27,000 children in England are stuck on NHS waiting lists for specialist dental care, including some with severe tooth decay or other serious dental problems, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.
The figures also show that children in some areas are waiting an average of over a year and a half after being referred for specialised dental treatment on the NHS.
The data was released by the NHS Business Services Authority following a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats and is taken from an ongoing survey of community dentist providers. It reveals how specialist NHS dental services are struggling due to staff shortages and pressures on hospital capacity.
Community Dental Services provide treatments to a range of patients that need specialised care because they have specific needs. This can include children with severe untreated tooth decay, those with physical or learning disabilities or who need specific treatment for complex dental problems.
A staggering 12,226 children were on waiting lists for a dental procedure under general anaesthetic. In some areas children are being left waiting an average of 80 weeks, or over one and a half years, for dental treatment under general anaesthetic.
The longest average wait faced by children for treatment by a CDS provider was 80 weeks, at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.
One provider stated that “current pressures remain [on] our urgent care service due to the lack of access to routine NHS dentistry.” Another commented that “capacity issues are due to difficulty in recruiting clinical staff,” while one commented that they had been struggling to recruit dentists to fill vacant posts for several months.
The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to take immediate steps to address this dental crisis. The party is calling for the £400 million of last year’s unspent NHS dental services funding to be immediately deployed to bring waiting times for community dental services down and increase the number of NHS dental appointments.
Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, said, “It is heartbreaking to think that some children are being left waiting in pain for months or even years for the specialised dental care they need. Every child deserves access to the dental care they need, regardless of where they live.
“NHS community dental services are a crucial lifeline for vulnerable patients across our society, from children to older people.
“The government must take urgent action to address this dental crisis, including tackling staff shortages and reforming the broken system that has driven dentists away from offering NHS appointments.”