Dental
Statistical Publication Notice
27 October 2009
Dental Statistics.
INTRODUCTION
KEY POINTS
Percentage of Children and Adults registered with a GDS Dentist, as at Quarters Ending September 2008 - June 2009
INTERPRETATION
Registrations are currently analysed by the following geographical areas: NHS Board, Local Authority, Scottish Parliamentary Constituency, Scottish Parliamentary Region and Community Health Partnership. Information analysed by geographical area other than NHS board is available from March 2007 only.
It is important to note that the level (percentage) of patients registered by geographical area is calculated by using the postcode of the dental practices where those patients are registered and the geographical population data (GRO), thus:-
The number of patients registered with dental practices located in the geographical area (the numerator) *100
--(divided by)--
The population resident in the geographical area based on the GRO population (the denominator)
In some cases, the natural "cross-boundary flow" of people residing in one area but registered with a dentist whose practice is based in another area is such that the number of people registered exceeds the actual population of that geographical area (and therefore the level exceeds 100%). Conversely, a geographical area where there are few or no dental practices may appear to have a much lower number (and therefore level) of people registered.
ISD’s recommendation to analysts, dental public health specialists and others is that extreme caution should be exercised in interpreting dental registration data for geographical areas other than those at national level, because the calculation of an accurate proportion of population registered in such geographical areas will be possible only when patient postcodes are used as numerators. NHS National Services Scotland’s Information Services and Practitioner Services Divisions are actively pursuing with partners across NHSScotland the inclusion of full, accurate patient postcode data on all patient registration files.
As outlined within the PCA(D)2009(2) (March 2009), the period at which a patient's registration with a dentist under NHS arrangements lapses, if the patient has not seen the dentist since registering or reregistering, is being extended from 36 to 48 months for all patients registered with a dentist on 1 April 2009. This means that no patient registrations will lapse between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.
It is the intention that from 1 April 2010 the registration period of all patients registered with a dentist under a continuing care and capitation arrangement at that date will be made non-time limited. This would mean that from 1 April 2010 all existing patients and all new patients will be registered for life and registration arrangements will no longer lapse after a set period. Dentists will continue to be entitled to de-register any patients that they no longer wish to treat under NHS arrangements.
‘Childsmile’, the national oral health demonstration programmes, were introduced in 2006/07. These are pilots for a programme to improve the dental health of children in Scotland. While ‘Childsmile’ children are seen in NHS dental practices, at present there is no requirement for these children to be registered with an NHS dental practitioner.
Children are defined as those aged under 18. Adults are defined as those aged 18 and over.
DETAILED FINDINGS
The percentage of the Scottish population registered with an NHS GDS dentist is 81.7% for children and 63.0% for adults as at 30th June 2009. This is an increase from 80.1% for children and 61.3% for adults as at 31st March 2009.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran, Dumfries & Galloway, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Shetland and Tayside are currently meeting the HEAT target (80% of all 3-5 year old children to be registered with an NHS dentist by 2010/11).
There has been a 7.5% and 15.4% increase in the number of registrations for children and adults respectively from 30th June 2008 to 30th June 2009.
The 6-12 age group had the highest percentage of population registered (93%) and the 0-2 age group the lowest (39%) as at 30 June 2009.
Every NHS board observed an increase in the number of registrations with an NHS GDS dentist. The largest percentage point increase in the number of registrations from the previous quarter (June 2009) was in NHS Shetland, where there was an increase of approximately 6.8% for children and 3.1% for adults.
MAIN CONTACTS:
Scott Buchanan
Information Manager
0131 275 6112
scott.buchanan@nhs.net
Rachel Porteous
Information Analyst
0131 275 7491
rachel.porteous@nhs.net
PRE-RELEASE ACCESS:
NHS Board Chief Executives
NHS Board Communication leads
This extended Pre-Release Access is given to a small number of named individuals in the Scottish Government Health Department (Analytical Services Division). This Pre-Release Access is for the sole purpose of enabling that department to gain an understanding of the statistics prior to briefing others in Scottish Government (during the period of standard Pre-Release Access).
HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:
Last Published: 28 July 2009
Next Due: 26 January 2010
Data Available Since: Registrations (Quarterly) - June 2007
Scott Buchanan 
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