5 million children have not seen a dentist in past year as figures reveal worst dental deserts

EMBARGO: 2230 Wednesday 31st December

The Liberal Democrats have warned that NHS dentistry is facing a national crisis, as new analysis of official figures reveals that millions of children and adults across England are struggling to access basic dental care.

Four in ten children, or over five million, had not seen a dentist in the year up to June, while 28 million adults, around 60%, have gone without care for two years or more. The Liberal Democrats have warned that the system is buckling and unable to cope.

The figures have also revealed a major postcode lottery. In Nottinghamshire, 35% of children have not seen a dentist in two years, while in Somerset the figure is 56%. In three quarters of areas, at least 40% of children haven’t seen a dentist in two years.

The Liberal Democrats have put forward a £750m dental rescue plan, which would end “dental deserts”, areas where no NHS dentists are available for new patients. The plan would bring dentists back to the NHS from the private sector by reforming the dental contract, and would introduce an emergency scheme to guarantee access to free dental checkups for children, new mothers, pregnant women and those on low incomes.

Helen Maguire MP, Primary Care Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said:

“This is a ticking time bomb for the NHS and for children’s health in particular. People are being forced to spend hundreds or even thousands on private care, while others are resorting to DIY dentistry or turning up at busy A&E departments in desperation for pain relief.

“Conservative mismanagement created this crisis, but after 18 months in power the Government's recent attempt to tweak the system has not addressed the chronic underfunding and wider issues within NHS dental provision. The Liberal Democrats are calling for an urgent rescue plan for NHS dentistry. 

“We want to see not only guaranteed access to an NHS dentist for anyone who needs emergency care, but also supervised toothbrushing in all nurseries and schools, and fixing the broken dental contract to bring dentists back into the NHS. Only with proper investment and reform, we can end dental deserts and make sure everyone can get the care they need, no matter where they live.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• Liberal Democrat analysis of official NHS data, broken down by local Integrated Care Board, can be found here.
   
• The Royal College of Surgeons confirmed this year that tooth decay remains one of the leading causes of hospital admissions for young children. Read more here.