More Scots Than Ever Are Registered With NHS Dentists

Public Health Minister Maureen Watt has welcomed statistics showing that more people than ever are registered with an NHS dentist in Scotland.
Figures published today show that 88 per cent of the Scottish population – 4.7 million people – are now registered.
Children are more likely to be registered than adults, at 93 per cent compared to 87 per cent.
Of those registered, 74 per cent had seen their dentist within the last two years, with children more likely than adults to have attended an appointment.
The figures also show that dental registration levels are the same, at 90 per cent, for children living in the most and least deprived areas of Scotland.
Ms Watt said:
“This is fantastic news, and shows the real progress we have made since 2007 in improving people’s access to an NHS dentist, with nearly two million more people registered under this Government.
“It is particularly encouraging to see that 93 per cent of children in Scotland are registered and that this rate remains high across all sections of society.
“I would like to take this opportunity to remind people how important it is to attend regular check-ups with their dentist. Seeing a dentist on a regular basis can help identify any early signs of oral cancer and means appropriate action can be taken quickly. Also, tooth decay if left untreated can result in tooth loss, but with regular check-ups early decay can be spotted before it gets the chance to cause more damage.
“I’d encourage everyone to take the opportunity of increased access to an NHS dentist, and make sure they take the time to look after their dental health with regular check-ups.”