Ian Roome MP Launches New Dental Group to Tackle Dental Crisis

North Devon’s Liberal Democrat MP, Ian Roome, has created a new dental steering group comprising NHS dentists, representatives from the Integrated Care Board (ICB), local dental professionals, and other key stakeholders to address the region’s urgent dental care crisis.

After new data revealed that 78,610 children in Devon were not seen by an NHS dentist, local MP Ian Roome called for an urgent meeting to find solutions. 

The North Devon Dental Steering Group aims to increase access to NHS dentistry within the North Devon area, reduce oral health inequalities within local communities, and improve oral health for the wider Devon population. 

Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, Ian Roome said: “I’ve been inundated with stories of desperate patients who cannot find an NHS dentist in North Devon. This new group will be putting together a sort of emergency rescue plan to address the crisis head-on.” 

“The North Devon Dental Steering Group will not just be another talking shop. That’s why I went into the meeting with key action points, including fast-tracked dental care for cancer patients, oral health promotion in schools, and dental training programs at Petroc College for students.” 

“If we’re going to fix dentistry in North Devon, it’s going to take all of us working together. We need to urgently fix the local dental crisis we’ve inherited after years of the Conservative party’s disastrous management. It’s shocking that so many people in our community still can’t access an NHS dentist when they need one."