Wales Fails to Qualify for Dentistry Superleague

3.24.26pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 28th Aug 2007

Recent figures have shown that Wales has 4 dentists per 10,000 of population[1]. In 2001 Australia had 11 dentists per 10,000 people and Italy had 5.8 in 2004.

Jenny Randerson AM, Health spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said "Every developed country in the world seems to be better served than Wales. This is an appalling level of dentistry provision. Labour tries to pretend that the dentistry picture is rosy but the statistics speak for themselves

"If there were a dentistry Superleague we would not be in it.

"Scotland has 4.9 dentists per 10,000 which is significantly better than Wales on 4.Currently dentists don't have the time to be proactive and go into schools. They find it difficult to expand their practices and the new contract has turned many people private. Perversely some many graduates find it difficult to get jobs.

"The Welsh Liberal Democrats have had a clear plan of action[2] for dentistry in Wales for a long time now. The Labour-Plaid Government needs to take dentistry as seriously as we are or there will be big problems in the future."

Ends/diwedd

Contact/Cyswllt: Andrew Sherwood 02920 898324

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[1] Statistical Release 113/2007 (PDF 206kB) NHS Dental Services, Wales 2006-07

[2] http://www.welshlibdems.org.uk/documents/dentalactionplandan2.pdf Dental Action Plan