The Great British Oral Health Report, published today by ADG member {my} dentist has confirmed again the need for the Government to “level up” access to NHS dentistry.
The survey work finds that 58% of the public believe that getting access to NHS dentistry has become more difficult over the past decade with 40% saying it is “much more difficult”.
The report also shows a growing North/South divide identified by the ADG here, in particular tooth decay amongst 5 year olds varying across regions from 18% in the South East to 32% in the North West.
Neil Carmichael, Chair of the ADG welcomed the report saying;
“The Great British Oral Health report shows widening inequalities between the North and South of England and that constituents in “red wall” constituencies are crying out for better access to NHS dentistry.”
“The solution is simple – we need more dentists. We are calling on the Government to launch an army style recruitment campaign to attract more people into the profession from both home and abroad otherwise we are going to see more “dental deserts” in many parts of the country .”
Tom Riall, Chief Executive of {my}dentist, said:
“Despite the heroic hard work of dentists, millions of patients are struggling to access the care they need. There is a growing workforce shortage, NHS dentists are facing increasing pressures, and many are considering leaving the profession altogether.
“We need action now to support NHS dentists and to fix the dental workforce{ crisis once and for all. Without this, the problem will only get worse – more patients will be left in unnecessary pain and discomfort, dental decay will go untreated, and vital oral cancer diagnoses will be missed.”
The Great British Oral Health Report is published by ADG member {my} dentist here.