Access To NHS Dentistry Declines Further, UK

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 06 Jun 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Statistics published by The Information Centre provide new evidence that the Government's 2006 reforms are failing to achieve their aim of improving patients' ability to access to NHS dentistry. The figures show that 881,000 people across England have lost access to NHS dentistry since the implementation of reforms in April 2006.

According to the statistics, 27,264,000 patients were seen by an NHS dentist in England in the 24 months up to 31 December 2007, compared to 28,145,000 in the 24 months up to 31 March 2006, a reduction of 881,000 patients. This figure is in addition to the approximately two million people that the Department of Health acknowledges wanted access but were unable to get it before March 2006.

Peter Ward, Chief Executive of the BDA, said:
"These figures offer fresh evidence that the reforms have failed to achieve their stated aims. They've failed to improve access to care for patients and failed to allow dentists to provide the modern, preventive care they want to deliver. Instead, this contract encourages sporadic, episodic treatment, rather than the long-term, continuing relationships that dentists and their patients value.

"The Government must heed these statistics and work with patients and dentists to find constructive solution to the problems with the reforms behind this decline."

1. The Information Centre figures are available here.

2. The Department of Health's estimate of approximately two million people wishing to access NHS dentistry in England but unable to do so prior to the implementation of reforms in April 2006 is available here.

3. The Information Centre is an independent NHS Special Health Authority that collects, analyses and distributes national statistics on health and social care.

4. The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association for dentists in the UK. It represents over 20,000 dentists working in general practice, in community and hospital settings, in academia and research, and in the armed forces.

British Dental Association