Funding For NHS Dentistry in Scotland
Funding is at record levels - We are investing £295m cumulatively over the next three years, the vast majority of which will support primary care dental services. The overall investment means that centrally we will be spending some £350m by 2007-08.
In 2005-06 an extra £45 million to improve oral health and support NHS dental services will be provided. This will rise to £100 million in the second year (2006-07) and will build up to £150 million of additional funding by 2008.
This is necessary because a small number of dentists continue to turn their backs on the NHS to work in the private sector. Some people are willing and able to pay for private treatment, but many are now being forced unwillingly into that position.
Figures from the British Dental Association show that a full-time, wholly-committed NHS dentist can expect to earn between £51,000 and £65,000 a year, excluding expenses.
A typical, two-person practice with an annual turnover of £200,000 can expect to gain an additional £25,000 as the direct result of the new measures.
Workforce
We are better in terms of dentists per head of the population than the UK average - as well as ahead of Spain, Portugal, Hungary and Poland. We are approximately on par with other countries such as Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and Canada (Chief Dental Officer data).
The findings of the June 2004 NHS Scotland Dental Workforce Planning report indicated a potential shortfall of 215 dentists. This information has fed into our consideration of the number of dentists required to provide a service of the future and it is anticipated that the shortfall will be bridged by 2008.
At 30 September 2005 there were a total of 2,639 dentists providing NHS general dental services, this is an increase of 56 from 2004.
Education and training will cost some £4m in 2005-06, £10m in 2006-07 and £15m in 2007-08.
Oral Health Programme
Oral health in Scotland is known to be poorer than in many other European countries and there are significant inequalities in oral health evident in some areas of Scotland.
The oral health programme will cost some £4m in 2005-06, £10m in 2006-07 and £15m in 2007-08.