Securing an NHS dentist in the UK has become a nearly impossible task, often described as a “nightmare” for many Britons. Those who are unable to afford private sector costs are left with no option but to forgo necessary medical care, which raises significant concerns about public health.
Reflecting the broader crisis affecting the UK’s public health system, NHS, a large number of dentists are abandoning the public healthcare system in favor of more profitable private practices, which come at a much higher cost.
Labour MP Ashley Dalton expressed her disappointment in early January before Parliament, stating, “In 2024, getting a ticket to a Taylor Swift concert will be easier than securing an appointment with an NHS dentist.”
The Britons form a strong bond with the NHS as it enables them to receive medical care and treatment for free or at a low cost, regardless of their income. However, according to a 2022 study by the British Dental Association, 90% of dentists no longer accept new patients at NHS rates.
A “YouGov” survey conducted in March 2023 found that one in five Britons had not registered with either a private or public health institution.
Danny White, an unemployed father, has been struggling for months to find a dentist for himself and his wife, who suffers from recurring abscesses, as well as his daughters, one of whom has a tooth growing behind her baby teeth and the other needing braces. “It’s an absolute nightmare.. we keep trying to get an appointment,” White told Agence France-Presse. He revealed that the three clinics in their town stopped accepting NHS patients, offering only private care instead.
Living in Bury St Edmunds in East England, White added, “It will cost us £400 ($507) just for the first consultation (for the whole family), without any treatment,” a cost his family, already struggling to make their car loan payments, cannot afford.
Alongside White, thousands of Britons find themselves desperately needing treatment, while media and social networks are abuzz with testimonies of individuals who have had to travel hundreds of kilometers to find a dentist or borrow money to pay for treatment. Others speak of resorting to tooth extractions while abroad.
Mark Jones, a security consultant who launched the “Toothless in England” campaign three years ago, points out that some people end up in hospitals due to overdosing on painkillers and others die from blood poisoning caused by an abscess or undiagnosed oral cancer. He highlights the disturbing trend of self-performed tooth extractions, notably during the COVID-19 lockdown, which saw a rise in “DIY dentistry.”
According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the UK has the lowest ratio of dentists per population among G7 nations, with only 49 dentists per 100,000 people. As Mark Jones explains, “The problem isn’t a shortage of dentists, but a lack of dentists choosing to work within the NHS.”
The Nuffield Trust released a report in mid-December warning that NHS dental services are nearing the end of their life. A two-tiered system is gradually forming; those who can afford private care and the less well-off whose health deteriorates due to lack of access to affordable dental services.
Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, blames the “shocking” situation on a decade-long lack of investment by the state and the cancellation of numerous health contracts during the pandemic. He also mentions the 2006 reform that altered dental procedure tariffs, making them less attractive to dentists.
Currently, just over 70% of dentists offer treatments under the NHS, sometimes in very small quantities, according to a recent parliamentary report.
The Conservative government has promised a plan for the public dental system, which has an annual budget of £3 billion ($3.8 billion) for England.
Crouch believes the fundamental need is “incentives to allow dentists to take on new patients,” which means “additional reward” for complex treatments. However, there’s also an urgent need to address the “immediate suffering” of patients, suggests Mark Jones, who proposes developing mobile dental clinics and emergency care services in hospitals.
