Constituents have increasingly been contacting me about difficulties in seeing an NHS dentist. 

Last month, thousands of patients in Inverclyde were suddenly told they’re to be left without NHS dental care in one fell swoop.

The ‘mydentist’ in Greenock, which has been open for 40 years, is to close in coming weeks due to a shortage of practitioners.

Unfortunately, it’s not simply the case that NHS patients can simply switch to another one a mile or two down the road.

There are ten remaining dental practices in the area – most have extensive waiting lists, and many are entirely closed to new patients. Or closed to NHS patients.

In some circumstances, practices in the area have simply gone private altogether.

For the wealthiest in our society, that may not be such a daunting reality. But let’s be clear: dental care is healthcare, and healthcare is a human right.

When the post-war Labour government set up our National Health Service in 1945, one of minister Nye Bevan’s only disappointments was there’d still be limited charges and private involvement.

To this day, most dentistry is still provided by private practitioners, and even the dental care to NHS patients incur costs.

This was always a contravention of the principle that drove the creation of our NHS in the first place, which is care must always be free at the point of need.

However, we now face a situation where the very existence of NHS dentistry in Scotland is on the line as a two-tier system has taken hold, with many people forced to access private treatment when they can’t get an NHS dentist. 

The SNP frequently points to the fact we’ve more dentists per head of population than in England.

However, Inverclyde residents don’t want to hear how good they have it if they’re unable to get an appointment. 

Even in the NHS, dental services are often not good enough, through no fault of dentists themselves working in a broken system.

Last year, the Scottish Government announced the cost of treatment would be increasing across the board and most patients would no longer be invited for a routine check-up every six months; instead, you will be forced to wait anywhere between 12 to 24 months.

As any health expert will tell you, this can lead to oral health issues going undetected for longer and health inequalities widening. Poor dental health is one of the strongest indicators of poverty. 

After 17 years of SNP government, NHS dentistry has gone backwards. But it doesn’t need to be this way.

Scottish Labour is calling for NHS dentistry to be given a comprehensive overhaul. That means greater integration with the NHS, with NHS community dentistry strengthened and options introduced beyond the broken small business model.

We’d also build on the Childsmile programme, the oral health programme first set up by a Scottish Labour government to improve dental health among children.

Dental care is a right, not a privilege. To restore that right for all, we need bold action.