Dental surgeries ‘weeks’ from collapse

DENTIST practices across Scotland may be just weeks away from collapse without rapid Government support, the British Dental Association (BDA) has warned.

More than two-thirds of Scottish dental practices (68 per cent) said they can survive a maximum of three months amid the financial impact of the pandemic.

One-quarter of practices have applied for support loans from the Government, but

86% said they were turned down.

Of the rejected applicants, 30% have reported seeking commercial loans instead, with reported interest rates of more than 20%.

A total of 2,860 dental practices – almost one-quarter of the estimated 11,800 across the UK – responded to the survey by the BDA, including 186 in Scotland.

With all routine dental care now suspended, the BDA is warning large parts of Scotland’s dental service are at risk of imminent collapse without further urgent steps to support businesses.

The Scottish Government has said it will be paying NHS dental practices 80% of their average income from

NHS fees and patient charges.

However, the BDA says private sector work carried out by most practices effectively subsidises NHS dentistry and if practices dependent on private business collapse the system would not be able to cope with demand.

BDA chairman

Mick Armstrong said: “Practices across

Scotland are now weeks from a cliff edge, saddling themselves with debt they may never be able to repay.

“It was right to suspend all non-urgent care, but without meaningful support the nation’s dental services face decimation, and no practice can be excluded.”