New figures show increase in dental patient registration
New figures released in Scotland show an increase in the number of adults and children registered with an NHS dentist.
The figures showed that 83 percent of children and 69 percent of adults are now registered with a dentist. Public Health Minister, Shona Robinson, welcomed the figures, saying that access to NHS dental services in Scotland has improved significantly over the course of the last few years thanks to investment from the government. The statistics show that more than a million more people have access to an NHS dentist.
Despite the positive news about registration numbers, the report did highlight irregularities between different regions; the figures showed regional differences, with registration numbers considerably lower in remote areas; only 50 percent of adults in Grampian are registered with an NHS dentist, compared to 77 percent in Ayrshire and Arran.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Jamie Stone said that the figures showed a clear divide between rural and urban areas and highlighted the need for investment and recruitment in remote areas. Stone said that it was important to try and encourage newly qualified dentists from the new dental school in Aberdeen to stay on and work in surrounding rural areas.
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