Down-in-the-mouth Scots risk health by dodging the dentist

SCOTS could be putting their dental health at risk by cancelling or delaying check-ups and treatment because of the financial downturn, experts believe.

New figures show dentists working in Scotland have seen their pay fall by almost 7 per cent in the space of a year.

It is thought that the drop could be a sign that people are choosing to put off dental visits or delay having expensive treatments as they struggle to balance their finances.

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But dental health campaigners said deferring treatment could have worse effects in the long-term, both for teeth and overall health.

Figures published by the NHS Information Centre on dental earnings from a combination of NHS and private sources in Scotland showed significant drops in incomes in 2009/10 compared to the previous year.

Andrew Lamb, Scottish director of the British Dental Association in Scotland, said while it was speculation, he felt the falling incomes for dentists could be linked to the financial situation.

“One of the things we could speculate is that patients are putting off going to the dentist because of the general economic climate,” he said.

“The BDA’s own surveys have also suggested that people are putting off going to the dentist because of the cost of treatment.

“That’s important to bear in mind because even if you are an NHS patient you are paying some charges so there is a cost to the patient whether they are private or NHS.

“Also, if you are a private patient, I think there’s no doubt that patients are putting off getting more expensive treatment done until their own financial situation is a bit more secure.”

Dr Lamb said dentists had reported patients cancelling appointments and had made decisions to defer treatment because of the cost. “They were looking at their total spend and wondering if dentistry was one of their priorities,” he said.

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Dr Lamb said a growing number of dentists was also meaning the work available was spread more thinly.

“Overall there are more dentists in Scotland, so the work is spread over more dentists therefore the gross income of these dentists will be reducing,” he said.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, said even during times of economic hardship, it was vital that people continued to visit the dentist regularly so that any potential conditions could be spotted early.

“Skipping dental appointments can lead to more serious problems in the mouth over time, although you will often not know it until it’s too late,” Dr Carter said. “To postpone either a check-up or dental treatment could be detrimental to not only your oral health but your overall health too.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are investing significantly in NHS general dental services in Scotland and as a result we are seeing a substantial improvement in oral health, and an increase in both the dental workforce and the number of patient registrations.

“As noted in the report, the differences in the results between 2008-09 and 2009-10 may reflect the increased sample size, rather than any real change in earnings and expenses.”