July 14th 2023.
People across the UK are struggling to find a dentist that will take on new patients, leaving many with no other choice but to resort to pulling out their own teeth at home with pliers. This heartbreaking reality was highlighted in a new report by the Health and Social Care Committee, which called for 'urgent and fundamental reform' in the current state of the NHS dental service.
A YouGov survey of 2,104 people conducted in March 2023 showed that 10% had attempted to do DIY dentistry, with more than half of those having attempted it in the last year. One in five said they resorted to this because they could not find an NHS dentist, while 22% of the group were not registered with a dentist due to the cost of treatment.
The roundtable hosted by the committee in June also heard stories of people in pain and distress, and unable to access NHS dental services. One case study shared by Healthwatch Lincolnshire was that of Danielle Watts, a mum-of-two in her 40s who pulled out 13 of her own teeth with pliers because she could not find an NHS dentist or afford private treatment.
A BBC investigation last year revealed that nine in 10 NHS dental practices across the UK are not accepting new adult patients. The Health and Social Care Committee chairman, Steven Brine, expressed his 'strongest terms of concern for the future of NHS dental services and the patients who desperately need access to them'.
The report put forward several recommendations, including improving public awareness of their rights, making financial incentives available to dentists to see new patients and those with greater dental needs, and prioritising prevention and patient-centred care. It also asked the government to find out how many full-time and part-time-equivalent dentists, dental nurses, therapists and hygienists work in the NHS and how much NHS and private work they carry out.
The NHS has committed to increasing the number of dental appointments available to NHS patients, and has already started to address some of the recommendations from the report through contract changes last year. However, the Health and Social Care Committee is urging the government to act quickly to ensure that everyone who needs an NHS dentist is able to access one within a reasonable timeframe and distance.
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