Cole-Hamilton: Deprivation gap for dental care now at highest-ever level

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today called on the government to tackle dental health inequalities as new figures showed those from the most deprived backgrounds are now more likely than ever to lose out on NHS dental care compared to those from the least deprived backgrounds.  

Public Health Scotland figures examine the levels of registration and participation with an NHS dentist across Scotland. The gap in child participation rates between those from the most and least deprived backgrounds increased from 3 percentage points in September 2008 to 20 percentage points in September 2022. The gap in adult participation rates between those from the most and least deprived backgrounds climbed from 3 percentage points in September 2008 to 11 percentage points in September 2022. These are the highest reported differences for the participation rate gaps.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:  

“There is an ongoing crisis in dental care across Scotland.

"On the SNP's watch, the gap between the richest and the poorest is the widest it has ever been.

"Because of Scottish Government blunders, fewer and fewer dentists are providing NHS services.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that toothcare, like any other form of healthcare, should be universally accessible. Our party was instrumental in bringing forward free dental checks in Scotland, and in pressing for new dental schools to address dentist shortages. We cannot allow for all that good work to be unpicked.

“We need quality dental care in every community alongside information which raises awareness about the importance of toothcare. The government must rewrite its NHS Recovery Plan and reform funding structures for dentists so that more of them are willing to provide services on the NHS. That's how to ensure everyone can access treatment when they need it.”