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Record numbers registered with NHS dentists
28/10/2008
More Scottish 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.
Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health, said:
"This is the highest number of registrations since recording of NHS dental registrations was 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 to join the first cohort of students beginning their training at the new 21-million-pound Aberdeen Dental School, which will produce a further 20 qualified dentists every year when fully operational.
"Together with our 75-million-pound investment in capital projects over the next two years - with which NHS Boards have been asked to prioritise new dental facilities - I believe we are turning a corner and reversing the long-term decline in NHS dentistry.
"Nevertheless, there are still parts of Scotland where registrations are unacceptably low and I will expect all NHS Boards to continue putting plans in place to further improve access for their populations."
Every NHS board observed an increase in the number of registrations with an NHS GDS dentist. The largest percentage point increase in the number of registrations from the previous quarter (March 2008) was in NHS Shetland, where there was an increase of approximately 10.2 per cent for children and 5.9 per cent for adults.
Of the Scottish population registered with an NHS dentist, the 18-24 age group observed the largest percentage point increase between June 2007 and June 2008 - up from 46.2 percent to 58.8 percent.