Over 5 million Brits living without a dentist as NHS services decline across England

30 December 2024 , 09:46

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Over 5 million Brits living without a dentist as NHS services decline across England

An estimated 5 million people in England do not have a dentist, new figures reveal.

ONS figures highlighted by the Liberal Democrats showed that 12.2% of people in England do not have a dentist at all, and only 52.8% have an NHS dentist. 

Analysis found that in one month alone 140,526 (94.1%) people, who needed treatment but did not have their own dentist, were unable to access NHS dental care.

Of these patients, more than 1,500 resorted to going to A&E but the vast majority (79.7% or 111,999) reported that they were unable to receive the treatment they needed.

This is fuelling fears that more and more patients are resorting to DIY dentistry due to not being able to access any form of affordable dental care.

In Oswestry, North Shropshire, where one practice recently handed back its NHS contract due to not being able to balance its books, a man pulled his own tooth out with pliers after six months in agony not being able to find an NHS dentist.

As part of the release of the figures, the Liberal Democrats called on the government to end the scourge of dental deserts and to back their Dental Rescue Package.

This includes measures such as bringing dentists back to the NHS from the private sector by fixing the broken NHS dental contract and introducing an emergency scheme to guarantee access to free NHS dental check-ups for those already eligible: children, new mothers, those who are pregnant and those on low incomes.

Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson, Helen Morgan MP said: “As more and more patients are forced to perform dangerous DIY dentistry, it’s like pulling teeth trying to get ministers to take the action we need.

“The crisis in NHS dentistry cannot be allowed to continue - the government must act urgently to bring dentistry back from the brink.

“The new government must not repeat the mistakes of the Conservatives that created swathes of dental deserts up and down the country.

“The Liberal Democrats have a comprehensive Dental Rescue Package that must be introduced as soon as possible so that patients can access the NHS care they need.”

James Smith