Scottish Labour data has revealed that dental checks can be “lifesaving” in identifying cancer. The party has called on the Scottish National Party to ensure the checks are available to all Scottish residents.

More than 1,000 cancer-related referrals were made by dentists in Scotland from 2023 to 2024 alone. However, the number of referrals varies by health board. This indicates that the chances of identifying cancer may depend on a patient’s geography.

The proportion of adults who reported difficulties visiting the dentist rose from 20 per cent in 2019 to 34 per cent in 2023, according to a Scottish Health Survey.

Paul Sweeney, Scottish Labour’s dental spokesperson, said, “Dentist checks have a lifesaving role to play in the screening programmes that help us identify cancer early and treat it. There are too many cases of late cancer diagnosis and delays in starting treatment that are causing preventable and premature deaths.

“This is why it’s all the more worrying that one in three Scots are struggling to access dentists, especially in the poorest areas.

“Scottish Labour will end the postcode lottery in access to NHS dentistry and incentivise newly-qualified dentists in the areas where they are most needed so that everyone can have access to these vital checks.”

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