News

Patients with Disabilities Represent a Big Market that Needs to Buy Dentistry Skills 

Scotland's dentists are missing out on the enormous market represented by people with disabilities according to a leading supplier of assistive living equipment.

Marc Barry, a director of Glasgow based SSL Access, said: "Many dentists, it would appear, have failed to realise the commercial opportunities to be gained from offering their services to people with disabilities."

According to the Department of Work and Pensions there are over 10 million people in the UK with disabilities; this equates to something like one in six of the population. Scotland alone has 100,000 wheelchair users.

 "As a result of disability discrimination legislation, many retail outlets, leisure facilities, offices and public authorities have made some significant changes and the requirements on dentists are no different", said Mr Barry.

"Some have installed platform lifts and stairlifts to improve access; others have revamped their marketing material to make it appropriate for blind or partially-sited people, while others have updated their online offering to make it more accessible.

"Through websites and word-of-mouth, people with disabilities talk to each other as well as their friends and family to identify places that offer hassle-free access and make life as easy as possible. Every investment in enhanced facilities for people with disabilities can result, and quickly, in an enhanced return on investment", he said. 

For further information, please contact Marc Barry at SSL Access.

Date: January 2011