Greens propose scrapping NHS dental charges

The Scottish Greens have proposed making all NHS dentistry in Scotland free.

The party unveiled its plan in a move it said would “reverse years of failure”.

Co-leader Gillian Mackay said she wanted to see NHS dental charges ended so the treatment aligns with the NHS’s function to provide healthcare free at the point of use.

She said that while political parties have promised to abolish dental charges in the past, adults in Scotland are still paying up to £384 per course of treatment.

Under Scottish Green plans, the role of dental therapists would be expanded, allowing more patients to get treatment directly, quickly and free of charge.

Ms 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.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “My party will prioritise access to an NHS dentist and improve toothcare for everyone by incorporating dentistry into our rolling 10-year NHS and care workforce plan, building on the extra training places delivered by Scottish Liberal Democrats in the 2025/26 Scottish budget, and addressing the shortage of dental nurses and technicians.

“We would also bring dentists back to the NHS from the private sector, further reforming the NHS payments system and retaining dentists by creating more opportunities for career development, including an expansion of enhanced skills practitioners.

“The SNP have brought NHS dentistry to the brink of extinction. Scottish Liberal Democrats will fix it.”

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Sandesh Gulhane said: “Scotland’s dental sector is in a state of permanent crisis under the SNP, but these half-baked plans from the Greens are not the answer.

“They were part of the government for the best part of three years so they cannot escape blame for patients finding it impossible to get dental appointments.

“The economic illiterate Greens would also undoubtedly force hard-pressed Scots to pay even more in tax to fund these plans.

“The Scottish Conservatives have a credible and costed plans that would ensure that more NHS practices can take on new patients.”

Scottish Labour’s dentistry spokesman Paul Sweeney said: “Too many people are being forced to fork out their savings on private dentistry as a result of the SNP’s rotten record in supporting the sector. This must change.

“Anas Sarwar is a former dentist so this issue is personal to him.

“Scottish Labour will take steps to incentivise newly qualified dentists in areas where they are needed most, to ensure everyone is able to get help when they need it.”