A leading figure in Scottish dentistry has called for the closure of Aberdeen Dental School saying it was “time to pull the plug” on the flagship campus.
John Drummond, a former president of the British Dental Association, said the Aberdeen school had “never been a success” and was aiding an oversupply of dentists in Scotland.
He claimed the school was “sucking” resources away from established schools in Glasgow and Dundee, where Mr Drummond is a senior lecturer.
The programme at the Foresterhill campus is run by both Aberdeen and Dundee universities.
His calls to shut Aberdeen Dental School have been branded “disappointing” by a MSP.
Mr Drummond spoke out as figures show one in 10 graduate dentists are unable to get jobs after finishing their vocational training year.
Drummond said: “In Scotland, it is clear we are overproducing dentists significantly.
“We are heading for significant unemployment and underemployment.
“Opening a new dental school in Aberdeen has simply compounded the problem.”
The £17m Aberdeen Dental School was opened in 2010 by First Minister Alex Salmond as an innovative solution to a chronic shortage of dentists in the north east.
While training up dentists of the future, volunteers are able to access free dental care carried out – under supervision – by students.
Standards at the school were recently investigated by General Dental Council, who raised concerns over the ability of last year’s graduate class and 12 cases where patients had received botched treatment.
Mr Drummond said his comments were not linked to the GDC report.
In a letter to British Dental Journal, he said: “It is time to face the reality that the new school was conceived politically and is protected politically.
“The new school, with only 20 graduates per year, has never been a success and has sucked human and financial resource from Scotland’s two viable dental schools: Dundee and Glasgow.
“Whilst it will not solve the employment crisis we face, it will at least help in the Aberdeen school is closed.”
Mr Drummond had no further comment to make last night.
Around 2,575 patients have been seen at the Aberdeen school in the past two years with 16,000 appointments made.
Richard Baker MSP (Labour, North East) said: “It is deeply disappointing to hear a call for for the closure of Aberdeen’s Dental School, when what is required is not closure but the right investment from the Scottish Government to make it work.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Aberdeen Dental School was opened to address the shortage of dentists, particularly in remote and rural areas of Scotland.
“Student numbers are reviewed on a regular basis according to need, taking into account the total numbers of dentists, regional priorities and changing levels of oral health.”
A spokeswoman for Aberdeen University said 84% of graduates over the past three years have stayed in Scotland for vocational training with the majority moving into full-time work in Scotland.
She added: “We are delighted that we have graduates successfully working in local general practices in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Highland, and one of our first graduates has just been appointed to a Specialty Training position in Restorative Dentistry here at the Aberdeen Dental Hospital – beating off national competition to gain this sought-after post.”
