Many Scots are enduring significant delays for essential dental procedures, with some waiting over a year for tooth extractions, according to recent data obtained by Scottish Labour through freedom of information requests. The figures reveal a sharp increase in waiting times since 2019, with some health boards reporting average waits exceeding 12 months.
Scottish Labour highlighted the impact of these delays, with some patients being forced to seek private treatment, while others must endure ongoing pain and discomfort. In Lothian, patients waited an average of 62 weeks for tooth extractions, while in the Borders and Grampian, the waits were 55 weeks and 54 weeks, respectively. Other regions with long delays include Dumfries and Galloway (43 weeks), Greater Glasgow and Clyde (38 weeks), and Tayside (28 weeks). The data reveals a stark rise in waiting times compared to four years ago, with Lothian’s wait time soaring from 12 weeks in 2019/20, and Borders’ increasing from 21 weeks.
In addition to the rising average wait times, individual patients have faced especially long delays. For instance, one patient in Lothian waited two years for extraction, while others in the Highlands and Fife waited 94 weeks and 87 weeks, respectively. Children, in particular, have been hit hard by the delays, with those in Greater Glasgow and Clyde waiting an average of 10 months. In Lothian, children waited more than six months, with an average of 33 weeks, and some children in Highland, Dumfries and Galloway, and Grampian faced waits of up to 83 weeks.
Scottish Labour’s dentistry spokesperson, Paul Sweeney, criticized the prolonged waits, noting that “rotten teeth can cause excruciating pain.” He emphasized the disparity in access to timely care, with some patients forced to pay out-of-pocket for private treatment while others continue to suffer. He called for measures to attract more dentists to the NHS to help meet the growing demand.
In response, a Scottish Government spokesperson acknowledged the regrettable nature of long waits but noted that most NHS dental care is delivered in primary care settings. The government pledged to continue supporting NHS boards in efforts to reduce waiting times, focusing resources on patients waiting the longest for treatment.
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