Welcome for Increase in Dental Registration

Strathaven based MSP Linda Fabiani has expressed her delight that more adults and children are registered with an NHS dentist than at any time since records began, latest figures from ISD show.

The statistics represent a 19 per cent and 12 per cent increase in the number of registrations for adults and children respectively compared to the same period last year.

At the end of June 2008, 75.6 per cent of children (794,000) and 55.4 per cent of adults (2.3 million) were registered with an NHS general dental practitioner (GDP).

This is an increase from 73.8 per cent of children and 53.1 per cent of adults registered at March 31, 2008, the end of the previous quarter.

Speaking after publication of the figures, Ms Fabiani said:

“This is the highest number of registrations since recording of NHS dental registrations were introduced in October 1990.

“The figures are a further demonstration of our determination to bring NHS dentistry within reach of as many people as possible.

“Other recent figures showed that the number of NHS dentists in Scotland increased 4.1 per cent in the year up to the end of March 2008 and I expect that growth to continue.

“Increasing the numbers of NHS dental practitioners is key to expanding access.

“That’s why I was delighted earlier this month when the first cohort of students begun their training at the new 21-million-pound Aberdeen Dental School, which will produce a further 20 qualified dentists every year when fully operational.

”It is encouraging that the NHS Lanarkshire area has one of the highest levels of registrations and is above the national average in many of the age groups but there is still room improvement and we as a government will continue to promote NHS dentistry registration.

“That is why we have asked NHS Boards to prioritise new dental facilities from the SNP government’s £75million investment in capital projects over the next two years. I believe we are turning a corner and reversing the long-term decline in NHS dentistry.