End NHS dental charges
The Scottish Greens have committed to ending all NHS dental charges in Scotland, as part of a wider plan to rebuild access to dental care and reverse years of failure under the current system.
This would finally deliver on the promise of free dental care for all in Scotland while ensuring the NHS functions as intended, free at the point of use.
Other parties have promised to abolish dental charges in the past, but adults in Scotland are still paying up to £384 per course of treatment in NHS treatment costs.
Official NHS guidance also makes clear that not all dentists are taking on new NHS patients, leaving far too many people struggling to get an appointment when they need one and turning to private dental care instead.
Under the Scottish Greens’ plans, charges for NHS dental treatment would end. The plans would also expand the role of dental therapists, allowing more patients to get treatment directly, quickly, and free of charge.
Scottish Greens co-leader, Gillian Mackay said:
“Dental care should be treated like the rest of our NHS, free at the point of use and readily available for everybody.
“Too many people are either living in pain or opting to pay for healthcare that is supposed to be free, because the system is not working as it should.
“Scotland has been promised time and time again that our dental system would have equal access and dental charges would be abolished, but those promises have not been delivered.
“Our NHS is supposed to be for everyone, but when it comes to dental care, it has become a postcode lottery. Just getting an NHS dentist appointment in the first place has become far too difficult for far too many people across Scotland.
“The Scottish Greens will expand the role of Dental Therapists, so that more people can be registered, creating more appointments and reducing waiting times, all while allowing dentists to focus on the treatments which specifically require their expertise.
“On 7th May, voting for the Scottish Greens means getting a dental appointment, ending charges in our NHS, and building a dental service that works for everyone, not just those who can afford to go private.”
