Six Scottish council areas now have no practices that are taking on new adult NHS patients within three months, new research shows.
According to BBC research, only one in every four dental practices across Scotland said they are offering NHS appointments to new patients within that timeframe.
The British Dental Association (BDA) is calling for further reform to improve access in the country.
Reform to the low margin and high volume model for NHS dentists was rolled out in November 2023.
Two thirds (66%) of respondents to BDA polling published in July said the new system represented an improvement on the previous model, but nine in 10 (88%) said it could not be the final destination for NHS dentistry.
Only 22% said the new system enabled a move to a preventive model of care. In addition, just 7% believed it would enhance access for NHS patients, and only 5% said it would support a reduction in oral health inequality.
Shift the focus
David McColl, chair of the BDA’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘The Scottish government delivered needed reform, but we have been clear this can’t be the end of the road.
‘The simple facts are many patients are unable to access NHS care, while practices have vacancies they can’t fill. It’s two sides of the same coin.
‘Scotland needs a 21st century service in which dentists would choose to build a career. Ready to shift the focus from treatment to prevention.’
In July, data showed that thousands of people in Scotland have walked away from NHS dentistry and opted for private dental care since 2019.
According to findings obtained through a Scottish Labour freedom of information request, at least 36,818 patients have not opted for health service provision in a four-year period.
In 2019, just 306 patients left for private care, jumping to 15,597 in 2021 and 13,990 in 2022.
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