BDA Response To Citizens Advice Access Survey, UK

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 16 Jan 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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Responding to today's Citizens Advice figures on NHS dental care, the British Dental Association (BDA) has warned that primary care trusts and dentists must be properly supported if the Government is serious about improving access for patients.

According to the survey,7.4 million people in England and Wales had not been to an NHS dentist since the implementation of reforms to NHS dentistry in April 2006. Approximately 2.7 million of these patients had gone without treatment altogether as a result of this access problem.

Susie Sanderson, Chair of the BDA's Executive Board, said:

"This data highlights once again the significant number of people who would like to access NHS dentistry but are unable to do so. It is clear that the new dental contract has, so far, not achieved the stated aim of improving access to NHS care.

"The Government recently announced a much-needed 11 per cent boost in funding for NHS dentistry and set itself the target of increasing the number of patients able to access the service. To ensure this funding makes a real difference, it's vital that primary care trusts engage positively with dentists and also have the expertise and support required to meet the dental needs of their local communities."

Notes:

1. The research was published by the Citizens Advice Bureau on 16 January 2008.

2. The Department of Health acknowledged in 2006 that approximately two million people who wanted to access NHS dentistry were unable to do so. For details, see here.

3. According to statistics from The Information Centre, 266,000 fewer people visited an NHS dentist in the 24 months prior to 30 June 2007, compared to the 24 months prior to 31 March 2006. For details, see here.

4. A survey of patients by the Healthcare Commission in 2005 found that 69 per cent of those not registered with an NHS dentist would like to be. This equated to approximately 15 million people. For details, see here.

5. 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