65% of Scots Believe NHS Dental Funding is Insufficient, BDA Issues Manifesto to Exert Pressure

Image source: YouGov official website

DentalGoodNews | March 16, 2026 - The British Dental Association (BDA) has released a YouGov poll showing that 65% of Scottish respondents believe the Scottish Government should take more action in the field of NHS dentistry, with only 20% thinking the government has done all it can.

The poll, covering 1,075 adults and conducted from February 2 to 10, 2026, is weighted to be representative of all Scotland. The data reveals that approximately one-fifth of Scottish adults have unmet NHS dental needs: 12% of respondents had tried but failed to secure an appointment in the past two years, while a further 7% gave up trying because they believed they could not access the service. According to a previous report by DGN, nearly 40% of registered NHS patients in Scotland had not seen a dentist in the past two years.

Access to dentistry has become a major local concern for the Scottish public: 15% of respondents ranked dentistry as the most important issue in their area, on par with crime (16%). In March 2026, the BDA criticized the UK's upcoming average 1.7% increase in NHS dental charges starting in April, stating the hike would not bring any extra funding into the NHS service. In the preceding two years, unfulfilled NHS dentist contracts had cumulatively led to nearly £1 billion being returned to the government.

Concurrently, the BDA issued a Scottish Manifesto, urging all political parties to commit to "future proof the service or lose it." The manifesto states that the Scottish Government's 2023 progress on NHS dental pay reform should not be seen as "mission accomplished." The next government must take sustained action to improve service access, reduce oral health inequalities, and ensure sufficient dental staff on the frontline through fully funded workforce planning. The BDA also calls on parties to expand Childsmile (Scotland's child oral health programme), strengthen prevention policies, and protect practices from rising costs—compensation for the UK Government's National Insurance increase has been secured in Northern Ireland but not yet in Scotland.

Albert Yeung, Chair of the BDA's Scottish Council, said: "To ensure NHS dentistry in Scotland is fit for the 21st century, we need a sustained programme of action. Tooth decay remains the number one reason for child hospital admissions, and Scotland cannot afford to stand still. The public's message is clear: the next Scottish Government must go further and faster. Failure to future proof dentistry will come at a heavy financial, human and political cost."