Lib Dems claim dental services in Scotland are ‘not good enough’
Members of the Liberal Democrat party have criticised dental services in Scotland, saying the current service is ‘not good enough’.
Despite recent positive figures in areas including Greater Glasgow and Clyde, statistics across some regions are still worrying and there are huge differences in NHS provision across the country; Shetland and Orkney have the most dentists per capita, while Grampian and Dumfries and Galloway have the lowest number.
A large amount of money has been invested over the course of the last few years; however, some areas are still being left behind and standards of oral health are consequently well below the national average. Recent investment in Greater Glasgow and Clyde has clearly paid off, with recent figures suggesting a dramatic fall in the number of children with tooth decay but other regions have not been so lucky and are trailing behind. Grampian and Dumfries and Galloway are the worse served areas and residents are consequently struggling to access NHS dental care.
Overall, figures suggest an improvement in dental services and standards of oral health in Scotland; however, health ministers are worried about the lack of equality amongst different regions and want to work towards better services in underserved areas. Liberal Democrat Health spokesman, Jamie Stone, said the current situation was not acceptable and people in Scotland should have access to the same standards of care.
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