New research indicates that six council areas in Scotland no longer have any dental practices taking on new adult NHS patients within a three-month period.
A BBC study found that only a quarter of dental practices across Scotland are providing NHS appointments to take on new patients within this timeframe, thereby flagging a major gap in dental access.
The BDA has now called for further reforms to improve access to patients across Scotland. A new model for NHS dental services was implemented in November 2023 that aimed to resolve existing pressures on patients and practitioners alike. The reform tried to shift from what was mentioned as a low-margin, high-volume system that many seemed to have criticized.
A BDA survey in July found 66% of respondents believed the new model was an improvement, but 88% did not think it represented a sufficient long-term solution for NHS dentistry. Only 22% thought the new system would encourage a preventative approach, with only 7% believing it would improve access for NHS patients. Only 5% thought it would help reduce oral health inequalities.
Calls for Further Change
David McColl, chairman of the BDA’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said: “We accept reform was needed for the Scottish government but more is required. Many patients still have to struggle to get NHS dental care, and meanwhile practices face severe staff shortages. We need a modernised service where dentists have an incentive to develop their careers and move from playing catch-up with reactive treatments to preventive care.”.
The trend of patients deserting NHS dentistry has been on the rise. According to the data received via a Freedom of Information request put by Scottish Labour, a huge increase in patients turning towards private dental care has been recorded since 2019. Only 306 patients opted for private care in that year, compared with 15,597 in 2021 and 13,990 in 2022, meaning at least 36,818 patients deserted NHS dental services in the four years.