Death of NHS dental care?

SCOTLAND is facing a dentistry crisis as thousands of practitioners abandon the NHS, slash services or retire.

Experts in the profession have warned the future of NHS dental care is in doubt as high street dentists cut their services amid a funding crisis.

A survey by the British Dental Association in Scotland has found 59 per cent have reduced the amount of NHS work they undertake since lockdown.

It also found that 83 per cent said they will reduce, or further reduce, their NHS commitment in the year ahead.

A third say they will change career or seek early retirement.

David McColl, chairman of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘Behind hollow boasts on record workforce numbers is a service that is hollowing out. The majority of dentists have pared down NHS work, and more are set to follow. NHS dentistry’s survival requires rapid action, with meaningful reform and sustainable funding.

‘The steps taken in the next First Minister’s first 100 days will determine whether this service will have a future.’

The survey was carried out amid a row over the way dentists are funded by the Government. This has traditionally been based on having a high volume of patients for whom dentists receive a low margin of profit per procedure.

But the BDA says this is putting practices under pressure amid rising costs to run their businesses, as well as needing more time per patient because of the dental complications that arose in patients from the closure of practices during the pandemic.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf recently stressed NHS staffing was ‘at a historically high level’.

However, the BDA says there has been an 8 per cent drop in NHS dentists since lockdown, a fall from 3,038 in March 0 0 to ,791 in September 0 . Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: ‘On top of an exodus of dentists from the NHS altogether, others are reducing their health service work so the drop-off in NHS provision is not being accurately recorded.

‘Patients are finding it harder to see an NHS dentist. I have warned the

Health Secretary and the SNP Government that NHS dentistry is on a cliff edge.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said statistics show ‘an increase of 40 per cent in NHS dental activity compared with 0 1- ’.