The Scottish Government is planning to revert dentists to pre-covid models of work practice.
But that could see an end to six-monthly checkups, to be replaced by checks every two years.
“That’s not what patients want and it’s not what dentists want,” said Annan dentist Andrew Gunning.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has written to every NHS dental team in Scotland, indicating that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022.
“The proposals mean the end to six-monthly checkups. That’s what patients are used to, so they will find that difficult to accept,” said Mr Gunning.
“Instead, there will be provision for an extensive checkup, but that can only happen every 24 months under the funding model, so that is a major change.”
The British Dental Association Scotland (BDAS) says the Scottish Government plans are set to “decimate NHS dentistry”.
David McColl, Chair of the BDAS Dental Practice Committee said: “The Scottish Government seems set to pull the rug out from under every dedicated NHS dentist.
“If Ministers had an objective to decimate NHS dentistry, this approach would offer a great starting point.
“To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless.”
He warned the net result will be to “push colleagues out of the NHS and to leave this profession altogether”.
That is echoed by Andrew Gunning, who added: “There may be an underlying move to try to encourage dentists and patients to switch to private dental care.
“I can see some dentists will be attracted to transfer to what we would describe as gold standard dentistry.
“If there is a reduction in the number of NHS dentists, it means there will be more money from the same pot to go around those that are left in the NHS.
“But there isn’t any more real money to go around.”
And Mr Gunning warned: “We are heading towards a crisis.”
The SNP committed to delivering free NHS care for all in Scotland in the recent election.
The BDAS has stressed this approach runs counter to that vision, and that real focus and energy must be applied to developing a new, sustainable model for delivering care.
