THE Scottish Government is being urged to introduce a regulator for private dentists amid concerns patients are being duped into paying independent practitioners for treatment they could get on the NHS.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) fears dentists may be deliberately misleading patients about their NHS entitlements.

The Scottish Government is reviewing how to regulate private healthcare providers, including dental practices.

However, the OFT says the process needs to be "expedited" so patients are given upfront information on costs.

The Scotland Patients Association has also called on the Government to work quickly.

In its report on dentistry across the UK, the OFT stated: "There is currently no provision for inspecting providers of private dental treatment in Scotland, although the Scottish Government is considering how best to regulate independent healthcare services, including providers of private dental treatment.

"The OFT is greatly concerned dental practices in Scotland are not being inspected.

"The OFT encourages the Scottish Government to expedite its consideration of how to regulate independent healthcare services and ensure the resultant regulator prioritises ensuring Scottish dental patients are provided with written treatment plans in advance of receiving dental treatment as a basic standard of transparency."

Dentists are obliged to provide patients with necessary treatment on the National Health Service and should not encourage patients to go private for procedures available on the NHS.

However, the report reveals that, across the UK, around 500,000 patients a year may be being given inaccurate information by their dentists as to their NHS entitlement.

OFT chief executive John Fingleton said: "Our study has raised significant concerns about the UK dentistry market which need to be tackled quickly in the interest of patients.

"We also unearthed evidence some patients may be receiving deliberately inaccurate information about their entitlement to NHS dental treatment, and we expect to see robust action taken against such potential misconduct by dentists."

Margaret Watt, chairwoman of the Scotland Patients Association, said: "We would encourage the Government to get something in place quickly to monitor private practices for our patients' safety. The Government has a duty of care to ensure patients are treated properly and effectively. They're the ones with the power to ensure this happens."

The OFT study also raised concerns over the current inspections being carried out in Scotland on NHS dental practices, amid claims they do not ensure patients are being given transparent information on costs.

The British Dental Association said the current regulatory system for NHS dentistry should simply be extended to cover private dental care, instead of the introduction of "costly, burdensome, unnecessary further bureaucracy" of a new system.