More misery for patients as the NHS loses 700 dentists, despite government claims that reforms have boosted numbers
Patients have been warned they are likely to face long waiting times for care as the NHS ‘bleeds’ dentists.
Figures show that 23,577 dentists took on NHS work in England in 2022-23, up from 24,272 in the previous financial year – a decrease of 695.
The last time levels fell below 24,000 – apart from during the Covid pandemic when some services were halted – was in 2014-2015, data obtained by the British Dental Association suggests.
The union said the government must now ‘drop any pretense that NHS dentistry is on the road to recovery and finally deliver a meaningful rescue package’.
It argues that the latest data contradicts repeated claims by the prime minister, ministers and civil servants that recent reforms have increased the number of dentists.
Figures show 23,577 dentists took on NHS work in England in 2022-23, up from 24,272 in the previous financial year – a drop of 695 (file image)
Public satisfaction with NHS dentistry has fallen as many people struggle to be seen, with many operations closed to new patients.
According to the BDA, practices are struggling to fill dentist vacancies, meaning they face fines for failing to meet their NHS targets.
It estimates practices will have to pay back more than £400 million this year for missing targets.
Shawn Charlwood, chair of the union’s general dental practice committee, said: ‘The government needs to drop the spider and provide a rescue package to keep this service afloat.
‘NHS dentistry bleeds talent and further adjustments to a broken system will not stop the flow. We are facing an access crisis and with hundreds of millions about to be extracted, funds must be put to work to solve these problems.”
Rescue package to keep the service afloat
The union wants to see a higher minimum unit of dental activity [a measure of the amount of work done during dental treatment value]which it says could help stop dentists having to treat NHS patients at a loss.
“A minimum UDA level of £23 was rolled out in October, below the level required for most practices to cover their costs,” it said.
A BDA survey in England found that half of dentists had reduced the proportion of NHS work they did by more than a quarter compared to the start of the pandemic.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Daisy Cooper called for urgent reform and investment, accusing ministers of driving dentists away and ‘driving our dental service into the ground’.
The findings were obtained by the NHS Business Services Authority’s BDA using freedom of information laws.