Scotland is facing a dental disaster as more than half of practice owners fear their business could go to the wall amid the coronavirus crisis.
Fifty-one percent of the 400 polled by the Scottish Dental Practice Owners group claim they are heading for bankruptcy, while 40 per cent are unsure how they’ll cope when lockdown measures are eased.
Even when the Scottish Government does give the green light to reopen, NHS practices will only be supplied with enough basic PPE to treat 10 emergency patients a day for the foreseeable future, while private practices can treat as many as they are able to with the correct PPE.
SDPO spokeswoman Gillian Leslie, 44, said the unfair two-tier system is a disaster waiting to happen for practices and patients.
She said: “I own a practice with a mix of NHS and private patients and before lockdown each dentist needed to treat between 30 and 40 a day to make a profit.
“How can we survive if the entire practice is only allowed to treat 10 emergency patients a day? It’s not possible. Practices are going to close and our patients are going to suffer.”
At the start of lockdown, GPs, opticians and pharmacists were awarded 100 per cent of their funding from the NHS as well as subsidies to keep them going during Covid-19.
But dentists took a hit and their cash was cut to 80 per cent with nothing extra on top.
Gillian, from East Lothian, added: “If we had been given 100 per cent funding plus set up subsidies, as per other healthcare sectors, we would have a greater chance of survival.
“As it stands, 51 per cent of dental owners think they will close and another 40 per cent are unsure whether they can survive the current crisis.
“Most dental practices will not survive on the current 80 per cent funding model on re-opening.
“Our payment holidays will end, staff will be un-furloughed and the costs of consumables increases.
“This would leave an overwhelming majority of the population without a dentist, resulting in a severe dental crisis.”
With oral cancer the fifth most common type of the disease in Scotland, Gillian said dentists are also “extremely concerned” about the health of patients.
She said: “Patients waiting on dental treatment can’t start chemotherapy until they’ve had it. Others will be left with broken teeth, untreated gum disease and loose teeth that otherwise could have been saved.
“Many will continue to be prescribed antibiotics.
“And dentists will be unable to catch up with the backlog of patients from the past 12 weeks.
“Urgent dental care centres that were promised weeks ago still have not opened and it is a struggle to get patients seen in many health boards for aerosol generating procedures.
“While our fully private colleagues recommence treating their patients, it does beg the question – where is the Scottish Government’s evidence base for stopping the majority of dental patients receiving the same?”
Prior to lockdown, a survey carried out by the British Dental Association revealed more than 17 per cent of dentists have seriously considered suicide due to the level of stress in their job.
Gillian added: “The SDPO poll also asked questions about the current pre-Covid funding model for NHS dentistry in Scotland.
"All respondents do not believe the current Statement of Dental Remuneration allows practices to offer the latest materials,equipment and technology.
“More than half say their future commitment to NHS dentistry is dependent on an updated package.
“Worryingly, 83 per cent of practice owners say the current contract is having a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of NHS dentists.
“Dentists across Scotland are feeling hard done by compared to other healthcare professionals. We feel like we’re just not important. We are being completely neglected and demoralised.
“Not only are we a profession under threat financially, we are a profession under threat completely.”
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A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We listened to the concerns of dentists throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and established new measures to ensure the financial sustainability of NHS dental practices during this difficult and uncertain period, so they are ready to see their patients as soon as they are able.
“NHS Health Boards established 56 urgent dental care centres on day one and there are now 69.
“The Chief Dental Officer and his team are in regular contact with NHS boards to ensure dental practices have clear guidance on appropriate procedures for seeing patients.
“They have worked closely with the NHS Scotland procurement teams to ensure a robust and sustainable supply of PPE is available."
