Dentists call for urgent action to tackle inequalities in Scotland, as regional gaps grow
Dentists have urged the Scottish Government to take urgent action to tackle inequalities in dental access, as figures show that gaps between wealthy and deprived areas have grown.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has called for the government to act quickly to address inequalities and improve access to NHS dental services.
Figures from Public Health Scotland suggest that fewer people are seeing a dentist. In September 2022, 50.4% of patients registered with a practice had visited an NHS dentist within the last two years. In 2021, the figure was 52.6% and in 2021, it was 65.1%.
Participation rates were higher among children (65.7%) than adults (47.2%) but gaps between regions have increased. In 2008, there was a 3% difference in participation rates among children from the most and least deprived areas.
Since 2010, the figure has risen steadily and in the last two years, it has increased sharply. In 2010, there was a 7% gap. In 2021, the gap was 18% and today, it stands at 20%. Only 55.9% of children from deprived areas have seen a dentist in the last two years compared to 75.8% of children from more affluent areas.
The BDA has warned that low participation rates will contribute to a fall in standards of oral health in children and adults. Dentists have also expressed concerns that gaps will widen further if immediate action is not taken to improve access to NHS dentistry in poorer parts.
Chair of the BDA’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee, David McColl, said that patients in deprived areas are “paying the price for the crisis in dentistry.” He added that the government should not be distracted by positive registration data and suggested that patient participation is “on the floor.”
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