The British Dental Association is urging the government to create a capital financing package

As a result of nineteen million dental appointments being missed since March, the British Dental Association (BDA) is urging the government to create a capital financing package.

In England, more than fourteen million fewer treatments were delivered between March and September this year, relative to the same timeframe in 2019; but now the BDA reports that this number is nineteen million.

Eddie Crouch, BDA Chair, stated: “COVID restrictions have left dentists firefighting with huge backlogs – unable to see more than a fraction of our former patient numbers – especially in the NHS. We now face a catch twenty-two. New rules could bring back a dose of normality. But also come with a multimillion-pound bill for new kit that practices simply cannot afford. On paper, we have a chance to restore services to millions, but without support from government, it won’t translate into better access. The clock is ticking on an oral health time bomb. This is as dentists lose the chance to act on the early signs of decay and oral cancer. Ministers have a choice. Make an investment that would pay for itself and bring millions back through our doors, or leave patients waiting for the care they need.”