Finding an NHS-affiliated dentist in the United Kingdom has become a task akin to a “nightmare” for many Britons, leaving some with no choice but to turn to private care if they can afford it, while others forgo necessary medical care altogether.
Similar to the significant crisis affecting the British public health system (NHS), a large number of dentists are abandoning the public system in favor of more profitable private care institutions which come at a much higher price.
Labour MP Ashley Dalton expressed disappointment in early January before Parliament saying, “By 2024, it will be easier to buy a ticket to a Taylor Swift concert than to get an appointment with an NHS dentist.”
Britons have a strong attachment to the NHS, which regardless of their income, allows them to receive medical supervision and treatment either for free or, in the case of dental care, at reduced prices. However, a 2022 study by the British Dental Association found that 90% of dentists are no longer accepting new patients at public rates.
A “YouGov” poll in March 2023 showed that one in five Britons had not registered with either private or public health services.
For months, Danny White, an unemployed father, has struggled to find a dentist for himself, his wife who suffers from recurring abscesses, and his two daughters, one of whom has teeth growing behind her baby teeth and the other in need of orthodontic care.
“It’s an absolute nightmare… we’re constantly trying to get an appointment” for his youngest daughter, White told Agence France-Presse. He explained that the three clinics in his town have all stopped registering patients under the NHS and now only offer private care.
White, who lives in Bury St Edmunds in East England, lamented that it would cost his family 400 pounds (507 US dollars) just for the first consultation for all family members without any treatment which is an expense the family, already struggling to pay off a car loan, cannot afford.
Thousands like White are in dire need of treatment, while the media and social networks are filled with testimonials of people who had to travel hundreds of kilometers to find a dentist or borrow money for treatment costs. Others speak of taking advantage of being abroad for tooth extractions.
Mark Jones, a security consultant who launched the “Toothless in England” campaign three years ago, said that some people end up in hospital due to overdoses of painkillers and others die from blood poisoning due to untreated abscess or undiagnosed mouth cancer.
“People are pulling their teeth out themselves,” said an infuriated Jones, referring to the rise in “DIY dentistry” during the Covid-19 pandemic’s lockdowns.
Dentistry Service Approaching “The End”
Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reveals that the UK has 49 dentists per 100,000 people, the lowest rate among the G7 nations. “The problem isn’t a lack of dentists, but a lack of dentists choosing to work for the NHS,” said Mark Jones.
The Nuffield Trust expressed concerns in a mid-December report, suggesting that NHS dental services are nearing the end of their lifespan.
There is a growing divide between those who can afford private care and those in less fortunate circumstances who watch their health deteriorate.
Eddie Crouch, the chairman of the British Dental Association, acknowledges the “shock” of the situation and blames it on a “lack of investment” by the state over the past decade, compounded by the cancellation of numerous healthcare appointments during the pandemic.
Crouch highlights a 2006 reform that altered dental procedure tariffs to be less attractive to dentists.
Currently, just over 70% of dentists provide treatments within the NHS, oftentimes in very limited quantities, according to a recent parliamentary report.
The Conservative government has promised a plan for the NHS dental system, which has an annual budget of 3 billion pounds (3.8 billion dollars) for all of England.
Crouch believes that “above all, we need incentives to allow dentists to take on new patients,” which means “additional reimbursement” for complex treatments. But, solutions are also needed for the “urgent need” to address patient suffering, says Jones, who suggests developing mobile dental clinics and emergency care services in hospitals.
