Dental health crisis declared

COUNCILLORS have declared a dental health crisis in Dumfries and Galloway amid growing concern over the collapse of NHS dental provision across the region.

A motion was put forward by the Labour group to highlight ‘stark evidence’ of declining access to NHS dentistry, with more than 40,000 residents locally losing access to services in the past three years. At points, no dental practices in the region have been accepting new NHS patients.

The motion also notes a drop in NHS registrations from over 139,000 in 2021 to just under 115,000 by August 2023, alongside significantly longer waiting times for treatment.

Councillor Linda Dorward said: “Residents across Dumfries and Galloway are being left without access to basic dental care. This is not a temporary pressure—it is a systemic failure that is now impacting tens of thousands of people.

“We are seeing communities where there is effectively no NHS dental provision. People are being forced to travel significant distances or go without treatment altogether.

“This is a public health issue. Without urgent action, the consequences will be felt not only in oral health but across the wider health system for years to come .

“We now have a two-tier dental service, where despite the highest taxation rates in the UK, people here are being asked to pay again to get basic dental care.”

The council have now formally declared a crisis and called on the Scottish Government to bring forward an urgent intervention plan, including emergency funding, targeted recruitment incentives for rural areas, and expansion of outreach and mobile dental services, as well as sending a request that NHS Dumfries and Galloway publish a clear and costed recovery plan with defined timelines.

Councillor Carolyne Wilson added: “We need immediate intervention from the Scottish Government and a clear plan from NHS Dumfries and Galloway to restore access. Rural communities cannot continue to be left behind.”