A new report has highlighted that a lack of access to NHS dental care is hitting women the hardest, deepening a gendered health crisis.

The report from the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) is part of its Dental Health Matters campaign.

The NFWI carried out a survey between Autumn 2024 to January 2025, revealing the lived experiences of over 900 women living in England and Wales. The survey revealed that many women are forced to pay for private dentistry for family members, forgoing dental care for themselves. Also, some women spoke of visiting A&E for dental pain and infections due to a failure in preventive care.

Respondents also spoke of travelling abroad to receive dental care as it was more accessible and cheaper.

‘First of its kind’
The research is the first of its kind to highlight that a lack of NHS dental services is having devastating, but also gendered, consequences on society. According to the NFWI, women are often the designated primary caregivers for their families and are therefore navigating the dental health service as carers, often sacrificing their own health to support their loved ones.

Women also have unique oral health challenges compared to men. Women’s saliva is more acidic, therefore increasing the likelihood of dental decay. Also, hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause increase women’s susceptibility to gum disease.

Jeryl Stone, chair of the NFWI, said, “It's time to reform the broken dental system, but it is also time to recognise this healthcare crisis as a gendered crisis too. We at the Women’s Institute stand united in demanding reform to NHS dental contracts, offering more training spaces for our dentists of the future, and creating a fair and accessible NHS dental healthcare system for every woman and their community. Dental health matters, and so do we.”

The report has called for the government to:

  • Reform NHS dental contracts
  • Increase the NHS dental workforce
  • Make dental care affordable and accessible
  • Address the gendered impact of the dental health crisis

The British Dental Association (BDA) has demonstrated its support for the campaign and its report. Eddie Crouch, chair of the BDA, commented, "The crisis in NHS dentistry is having a unique impact on women up and down the country. From pregnancy to menopause, as parents and as carers, access problems often hit women hardest.

“This service can have a future, but only if ministers are willing to pick up the pace and keep their promises. Until then, patients — especially women — will continue to pay the price."

For more information visit https://www.thewi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/721345/DHM-Report-Digital.pdf

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