Dentists retiring early, FoI request reveals
Of the 334 dentists who have retired since 2020, only 10 waited until the state pension age.
Scotland is losing dozens of dentists every year to early retirement.
A freedom of Information request submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to the Scottish Public Pensions Authority revealed that of the 334 dentists who have retired since 2020, only 10 waited until the state pension age to do so.
Alex Cole-Hamilton, party leader, said: “Access to toothcare should be no different from any other form of medical treatment.
People should be able to rely on treatment being readily available, close to home.
Alex Cole-Hamilton
“People should be able to rely on treatment being readily available, close to home.
“Instead we are seeing dentists retiring early or ditching NHS work because engaging with the Scottish Government is worse than pulling teeth.”
He added: “Scottish Liberal Democrats have set out plans that would end dental deserts and bring back local NHS dentists.
“It would see ministers rewrite their failed NHS Recovery Plan, prioritise workforce planning and boost the number of dentists taking on NHS patients.”