have meant Scotland remains the only nation in the UK to offer free regular dental examinations for everyone, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to accessing essential oral healthcare.
"What isn't helping dentists, however, is the UK Government's increasingly restrictive migration policies which have seen key dental occupations like technicians and hygienists removed from skilled worker sponsorship, creating unnecessary pressures for dental surgeries across Scotland."
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