Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 23 February 2022
I have let Dr Gulhane intervene. I ask him to let me proceed and set out what financial support we are giving our dentists.
That funding announcement is part of a 9 per cent increase in the overall budget for NHS dental services in 2022-23 to support a return to more normal levels of activity. The additional money will deliver enhanced examinations for everyone—children and adults. Children are a key focus as we recover NHS dental care. We have taken steps to expand the funding for the Childsmile programme in dental practices, which will increase its coverage to include those who are 17 years of age.
The Scottish Government recognises the need to address oral health inequalities arising from the pandemic. We will make additional Childsmile interventions of £2 million over two years from April 2022 to support the distribution of additional toothbrushing packs and recruitment of dental health support workers. Those initiatives will focus on families and children who live in areas of disadvantage, especially those from minority ethnic backgrounds.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines state:
“Recall intervals for patients who have repeatedly demonstrated that they can maintain oral health and who are not considered to be at risk of or from oral disease may be extended over time up to an interval of 24 months.”
Looking forward, our vision for NHS dental services is to ensure that all persons with the same clinical needs are treated in the same way, and that special attention is paid to actions that might further disadvantage the already disadvantaged and vulnerable. As part of that, we will engage the sector in suitable reforms that allow dentists to practise modern dentistry, including the introduction of an oral health risk assessment.