New data highlights the dental gap between rich and poor areas of Scotland
New data released by NHS Scotland Information Service Division has highlighted the gap between rich and poor areas of Scotland, as far more patients from affluent areas have seen a dentist in the last two years.
The figures show significant differences in attendance rates among both children and adults. The latest statistics show that 79.8 percent of children living in deprived parts of the country had a dental check in the last 24 months compared to 89.2% of children from affluent areas. The gap was slightly wider among adults, with just 62.2% of patients from poorer areas seeing a dentist, compared to 72.7% of adults from wealthier towns.
The data shows a substantial increase in the points margin in the last decade. In 2008, the gap was just 3%, and now it is 9-10% for both adults and children.
The figures are worrying, especially as data confirms that adults living in deprived parts are actually more likely to be registered with a dentist than their counterparts in more affluent areas of the country. More than 97% of adults in deprived areas are registered with a dentist compared to 88.6% of adults in richer parts.
Robert Donald, the chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council, stated that the government has tried to “hide behind positive sounding registration numbers,” but this new data underlines the growing gap between wealthy and poor areas. People may be registered with a dentist, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re making use of NHS dental services, and this is why the BDA in Scotland is urging the government to target those who haven’t been to a dentist for a long time.
