Dental registration rates rise by almost 50% in a decade in Scotland
Rates of dental registration in Scotland have almost doubled in the last ten years, it has been confirmed. The latest figures show that in 2017, 92.5% of the population was registered with a dentist. This is a significant increase compared to figures of 51.1% in 2007.
The statistics are particularly reassuring for adults, as registration has increased by over 116%. Childhood registrations have increased by almost 40 percent. At the end of September 2017, 92.5% of adults and 93.8% of children were registered with a dentist in Scotland.
New research has also revealed that 67.4% of adults and 84.5% of children have seen a dentist in the last two years. Rates were lower than average in more deprived areas of the country among both children and adults. The total number of people seeing a dentist has increased by 36 percent since 2007.
The statistics have been released to coincide with the government’s launch of a new oral health improvement strategy and have been welcomed by Health Minister Shona Robison. Ms Robison said that there have been major improvements in access to NHS dental services and this has contributed to a surge in registrations. Although there have been dramatic changes, there is still a way to go and the government is working to increase the figures and keep improving the NHS dental service.
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