How Easy is It to Find an NHS Dentist?
It depends on where you live.
Why Is It So Hard to Find an NHS Dentist?
New analysis reveals that nearly 600 dental practices in England have withdrawn from NHS dentistry over the last decade, with particularly sharp declines in the South West and East of England. This raises concerns about growing inequalities in access to care.
- Key Findings:
- More than one in ten dental practices offering NHS care no longer do so.
- NHS dental activity is 8% lower than pre-Covid levels.
- Six in ten adults have not seen an NHS dentist in the last two years, and just 38% were successful in securing new appointments.
Regions with Significant Reductions:
- Cornwall: Over a quarter of practices previously offering NHS treatment have stopped.
- Devon and Northamptonshire also show substantial declines.
- Somerset: Fewer than one in five dental practices now offers NHS services.
Testimonies:
Alan, 83, from Somerset:
"I used to try, but getting a dental appointment anywhere near where I live would be impossible... I have only one tooth remaining after the others crumbled out over the years."
Vivak Shah, Northamptonshire:
"Each year we struggle to decide what to do... There is a limit to how much the private side can cover NHS losses. If practices stop providing NHS treatment, many patients could be left in pain or forced to seek help elsewhere, including hospital A&E departments."
The Situation:
Mark Dayan, head of public affairs at the Nuffield Trust, states:
"A contract handed back in one town attracts little national attention on its own but repeated across the country for a decade it amounts to the quiet transformation of dentistry into a two-tier service."
While ministers have pledged to tackle so-called "dental deserts," dentists argue that the current deal is not viable, leading many to hand back their NHS contracts due to financial losses.