Recent findings from the House of Commons Library reveal that 44.6% of UK children, more than 5.35 million, have not seen an NHS dentist in over 12 months. This figure represents an increase of nearly half a million since pre-pandemic times, highlighting growing concerns about dental care access for children in the UK.
The data, which analysed NHS dental access in every constituency, shows significant disparities across the country. In Hackney, one of the worst-performing areas, nearly two-thirds (62.2%) of children have not visited an NHS dentist in the past year. Other regions with similarly poor rates of dental access for children include Herefordshire, Portsmouth, Thurrock, and the Isle of Wight.
Conversely, some areas are faring much better. In the City of London, only 9% of children have missed their yearly dental visit. Other top-performing constituencies include Redcar and Cleveland (21.9%) and Blackburn with Darwen (23.4%).
Adults are also facing challenges in accessing NHS dental care, with 59.7% not having seen an NHS dentist in the past year, a significant increase from 50.6% in 2019. The worst access rates for adults were recorded in Herefordshire, Plymouth, and Tower Hamlets, while Wigan, Sunderland, and Redcar and Cleveland showed better access.
This growing crisis in dental access follows a recent NHS report calling for ‘urgent action’ on the NHS dental contract. Lord Ara Darzi, who led the independent investigation into the NHS, described the service as being in a “critical condition,” stating that while there are enough dentists in England, not enough are willing to take on NHS work.
Lord Darzi also expressed concern over the declining quality of care in many areas and the long wait times that patients face: “We want to deliver high-quality care for all, but far too many people are waiting for too long and in too many clinical areas, quality of care has gone backwards.”
The findings underscore the growing need for systemic changes in the NHS to ensure that dental care is accessible to all, particularly for children, who are at a critical stage in their oral health development.
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