Ministers vow to boost dentistry access with 700,000 appointments rollout
Appointments have been targeted at so-called ‘dental deserts’.
The Government has vowed to get NHS dentistry “back on its feet” by starting the rollout of 700,000 extra urgent appointments pledged in its manifesto.
However, leaders from the profession claim the action will translate into just two extra slots a month for each NHS dentist and said ministers should have “fired the starting gun” last summer.
NHS England has written to integrated care boards (ICB) across the country, instructing bosses to stand up thousands of urgent appointments over the coming year.
Extra appointments will be available from April and have been targeted at so-called “dental deserts”.
They will be available to patients in pain, who have infections or require urgent repairs.
Patients will be able to access them by contacting their practice or calling NHS 111 if they do not have a regular dentist.
Jason Wong, chief dental officer for England, said: “Dentists are working hard to help as many patients as possible but too many people experience difficulties in accessing NHS dental services.
“It is vital that we do more to improve access – we are working with local systems to prioritise this, which includes providing 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments to help make it quicker and easier for those most in need to be seen and treated on the NHS and we are incentivising dentists to work in underserved areas so that all areas of the country can receive the care they need.”
Health minister Stephen Kinnock added: “We promised we would end the misery faced by hundreds of thousands of people unable to get urgent dental care. Today we’re starting to deliver on that commitment.
“NHS dentistry has been left broken after years of neglect, with patients left in pain without appointments, or queueing around the block just to be seen.
“Through our Plan for Change, this Government will rebuild dentistry, focusing on prevention, retention of NHS dentists and reforming the NHS contract to make NHS work more appealing to dentists and increase capacity for more patients.
“This will take time, but today marks an important step towards getting NHS dentistry back on its feet.”
The move comes a week after England’s chief medical officer, Sir Chris Whitty, told the Public Accounts Committee that NHS dentistry “is in a much weaker state than most other areas” of the health service.
The British Dental Association (BDA) claims the extra appointments would translate into each of the 24,200 dentists recorded as carrying out NHS services last year seeing the equivalent of a little over two extra urgent cases a month.
Based on analysis by the BDA, the total unmet need for NHS dentistry in England amounts to 13 million people, or one in four adults.
Shiv Pabary, chairman of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, said: “It’s progress, but Government could have fired the starting gun on commissioning urgent care last summer.
“Action here will translate into just two extra slots a month for each NHS dentist.
“Ministers must now confront the failed contract that’s left millions with no options.”
Elsewhere, the Government will also introduce a new a new supervised tooth-brushing scheme for three-to-five-year-olds in schools in the most deprived areas in England, as well as providing toothbrushes and toothpaste.
It comes after data published last week showed as many as six in 10 children in some areas have rotting teeth by the age of five, with clear differences between poorer regions of England and the more affluent.
New dentists are also being recruited in areas that need them most, along with a focus on retaining existing staff.
This includes £20,000 “golden hellos” for dentists who agree to work in areas that are usually hard to recruit in.
Jacob Lant, chief executive of National Voices, said: “NHS dentistry has been left in a sorry state, with far too many people experiencing pain and discomfort because they can’t access basic care.
“These extra urgent appointments will be welcome and are a helpful first step, but fixing the nation’s oral health crisis will require a sustained effort.
“We now need local NHS leaders to work creatively to ensure available capacity is targeting those most in need, whether treating an infected tooth or ensuring cancer and transplant patients get the dental check-ups they need before starting treatment.”
