PATIENT care could deteriorate unless the dental profession is regulated in Scotland, it has been warned.

A survey of more than 500 dentists north of the Border found almost 90 per cent believe the General Dental Council - which deals with complaints against dentists - is not fit to protect patients and ensure standards are met.

The GDC has been given some of the lowest ratings of any health regulator by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care.

Issues include it taking almost 40 weeks to take interim measures in response to complaints where the public could potentially be at risk. Errors in their online register of staff - such as issued warnings not being displayed - have also been spotted.

Robert Donald, chair of the Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC) - which represents dentists in Scotland, said the GDC was swamped but minor offences by Scottish dentists such as disputes over fees were being sent down to its London offices for investigation.

The dentist, he said, could then have the stress of the case hanging over them for up to two years before it was dealt with.

"If you have a dentist that is stressed their mind is off the ball," he said. "It puts pressure on them and their family and if they decide they have had enough they will retire early. If they close their practice, patients will lose their practice."

There are around 2,500 high street dentists in Scotland and they are all represented by the SDPC. Their survey, which was completed by 541 professionals, found 88 per cent felt the GDC is not fit for purpose to regulate and protect patients. In addition 92 per cent supported the idea of an investigation into creating a robust, Scotland-based regulatory body instead.

Mr Donald said he had asked for an urgent meeting with Health Secretary Shona Robison about the matter.

He said: "Scottish general dental practitioners have given an emphatic vote of no confidence in the GDC. They know that they are being regulated by the worst health regulator in the UK.... My colleagues are fed up waiting for improvements to be made to address these serious failings and have given their representative committee a mandate to investigate establishing a Scottish based regulatory body which is fit for purpose."

In their 2014-15 performance review of the GDC, the Professional Standards Authority found it fully met one of 10 standards regarding its systems to regulate dentists' fitness to practice. Concerns were raised about decisions the GDC had made to close cases against dentists. The PSA said these "risked undermining confidence in the profession or in the GDC."

In a statement the GDC said: "A major change programme - begun in 2014 - is already delivering real improvements in our performance, aimed at ensuring we meet all the standards of good regulation.

"The Professional Standards Authority’s recent review of our performance confirmed that in the areas of setting guidance and standards, quality assuring education and training, and registration of dental professional’s we are performing well.

"We acknowledged that reform was needed in the way we handle complaints about the dental profession and our improvement programme was designed precisely to focus on this area."

The GDC added that they urgently need reform of current legislation to deliver truly efficient, modern regulation and they continue to press the government for this.

Earlier this year a group of Scottish GPs called for General Medical Council hearings to be held in Scotland and expressed concern that more investigations into doctors were creating a "climate of fear".