The crisis in NHS dentistry is so bad that a charity set up to run clinics in poorer countries is now spending more time working in the UK.
Millions of people are struggling to access services, with huge regional variations in care. And those from poorer areas are worse affected.
The British Dental Association warns “fundamental reform” is needed to guarantee the survival of NHS dentistry.
In Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, the charity Dentaid has partnered with a local support group to provide free dental care for people unable to access NHS dentists.
Demand is high in this area, with volunteers saying there’s a four to five-year wait for dentists.
Carl Parkin is having a check-up and told Sky News his toothache was so painful he recently resorted to DIY dentistry.
“I took a ring pull from a can of pop and tried to take it out myself,” he said.
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“It only made things worse, and I ended up seeing the emergency dentist.”
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Another patient is Roy Wake who is recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. It’s been eight years since he last saw a dentist.
“I’ve got no real chewing teeth left, just nothing to chew with. It makes you so self-conscious,” he said.
Volunteer dentist Dr Priya Sharry-Khan says a shortage of dentists means that clinics are always busy.
“I think if there was more access to care, there’d be less problems that we’d see with patients, and we wouldn’t be having to have a van set up on multiple days treating as many patients as we can.”
The Dewsbury Dentaid clinic isn’t open to the general public but the charity’s CEO, Andy Evans, says demand across the country is high.
“It’s just the changing dynamics, there are different communities coming in who maybe haven’t had access to dentists at any time, so the world is changing and yes we want to carry on expanding what we’re doing.”
The most recent analysis suggests 13 million people in England alone can’t access an NHS dentist.
Children in the north have poorer oral health, and those from the most deprived communities are twice as likely to have tooth decay than youngsters living in affluent areas.
British Dental Association chairman Eddie Crouch said: “Whether NHS dentistry even has a future will depend on the choices made in the next few years.
“Underfunding and failed contracts have fuelled a crisis that’s left millions without options. This service’s survival hinges on fundamental reform backed up by real investment.”
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are rolling out extra urgent dental appointments and reforming the dental contract to prioritise patients with the greatest need.”
