Dental ‘disaster’ looms in Scotland, as half of practices may not be able to reopen
Dental patients in Scotland are facing an uncertain future, as half of practice of owners admitted that they may not be able to survive the Coronavirus crisis.
A poll conducted by the Scottish Dental Practice Owners revealed that 51% of dentists are concerned that they will go bankrupt and 40% are worried about how they will fare once lockdown measures are eased. The survey involved 400 dental practice owners across Scotland.
One of the main issues facing dental practices following a prolonged closure is the provision of PPE. NHS dental practices will be provided with sufficient PPE to treat 10 patients per day, and the drop in numbers will have a substantial impact on earnings and revenue. Many practice owners are worried that they won’t survive the crisis, and even those that can reopen may not be able to stay afloat without additional help.
Gillian Leslie, a spokeswoman for the SDPO, said that the situation is grave and warned of an impending ‘disaster’ for patients. Ms Leslie suggested that the issue of PPE had created a ‘two-tier’ system, with NHS practices limiting patients and private clinics able to treat as many patients as they desire, provided they have the necessary PPE. Speaking about her own experiences as the owner of a practice that provides both NHS and private care, Ms Leslie suggested that clinics need to treat 30-40 patients per day to generate profits. With limitations in place, it is going to be incredibly difficult for practices to get through this situation, and many will go bankrupt. A loss of dental services will impact patients for years to come, leading to long waiting lists and a decline in oral health standards.
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