Families waiting up to FOUR years to see a dentist in parts of Britain

by · Mail Online

Families are waiting up to four years to see a dentist in parts of Britain as a top figure said the profession is 'in a state of crisis'. 

People in Cornwall and Devon are waiting 1,441 days on average just to get registered with a dentist, health service documents show. 

Meanwhile, children in the same area are waiting for three years and eight months, figures from a local helpline also detailed in Freedom of Information disclosures show.

Neil Carmichael, the chairman of the Association of Dental Groups, told The Telegraph: 'These shocking figures unfortunately replicate what we are seeing across the country. UK dentistry is in a state of crisis.' 

New figures from the Office for National Statistics Experiences found 97 per cent of people who tried to access NHS dental care without being signed up to a dentist were not successful. 

Families are waiting up to four years to see a dentist in parts of Britain as a top figure said the profession is 'in a state of crisis' (Stock photo) 
Scores of people were seen queuing from as early as 2.30am in Warrington this month to register for a new NHS dentist 

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A message received by residents in Warrington from MyDentist in Westbrook

In Warrington, there were also reports of more than 100 people lining up from 2.30am just to get a place at an NHS dentist. 

The patients were spotted sitting on camping chairs as they waited outside MyDentist in Westbrook. 

The British Dental Association this month claimed NHS dentistry has 'effectively ceased to exist' for new patients, with many no longer able to secure appointments. 

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Over 100 people queue from 2.30am queue to register with new dentist, but only 3% get appointment

The professional body also stressed doctors are neither trained nor equipped to provide dental treatment.

Of those patients who tried to access NHS dentistry but did not have a dentist, 33.5 per cent reported having an urgent need for care, with 21.3 per cent stating they were in pain.

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association, said: 'This is a reminder that for new patients NHS dentistry has effectively ceased to exist.

'This crisis is piling pressure across our health service, forcing some to go private, while others in agony simply forgo needed care.

'We will keep seeing desperate scenes outside dental practices the length and breadth of this country until we see real reform.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said this month: 'This government is committed to rebuilding NHS dentistry, but it will take time.

'We will start with an extra 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments to help those who need it most, and reform the dental contract to encourage more dentists to offer NHS services to patients.

'Prevention is better than cure, so we will also introduce supervised tooth brushing for three to five-year-olds, to prevent so many children ending up in hospital to have their teeth pulled out.'