New figures published on August 24, 2023, in the annual report on ‘NHS Dental Statistics for England’ in 2022-23, show that the number of patients being seen by NHS dentists remains below pre-pandemic levels.

The figures show:

  • Forty-three per cent of adults in England as of June 30, 2023, had seen an NHS dentist in the past 24 months, still short of the 52 per cent seen in pre-pandemic times; the latest figures also show people aged 85 and over were the adults seen least (37 per cent).
  • Fifty-six per cent of children in England, as of 30 June 2023, were seen by an NHS dentist in the past 12 months, still below pre-pandemic levels of 59 per cent. Children aged 0 to four were seen least (31 per cent).
  • Overall, 18.1m adults in England were seen for NHS dental treatment in the 24 months up to June 2023, 17.5 per cent lower than the 22m seen in the 24 months up to June 2019, and 6.4m children were seen in the 12 months to June 2023, down nine per cent on figures for 2019.

The figures do not tell us how many of those patients were usual patients of NHS dentists going for return check-ups or new patients seeking urgent dental treatment for the first time.

Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said, “We’re seeing the limits on the recovery and this government’s ambition.

“Demoralised dentists are walking away from a broken system while millions struggle to access the care they need.

“NHS dentistry can come back from the brink, but only if ministers turn the page.”

Louise Ansari, CEO of Healthwatch England, said, “The report supports our evidence which shows that people in every corner of England are struggling to get the dental treatment they need when they need it.

“NHS dentistry continues to be the second most common issue people report to Healthwatch, with many living in pain, while some turn to private care.

“But private treatment is not an option for everyone, with reports suggesting people from the most deprived communities struggle the most to access dental care.

“We have repeatedly called for fully resourced dental contract reform to tackle these deep-seated problems and for the government to publish its dental recovery plan urgently.

“This plan should address recent calls made by MPs on the Health and Social Committee, including our evidence stressing the need for a new national oral health needs assessment to establish which type of people are missing out on any NHS dental care at all. We’re concerned that some children have never been seen by a dentist in their life, storing up oral health and social problems for the future and potential removal of decayed teeth in hospital.”

Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, said, “NHS dentistry is in crisis. It has been abandoned and neglected by successive governments.

“Without access to a dentist, millions of people are at risk of diseases like tooth decay and gum disease going unchecked and being allowed to manifest into something far more severe.

“It is unacceptable that people face unnecessary pain because they are unable to access the care they need.

“Dentists and the public have been badly let down by a government that does not prioritise NHS dentistry. A new contract is desperately needed – politicians must act now before there is no NHS dentistry to save.”

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