Scottish Liberal Democrats trigger parliamentary vote to repair NHS dentistry

Scottish Liberal Democrats will lead a debate in the Scottish Parliament today about the current crisis in NHS dentistry and will call on the government to undertake immediate reform of funding structures to boost the number of dentists and enable people to be seen.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat motion calls on the government to:

• Acknowledge the crisis which is seeing people miss out on vital check-ups and treatments

• Reform funding structures for dentistry to enable more NHS patients to be seen

• Rewrite the NHS Recovery Plan so that it includes a comprehensive plan for dentistry

Commenting on the motion, Mr Cole-Hamilton said:  

“The crisis in NHS dentistry can be felt everywhere. The number of dentists doing NHS work has fallen sharply and the number of procedures have fallen too.

“This dire state of affairs was captured by the words of the Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council, who has warned of a “wholesale exodus” from NHS work. It’s harder than ever to see a dentist, even if you are in pain, but the government’s response has been achingly slow.

“Toothcare, like any other form of healthcare, should be universally accessible. Scottish Liberal Democrats were instrumental in bringing forward free dental checks in Scotland and in establishing a new dental school to address workforce shortages. That good work is being undone.  

“Our motion would see ministers rewrite their NHS Recovery Plan to support dentists fully and reform funding structures so that more can provide services on the NHS. That is how we will repair NHS dentistry, enable people to be seen and guarantee comprehensive treatment at the point of need in every community.”  

ENDS

Notes to editors:  

The full text of the Scottish Liberal Democrat motion is as follows:  

Title: Addressing the Crisis in NHS Dentistry

S6M-07812

That the Parliament believes that there is a crisis in NHS dentistry; notes that the number of NHS dental check-ups and treatments being conducted are dramatically below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels; further notes with concern that the number of dentists who are carrying out NHS work has fallen in 11 NHS boards, with the chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee warning of a “wholescale exodus” from the sector; understands that most dentists are not accepting new NHS patients and that polling has shown many of those registered have been unable to get appointments; believes that the lack of government action to resolve this is leaving people in pain and will cause wider mouth health issues to be missed, and calls on the Scottish Government to rewrite the NHS Recovery Plan so that it includes dentistry fully and properly recognises the importance of dentists in the course of the recovery, and to urgently reform the funding structures so that dentists can return to taking on NHS activity and enable more patients to be seen.

Scottish Liberal Democrat research on the falling number of NHS dentists can be found here.

Scottish Liberal Democrat research on the falling number of NHS dental claims can be found here.