Patients living in pain due to lack of NHS dentists

A watchdog has found that people in England, due to limited access to NHS dentistry, are living in pain. In addition to closing off dentists to new NHS patients, the problem had been worsened by the rising cost of living, says Healthwatch England.
Some people are living in pain, unable to eat or speak properly, because they couldn’t find treatment, the NHS body, which represents patients, has said.
Those who are suffering the most are the poorest in the country, who are unable to afford private care. The watchdog has stated that a two-tier system has been created by this crisis, encouraging division between the poor and rich. The government is being asked to commit “urgent attention” to the matter.
A representative for the Department of Health and Social Care has replied to calls by saying it was “committed” to addressing the issues that have arisen as part of the levelling up agenda.
Healthwatch Somerset has revealed that a third of the calls it received in the three months to February 2022 were about difficulties accessing NHS dentistry – with a number of the calls regarding children, people who cannot afford private dental care and pregnant women.
It also stated that several NHS dentists take patients who have not attended an appointment in a set amount of time off their lists.
National director of Healthwatch England, Louise Ansari, has stated: “There is now a deepening crisis. The shortage of NHS appointments creates a two-tier dental system, widening inequalities and damaging the health of disadvantaged communities. With millions of households bearing the brunt of living costs, private treatment isn’t an option, and even NHS charges can be a challenge. This needs urgent attention if the government is to achieve its levelling-up plan and tackle health disparities. We are calling on the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England for greater ambition and urgency from NHS dental reform plans to create a fair and inclusive dental service. We strongly recommend that a new dental contract is in place before Integrated Care Systems take on formal responsibility for dentistry from next April.”