Scots looking after dental health

More people are registered with an NHS dentist in Scotland

The number of dentists in Scotland has increased and the number of people registered with one has also gone up according to new figures.

Official statistics show that at the end of September 2007 about 48.6% of adults were registered, that is an increase of 2.1% on the previous year.

They also show that the number of children under the age of 18 registered had also risen from 67.5% to 69.9%.

The number of dentists working in the NHS in Scotland has increased by 2.7%.

Although less that half of all adults are registered with an NHS dentist, Public Health Minister Shona Robison described the figures as "really encouraging".

However Conservative MSP John Lamont said the figures did not reflect the problem in rural areas.

He said: "I am pleased that the number of people across Scotland registered with an NHS Dentist is going up, albeit very slowly.

"However, the current government is attempting to deal with the consequences of eight years of underinvestment in our health services by the previous administration.

He added: "What is most alarming in these figures is that only 17.4% of adults in my Roxburgh & Berwickshire constituency are registered with an NHS dentist. This is the fourth lowest figure of the 72 parliamentary constituencies in Scotland.

"I am concerned to see the extent of the problem in my constituency and I will certainly be raising this issue when I meet with health board chiefs later this week."

'Not complacent'

On a visit to the Chalmers Street Dental Centre in Edinburgh, Ms Robison said: "I am very pleased that more people are now registered with an NHS dentist than have been for a number of years.

"The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to widening access to NHS dentistry. But I am not complacent - I know there is still much more to be done and some parts of Scotland still have problems with access to an NHS dentist.

"I am confident that the strategies we have in place, and new developments coming on stream such as the Aberdeen Dental School, will continue to drive improvements like we are seeing in these figures."

Ms Robison said the government was developing outreach dental training centres across Scotland and added that the number of dental students in training was increasing, with a further rise to come after the opening of the Aberdeen dental school.